Paradigm Shift: New Approaches to Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

A significant increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), both worldwide and in our country, dictates the need to search for modern and effective methods of prevention, diagnosis and medical care for such patients. At the same time, the results of numerous biomedical research in the field of autism are not reflected in practical healthcare. Aims of this work — substantiation of new approaches to the organization of medical care for people with ASD. The results of promising areas of autism research in the field of genetics, epigenetics, metabolomics, microbiome and multimorbidity, which marked a paradigm shift in the understanding of autism spectrum disorders, and requiring implementation in practice, are analyzed. Based on the concept of 7-p pediatrics (programming child development and health, preventive, predictive, personalized, participatory, multiprofessional, progressive), the necessity and possibility of implementing the results of scientific research into real clinical practice of managing children with autism are substantiated. The results of fundamental scientific research in the field of ASD, revealing their complex and multifaceted nature, allow us to talk about a paradigm shift in understanding this disorder Based on a new concept of medical care — 7P-pediatrics — the results of scientific research can be translated into real clinical practice, including diagnostic, therapeutic, preventive and rehabilitative effects on autism, as well ase programming of the optimal trajectory of the cognitive-behavioral phenotype of children with neurodevelopmental features, including ASD.