SIGUEME: Technology-based intervention for low-functioning autism to train skills to work with visual signifiers and concepts.

Background: People with low-functioning ASD and other disabilities often find it difficult to understand the symbols traditionally used in educational materials during the learning process. Technology-based interventions are becoming increasingly common, helping children with cognitive disabilities to perform academic tasks and improve their abilities and knowledge. Such children often find it difficult to perform certain tasks contained in educational materials since they lack necessary skills such as abstract reasoning.

[Early development of language in small children with autism spectrum disorder using alternative systems].

Introduction: The latest research findings show the importance of early intervention in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in all areas of development, including language. The use of augmentative and alternative communication systems (AACS) favors linguistic and communicative development.

Aim: To show the effectiveness of AACS to develop oral language in non-verbal toddlers diagnosed with ASD.

[FIRST: a tool for facilitating reading comprehension in high-functioning autism spectrum disorder].

Introduction: Numerous studies have been documenting during the last decades the difficulties of reading comprehension shown by people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including those with preserved intelligence. These difficulties can condition their educational path and directly impact on social inclusion, autonomy and access to employment.

Development: This article presents the work developed by a multidisciplinary team under the framework of a project funded by the European Union.

[Treatment of autism spectrum disorders: union between understanding and evidence-based practice].

Introduction: Synthetically realizes heterogeneous operating characteristics of people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and how these features can also be based on the variability in response to treatment. It emphasizes the need to combine, in treatment, evidence-based practice with a deep understanding of ASD.

Development: It explains some of the key principles that should guide the treatment from the standpoint of quality indicators should include intervention programs, to then influence the features and content that are part of the programs carried out in the field early intervention, briefly explaining some of these programs and then characterize the intervention, with the use of techniques and strategies, which is usually carried out with children and adolescents in high-functioning.

[Development and follow-up of autism spectrum disorders].

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorders are neurodevelopmental disorders with qualitative impairment in functioning domains and areas of human characteristically. It is important to know how is the outcome in the adolescent and adult age of these people to provide the services and support needed.

Development: We review the most important follow-up studies have been conducted in autism spectrum disorders, realizes the kind of designs that have been carried out and the results obtained in different areas of development and independent functioning.

[Measurements of stress and family impact in the parents of children with autism spectrum disorders before and after taking part in a training programme].

Introduction: The presence of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the family causes an overall impact on parents and siblings manifested in a significant increase in stress.

Aim: To analyze whether the implementation of a specific school of families for parents of people with ASD has a positive effect in the family impact, specifically in the stress perception and skills of parents who have children with ASD.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 27 parents having children with ASD participated in a school of families from which 13 of them filled a questionnaire of family impact before and after attending the training.

[An approach to the executive functions in autism spectrum disorder].

Introduction: The psychological hypothesis of executive dysfunction plays a crucial role in explaining the behavioural phenotype of persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), along with other hypotheses such as the deficit in the theory of mind or the weak central coherence hypothesis. Yet, none of these hypotheses are mutually exclusive and behaviours that have their origins in one of these three hypotheses are also shaped and upheld by other processes and factors.

Development: This article reviews the behavioural manifestation and current state of research on the executive functions in persons with ASD.