Des anomalies biochimiques de la voie sérotonine-N-acétylsérotonine-mélatonine ont été observées dans les Troubles du Spectre Autistique (TSA) et la prématurité. Cependant, les mécanismes moléculaires de régulation de cette voie et les causes des anomalies biochimiques observées dans ces maladies sont encore mal connus. Afin de mieux comprendre les bases génétiques de la voie sérotonine-N-acétylsérotonine-mélatonine, nous avons utilisé une approche de génétique quantitative au travers de deux populations d’étude indépendantes, dans lesquelles des paramètres de cette voie ont été mesurés. Ces deux cohortes, composées d’une part de plus de 250 familles avec autisme et plus de 300 témoins et d’autre part, de 183 nouveau-nés dont 93 nés très prématurés, incluent ainsi des individus présentant deux situations pathologiques différentes associées à des anomalies de cette voie. Une première étude de la voie sérotonine-N-acétylsérotonine-mélatonine dans les familles avec TSA a permis d’obtenir des estimations de l’héritabilité au sens strict, allant de 0,22 pour la mélatonine à 0,72 pour la N-acétylsérotonine (NAS). Des études d’association portant dans un premier temps sur une liste de 812 gènes candidats pour la régulation de la voie sérotonine-NAS-mélatonine et dans un second temps sur tout le génome, n’ont pas permis d’identifier des variants significativement associés aux traits biochimiques. Cependant, des études d’association par gènes ont permis d’identifier trois nouveaux gènes candidats (IL21R, JMJD7 et MAPKBP1) pour la régulation de cette voie dans les familles avec TSA ainsi qu’un nouveau gène (RAET1G) dans la cohorte de nouveau-nés prématurés et témoins. Enfin une étude biochimique des phénol-sulfotransférases (PST) dans les familles avec TSA a mis en évidence une faible activité enzymatique chez 29% des patients en comparaison avec les témoins (5ème percentile). Le séquençage et le génotypage du nombre de copies des gènes de la famille SULT1A1 n’ont pas permis d’identifier des variations génétiques associées aux TSA, à l’activité PST, ou aux taux de sérotonine et de mélatonine. En conclusion, ces résultats confirment la complexité de l’architecture génétique de la voie sérotonine-NAS-mélatonine. D’autre part, ils ont permis de mettre en évidence une héritabilité élevée de cette voie et d’identifier de nouveaux gènes candidats pour comprendre la diversité inter-individuelle de cette voie chez les personnes avec TSA, les enfants prématurés et la population générale. / Biochemical abnormalities of the serotonin-N-acetylserotonin-melatonin pathway have been reported in many clinical conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorders and preterm birth. However, molecular mechanisms underlying this pathway regulation, as well as the causes of these biochemical abnormalities remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was thus to characterize the genetic basis of the serotonin-N-acetylserotonin-melatonin pathway. To do so, we used a quantitative genetic approach in two independent populations that were previously biochemically explored for this pathway. One cohort consisted of more than 250 families with ASD and more than 300 controls and the other was composed of 183 infants including 93 very preterm newborns. Both cohorts included individuals with clinical conditions associated with disruptions of the serotonin-N-acetylserotonin-melatonin pathway. Narrow sense heritability analysis of this pathway showed relatively high estimates, ranging from 0.22 for melatonin to 0.72 for N-acetyserotonin (NAS). First, candidate-gene association studies including 812 genes related to the serotonin-NAS-melatonin pathway, then genome-wide association studies were conducted. These analyses did not identify any variant associated at the genome-wide significance level. However, a gene-based approach identified three new candidate genes (IL21R, JMJD7 and MAPKBP1) for the regulation of the pathway in families with ASD as well as one gene (RAET1G) in the cohort of preterm and term newborns. Finally, a biochemical exploration of the phenol-sulfotransferases (PST) in families with ASD revealed a decreased enzyme activity in 29% of patients compared with controls (5th percentile). SULT1A1-4 genes were then sequenced and copy number variants (CNV) were genotyped. No genetic variant could be significantly associated with PST activity, melatonin and serotonin levels, or ASD status. In conclusion, these results confirm the complexity of serotonin-NAS-melatonin pathway genetic architecture. Furthermore, this study revealed high heritability of this pathway and identified new candidate genes to understand the inter-individual variability of this pathway in ASD, preterm birth and the general population.

This dissertation investigates the development and use of self-images in augmented reality systems for learning and learning-based activities. This work focuses on self- modeling, a particular form of learning, actively employed in various settings for therapy or teaching. In particular, this work aims to develop novel multimedia systems to support the display and rendering of augmented self-images. It aims to use interactivity (via games) as a means of obtaining imagery for use in creating augmented self-images. Two multimedia systems are developed, discussed and analyzed. The proposed systems are validated in terms of their technical innovation and their clinical efficacy in delivering behavioral interventions for young children on the autism spectrum.

.......................................................................................................................................... 2 Abstract The number of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) attending postsecondary education has steadily increased in recent years. A need has been identified for campus administrators to better understand the needs of students with ASD (Becker & Palladino, 2016; Oswald, Winder-Patel, Ruder, Xing, Stahmer, & Solomon, 2017). In order to gain insight about students with ASD, research providing a foundation of understanding the unique characteristics and needs of this growing population must take place. By recognizing the need for further education and training, campus administrators may have opportunities to develop professional development trainings that could provide insight into understanding a growing population of students and their needs (Zeedyk, Tipton, & Blacher, 2016). The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge of self-determination within college students with ASD. Quantitative methodology was selected in order to provide an exploratory approach to provide a foundation of understanding of self-determination skills for students with ASD. This study included 53 students with ASD registered with the Disability Services Offices (DSO) attending university as well as 41 students registered with the campus DSO without a diagnosis of ASD. A modified version of the American Institute of Research (AIR) was used to measure self-determination skills with the two participant groups. Three major findings were identified from this study. Students with ASD scored much lower than students without ASD on the open-ended response portion of the survey. However, students with ASD scored higher than students without ASD in identifying resources on campus. Finally, students with ASD identified mentors as primary resources of support on campus. The findings from this study confirms more data are needed in order for campus administrators to better understand the needs of a growing population of students. Future research could include topics of professional development for campus faculty and staff, strategic instruction on self-determination skills for students with ASD, and the impact of self-determined leadership in higher education. Key words: autism spectrum disorders, self-determination, postsecondary education

This theoretical thesis covers the issues of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in relation to the brain connectome research. ASD belong to the group of neurodevelopmental syndromes and are characterized by deficits in communication skills, social interaction and stereotypic behaviors. The prevalence of ASD increases, its etiopathogenesis is very likely multifactorial. Within the ASD syndrome, precise differential diagnostic algorithms are difficult to implement in the absence of objective biomarkers. Extensive neuroscientific research, including the connectome projects, might improve the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the field of Psychiatry, including ASD. The individual's connectome profile might well serve as a new biomarker in psychiatric diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The brain connectome represents the net of all neuronal connections in the brain. Mapping of the connectome across all ages, in health and in disease, is the main goal of the Human Connectome Project (HCP). The first HCP data show great interindividual variability with the environmental factors playing a crucial role. Extensive neurobiology research data on mechanisms of memory support the vital role of environmental stimulation in compensating for behavioral symptoms in ASD. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is an...

研究目的：本研究的目的，是以縱貫研究的方式探討自閉症類疾患兒童自學齡前期至學齡期的臨床診斷穩定度、自閉症狀嚴重度變化、適應行為型態與其變化、內外化行為。 研究方法：本研究納入28名自閉症類疾患與18位非自閉症類疾患，於三個時間點進行評估：時間點一平均生理年齡為2歲半、時間點二為4歲、時間點三為9歲半。本研究分析三個時間點之臨床診斷穩定度以及後兩個時間點之評估資料。症狀嚴重度方面，以自閉症診斷會談問卷修訂版之晤談評估；適應行為方面，以文蘭適應行為量表第二版評估；認知功能方面，時間點二時以穆林發展量表評估，時間點三時使用魏氏兒童智力量表第四版評估；內外化行為方面，時間點三時以阿肯巴克實證衡鑑系統中的兒童行為檢核表評估。 研究結果：本研究結果顯示，自閉症類疾患從學齡前期至學齡期的臨床診斷穩定度高，若分亞型來看，自閉性疾患的診斷穩定度比其他未註明之廣泛性發展疾患高。症狀嚴重度方面，學齡期時自閉症類疾患兒童的溝通、侷限及重複刻板行為有顯著改善，社交行為亦有改善趨勢。適應行為方面，學齡前期及學齡期皆未發現自閉症類疾患與非自閉症類疾患之表現型態有差異，兩組在社會化領域的表現皆較其他領域來得差。自閉症類疾患的適應行為於學齡期時，年齡當量顯著增加，但社會化適應行為標準分數反而退步；進一步以認知功能分組檢視，則發現高功能自閉症類疾患在日常生活技巧與社會化領域的進步幅度顯著較多。內外化行為方面，學齡期時自閉症類疾患個案的退縮/憂鬱分量尺與社會問題分量尺之分數高於非自閉症類疾患，且自閉症類疾患在退縮/憂鬱、社會問題、注意力問題等三個分量尺上，皆有超過一半的個案達到邊緣範圍以上之分數；未發現內外化行為與自閉症狀嚴重度之間的相關。 結論：自閉症類疾患兒童到了學齡期大部分仍維持臨床診斷，顯示其自閉特徵仍然穩定存在，不過症狀嚴重度的整體趨勢會隨著年紀改善；但若以個體差異來看，每位個案進步的程度呈現高異質性，每位個案症狀改變的程度可能不同。自閉症類兒童的社會化適應行為從學齡前期至學齡期皆為其弱項，雖適應行為會隨著年齡進步，但社會化適應行為仍追不上同儕程度；高功能自閉症類疾患兒童的適應行為在日常生活技巧與社會化領域的進步幅度顯著較多，可能與認知功能有關。內外化行為方面，自閉症類疾患兒童的退縮/憂鬱問題、社會問題、注意力問題較多，但與症狀嚴重度無關。 / Purposes: The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the stability of clinical diagnosis, symptom severity, adaptive function and enternal/external behavior from toddler to school age in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Methods: Twenty eight children diagnosed with ASDs and eighteen children with Non-ASDs participated at time 1 (mean chronological age was 2.5 years old), and then followed at time 2 (mean chronological age was 4 years old) and at time 3 (mean chronological age was 9.5 years old). This study examines the stability of clinical diagnosis from time 1 to time 3, and analyze the measurement data between time 2 and time 3. Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) was used to measure autistic symptom severity at time 2 and time 3; Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-II (VABS-II) was used to measure daily adaptive behavior at time 2 and time 3; Mullen Scale of Early Learning (MSEL) or Wechsler intelligence scale for children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) was used to measure cognitive function at two time points; Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 6-18 (CBCL/6-18) was used to measure enternal and external behavior at time 3. Results: The stability of clinical diagnosis was high from toddler age to school age, and the stability of Autistic Disorder was higher than Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. The ADI-R scores of communication domain, repetitive and stereotyped behavior domain were decreased at school age, while reciprocal social interaction domain was also declined but no significant difference. All domains of VABS-II standard score were no significant difference between ASDs and Non-ASDs at two time point, and the score of social domain was worst in both two groups. The VABS-II standard score of social domain was reduced although the age equivalent was increased at school age, and the standard score of other domains were no significant difference between the two time points but all age equivalents were improved at school age. Dividing ASDs to high-function ASDs and low-function ASDs to analyze the growth rate of adaption behaviors, the results indicated that the growth rate of adaption behaviors were higher in high-function ASDs at daily skill domain and social domain. Children with ASDs had significant higher scores on Withdrawn/Depressed scale and Social Problem scale than Non-ASDs in CBCL, and over 50 percent of ASDs scored above the borderline range at Withdrawn/Depressed scale, Social Problem scale and Attention Problem scale. In addition, there were no significant correlations between CBCL and ADI-R. Conclusions: In summary, the study showed that most of ASDs sustained the clinical diagnosis from preschool age to school age, however, the autistic symptom severity was declined. Additionally, the improvement of symptom severity of individual ASDs was high variability. The social adaptive behavior was worst in both toddler age and school age in ASDs. Although these children with ASD developed some of adaptive behaviors in the school age, the magnitude of improvement couldn’t equal to the change of their chronological age, especially in socialization domain. The growth rate of daily skill domain and social domain were higher in high-function ASDs than low-function ASDs, might associated with cognitive function. More Children with ASDs had withdrawn/depressed problem, social problem and attention problem, but there were not related to autistic symptom severity.

Thesis (MSc (Computer Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this thesis is to develop a generic 3D virtual environment development platform for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) therapy tools. The potential of using computerised therapy tools for ASD therapy is well known. However, the development of such tools is expensive and time-consuming, and is language and culture speci c. This work intends to alleviate these problems. The design of the platform is based on known game engine designs, but adapted for the requirements of ASD therapy tools. It supports standard features such as 3D rendering, animation and audio output. Speci c features, aimed at ASD therapy tools and educational games, included in our engine are: replays, data capturing, remote monitoring over a network and language localisation. We also implemented an input hardware abstraction layer to allow support for non-standard input peripherals in the future, without modifying existing game implementations. Furthermore, to separate the development of games and tools from the engine, we include wrapper libraries in our engine for Lua and Java. We successfully developed our engine and implemented a number of prototype therapy tools and educational games. These implementations confirmed that the engine works as expected. Some of these programs are currently in use at a local primary school. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie tesis is om 'n 3D virtuele omgewing en ontwikkelingsplatform vir outistiese spektrum versteuring (OSV) terapiemiddels te ontwikkel. Die gebruik van rekenaargebaseerde terapiemiddels vir OSV terapie is bekend. Om sulke terapiemiddels te ontwikkel is egter duur, tydrowend en is dikwels gerig op spesi eke taal- en kultuurgroepe. Hierdie werk het dit ten doel om hierdie probleme te bowe te kom. Die ontwerp van die platform is gebaseer op die ontwerp van bekende videospeletjie-enjins, maar is aangepas vir die benodigdhede van OSV terapiemiddels. Dit ondersteun standaard funksionaliteit soos 3D uitbeelding, animasie en klank. Ons platform sluit in spesi eke funksionaliteit, wat gerig is op OSV terapiemiddels en opvoedkundige speletjies, naamlik: kykweer, datavaslegging, afstandswaarneming oor 'n netwerk en taal-lokalisering. Verder is 'n abstrakte koppelvlak vir toevoerapparatuur ontwikkel, wat dit moontlik maak om in die toekoms nie-standaard toevoerapparatuur te ondersteun, sonder om bestaande speletjies se implementasies aan te pas. Verder, om die ontwikkeling van speletjies en terapiemiddels te skei van die enjin, is koppelvlakke ontwikkel wat dit moontlik maak om die enjin in Lua en Java te gebruik.

This diploma thesis deals with the topic of education of pupils with autism spectrum disorders at an elementary school for pupils with physical disabilities. It focuses on the methodological conditions for education that the school offers to pupils with autism spectrum disorders. The thesis is divided into the theoretical and practical part. The first chapter of the theoretical part describes autism spectrum disorders - from terminology and classification to typical manifestations of this diagnosis. The second chapter is dedicated to education of pupils with autism spectrum disorders, it presents options for their education and support measures. The third chapter of the theoretical part presents teaching methods and interventions for people with autism spectrum disorders. The practical part of the thesis includes a qualitative research survey which was carried out through semi-structured interviews with class teachers of pupils with autism spectrum disorders at the elementary school for pupils with physical disabilities. Using analysis of interviews and school documentation, I came to the conclusion that the environment of this school offers pupils with autism spectrum disorders education provided by special education teachers, and also comprehensive care, the benefit of small group, and individual...

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No. of bitstreams: 1 DissECSer.pdf: 1370100 bytes, checksum: 66b22ec8fd2d6be459589ba7d94c0d11 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-19 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability may experience delays in psychomotor development and flaws in the structuring of the body schema, which subsidize the development of spatial orientation. These delays cause perceptual, motor, and social problems. In the approach of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), the behavioral intervention programs use a variety of working formats to meet individual needs of this population. Considering the body notion as a basis for the development of learning, the aim of this study was to teach individuals with ASD and intellectual disability to discriminate sides "right" and "left" of the body and check the generalization of this concept to other stimuli and contexts. Two experiments were carried out. In the first experiment, participants were a boy (9 years old) diagnosed with autism and two teenagers (16 years old), one with Down syndrome and another with intellectual disabilities. In the second experiment, participants were four boys diagnosed with ASD at the age of ten to twelve years. The selection criterion was that the participants did not present the knowledge of concepts related to the left and right sides, identified in a pretest. The procedure consisted of pre-testing, teaching with multiple exemplar instruction and post-test. The intervention was composed of discrete trials in which an instruction containing three components (movement, body part, and laterality, for example, "Raise your right arm") was presented and, when necessary, imitation, physical, and gestural prompts were used and faded according to the participant's performance. Data collection was filmed for reliability calculations and the designs were pre- and post-test in the first experiment and multiple baseline across participants in the second experiment. All participants presented correct responses regarding taught actions involving three components (movement, body part, and laterality), and generalized right and left concepts to new contexts that were tested with the use of objects. This study used only listener verbal relations, opening possibilities for comparing listener relations training and speaker relations training in the emergence of such concepts. / Crianças com Transtorno do Espectro do Autismo (TEA) e deficiência intelectual podem apresentar atrasos no desenvolvimento psicomotor e falhas na estruturação do esquema corporal, que subsidiam o desenvolvimento da orientação espacial. Estes atrasos ocasionam problemas perceptivos, motores e sociais. Na abordagem da Análise Aplicada do Comportamento (ABA), os programas de intervenção comportamental utilizam vários formatos de trabalho para atender necessidades individuais desta população. Considerando a noção corporal como base do desenvolvimento da aprendizagem, o objetivo do presente estudo foi ensinar indivíduos com TEA e deficiência intelectual a discriminarem os lados “direito” e “esquerdo” do corpo e verificar a generalização deste conceito para outros estímulos e contextos. Foram realizados dois experimentos. No primeiro, os participantes foram um menino (9 anos) com diagnóstico de autismo e dois adolescentes (16 anos), um com síndrome de Down e outro com deficiência intelectual. No segundo experimento, os participantes foram quatro meninos com diagnóstico de TEA na faixa etária de dez a doze anos. O critério de seleção foi que os participantes não apresentassem o conhecimento dos conceitos relacionados aos lados esquerdo e direito, identificados num pré-teste. O procedimento foi constituído de pré-testes, ensino com múltiplos exemplares, sondagens diárias e pósteste. O ensino foi composto de tentativas discretas em que era apresentada uma instrução que continha três componentes (movimento, parte do corpo e lateralidade; por exemplo, “Levante o braço direito”) e, quando necessário, foram utilizadas dicas de imitação, físicas e gestuais, que foram gradualmente retiradas de acordo com o desempenho do participante. A coleta de dados foi filmada para cálculos de fidedignidade e os delineamentos foram de Pré e Pós-teste no primeiro experimento e de linha de base múltipla entre participantes no segundo experimento. Todos os participantes desenvolveram respostas corretas em relação às ações ensinadas, envolvendo três componentes (movimento, parte do corpo e lateralidade), e generalizaram para novos contextos que foram testados com o uso de objetos. Este estudo utilizou somente relações de ouvinte, abrindo possibilidades de comparações entre treinos de relações de respostas de ouvinte e falante.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:40:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Daniel de Sousa Filho.pdf: 797124 bytes, checksum: b6136c0e2a983cf0eaad975c2f8445b7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-06 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Background: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are developmental disorders characterized by qualitative impairment in reciprocal social interaction, language and communication and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities and they are defined based on standardized clinical criteria as such those from international manuals as ICD and DSM, or based on clinical tools, mainly the semi-structured interviews, such as the Autism Diagnostic Interview- Revised (ADI-R), a recognized gold standard diagnostic tool for ASD. This interview was recently translated into brazilian Portuguese, and it was preliminarily validated for this language. However, this process has been occurred with a small sample in a specific state of Brazil. Besides, other validity evidences, as convergent validity were not explored in this study. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the Convergent Validity between the Brazilian version of the ADI-R and a screening tool Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Method: For this study, 20 parents or caregivers of children and teens diagnosed with ASD were recruited from the Presbyterian Mackenzie University ASD Clinic, and from the Federal of São Paulo State University Social Cognition Clinic. The children were submitted to a clinical multidisciplinary evaluation, and neuropsychological evaluation that also consisted on application of the ABC. Another researcher, a Child Psychiatrist with expertise on ASD was previously trained and allowed for conducting and codificating the ADI-R. Results: The age of the probands has ranged between 6 and 19 years old, 90% of them were male. The correlations between both the tools, using the Pearson coefficient were mostly positive, and they have ranged between average to high with statistical significance., considering the 3 mains domains of the ADI-R and the five main domains of the ABC. Conclusions: Evidence of convergent validity was found when comparing ADI-R results with ABC/ICA. / Introdução: Os Transtornos do Espectro do Autismo (TEA) são transtornos do desenvolvimento caracterizados por prejuízos qualitativos na interação social recíproca, comunicação e linguagem e pela presença de padrões de comportamentos estereotipados, restritos e repetitivos e sua caracterização se faz a partir de critérios clínicos definidos e padronizados por classificações internacionais como as da CID ou DSM ou por instrumentos, principalmente as entrevistas, como a Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), instrumento considerado pela literatura padrão-ouro para diagnóstico de TEA e que recentemente foi traduzido e preliminarmente validado para o português brasileiro. Entretanto, tal processo ocorreu com uma amostra reduzida e numa região específica do Brasil, assim como outras evidências de validade do instrumento tais como validade convergente não foram exploradas. Objetivo: Investigar evidências de validade de convergente entre a versão brasileira da entrevista diagnóstica ADI-R e os instrumento de triagem Inventário de Comportamentos Autísticos (ICA). Método: Foram selecionados 20 pais e/ou cuidadores de 20 sujeitos a partir da Clínica de TEA da Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie e da Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Os sujeitos foram submetidos à avaliação clínica multidisciplinar médica e neuropsicológica a qual incluía a aplicação do ICA. Um outro avaliador, psiquiatra da Infância e Adolescência com experiência em TEA e habilitado a aplicar a ADI-R foi responsável pela aplicação e codificação da entrevista. Resultados: A idade dos sujeitos variou de 6 a 19 anos, com média de 10,1. Desses, 90% eram do sexo masculino. Os coeficientes de correlação de Pearson entre os 3 domínios da ADI-R (comunicação, interação social e comportamentos restritos) entre si e destes com o e os do ICA (escrever todos), foram moderados e altos, positivos e a maioria com significância estatística. Conclusões: Evidências de Validade Convergente foram encontradas, comparando-se a ADI-R com o ABC/ICA.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:40:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jael Breitschwerdt.pdf: 952030 bytes, checksum: 787f5cd0ef86094489b72b510635ffc9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-06-08 / Fundo Mackenzie de Pesquisa / The aim of this study was to evaluate early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorders, using retrospective video analysis. The participants were eight children later diagnosed with ASD and eight children with typical development. Home videos of the participants were collected from families, at the ages 12, 24 and 36 months. Videos were edited and then analysed by two ASD specialists. The behaviors: Eye Contact; Facial Expression; Play behavior/ Imitation; Communication; Joint Attention and Repetitive Behaviors, were analysed. The results suggest that early signs such as, deficits in Communication, Play behavior, Imitation and Repetitive behaviors, can be detected in infants at 24 months. Most importantly, findings indicate that deficit in Joint Attention was the most discriminating sign of children with ASD, as early as 12 months. / O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar sinais precoces dos Transtornos do Espectro Autista, por meio da observação de vídeos. Os participantes foram oito crianças diagnosticadas com TEA e oito crianças com desenvolvimento típico, nas idades 12, 24 e 36 meses. Os comportamentos: Contato Visual; Expressão Facial/Sorriso Social; Brincadeiras/Imitação; Comunicação; Atenção Compartilhada; Comportamentos Estereotipados, foram analisados e classificados por dois especialistas. Os resultados sugerem que sinais como disfunções na Brincadeira/Imitação, Comunicação e Comportamentos Estereotipados podem ser detectados a partir de 24 meses de idade. Déficits na Atenção Compartilhada foi o sinal que mais discriminou as crianças com TEA das crianças com desenvolvimento típico, já aos 12 meses de idade.