Primary care psychologist as a support for pediatricians in early diagnosis of Autism

Abstract

It is now known, in contemporary literature relating to autism and autism spectrum disorders, the importance of an early diagnosis in order to allow timely intervention to significantly improve the quality of life of young patients. It is therefore interesting to analyze the hypothetical figure of the primary care psychologist and his joint work with freely chosen pediatricians. The pillars on which the primary care system is based are accessibility, continuity of care and social equity of citizens with respect to health care. In order for these objectives to be achieved, public health must take care of the well-being of individuals and families through actions for the defense and prevention of diseases, for the elimination or mitigation of risk factors, for the physical, mental and social rehabilitation of the patient. in his community. The use of different and more elaborate models of treatment of mental and psychological distress in primary care is essential. It represents the new frontier of psychology, and the challenge will consist in identifying new first level psychological interventions that characterize primary care psychology. It is therefore necessary to set up primary care psychology services in which to make available a greater range of psychological therapies according to the health needs of individual patients. In this sense, the clinical psychologist within primary care, in analogy with the figure of the pediatrician of free choice, represents the first filter of the family system with the entire Italian National Health System.

Keywords: Autism, Early diagnosis, Primary care psychologist