Clinical and Etiopathogenic Perspectives in the Management of Autism in General Practice

Article Sidebar

PDF HTML
Submitted: April 28, 2026
Published: May 8, 2026
DOI: 10.29328/journal.apmh.1001066
Keywords:
ASD screening, ASD in children, Early diagnosis, General practice

Main Article Content

Elena Surduleasa
Faculty of Medicine, ‘Titu Maiorescu’ University, Bucharest, Romania
Minerva-Claudia Ghinescu
Faculty of Medicine, ‘Titu Maiorescu’ University, Bucharest, Romania
Gabriel Alexandru Streinu
Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Faculty of Management, Bucharest, Romania
Florentina Bealcu
Faculty of Medicine, ‘Titu Maiorescu’ University, Bucharest, Romania

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by deficits in social communication, interaction, and repetitive/restrictive behaviors, with increasing prevalence (1 in 31 children in the USA, 3.4 times more common in boys). This review aims to highlight the current view on the prevention and early screening of autism in primary healthcare, along with the impact of the pathology on the individual and family. Although diagnosis and intervention often remain delayed, the role of the family doctor is essential for suspecting the diagnosis, combating stigma, identifying modifiable risk factors, and guiding referral for specialized evaluation. Early initiation of therapy, accompanied by complementary therapy (melatonin, probiotics), improves the prognosis.

Article Details

Surduleasa, E., Ghinescu, M.-C., Streinu, G. A., & Bealcu, F. (2026). Clinical and Etiopathogenic Perspectives in the Management of Autism in General Practice. Archives of Psychiatry and Mental Health, 44–48. https://doi.org/10.29328/journal.apmh.1001066
Review Articles

Copyright (c) 2026 Surduleasa E, et al.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Shaw KA, Williams S, Patrick ME, et al. Prevalence and early identification of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 4 and 8 years—Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 16 sites, United States, 2022. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2025;74(SS-2):1-22. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss7402a1.

Al-Beltagi M, Saeed NK, Bediwy AS, Bediwy EA, Elbeltagi R. Decoding the genetic landscape of autism: a comprehensive review. World J Clin Pediatr. 2024 Sep 9;13(3):98468. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.5409/wjcp.v13.i3.98468.

Zuckerman KE, Chavez AE, Wilson L, Unger K, Reuland C, Ramsey K, et al. Improving autism and developmental screening and referral in US primary care practices serving Latinos. Autism. 2021 Jan;25(1):288-299. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1362361320957461.

Davis JM, et al. Reducing time to diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder using a fast-track triage model. J Pediatr Surg. 2024.

McNally Keehn R, Swigonski N, Enneking B, Ryan T, Monahan P, Martin AM, et al. Diagnostic accuracy of primary care clinicians across a statewide system of autism evaluation. Pediatrics. 2023 Aug 1;152(2):e2023061188. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2023-061188.

Ames JL, Massolo ML, Davignon MN, Qian Y, Croen LA. Healthcare service utilization and cost among transition-age youth with autism spectrum disorder and other special healthcare needs. Autism. 2021 Apr;25(3):705-718. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1362361320931268.

Chung US, Kim JH. Common comorbid condition of patients with autism spectrum disorder and pharmacotherapy for patients with autism spectrum disorder. J Korean Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2024 Jan 1;35(1):39-43. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.5765/jkacap.230006.

Genovese A, Butler MG. Clinical assessment, genetics, and treatment approaches in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(13):4726.

Dehesh T, Mosleh-Shirazi MA, Jafari S, et al. Assessment of the effects of parental age on the development of autism in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychol. 2024;12:685. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-02184-9.

Love C, Sominsky L, O'Hely M, Berk M, Vuillermin P, Dawson SL. Prenatal environmental risk factors for autism spectrum disorder and their potential mechanisms. BMC Med. 2024 Sep 16;22(1):393. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12916-024-03617-3.

Cheroni C, Caporale N, Testa G. Autism spectrum disorder at the crossroad between genes and environment: contributions, convergences, and interactions in ASD developmental pathophysiology. Mol Autism. 2020 Sep 10;11(1):69. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13229-020-00370-1.

Autism South Africa. Autism first signs: a checklist for babies and toddlers [Internet]. Accessed 2026 Apr.

Aishworiya R, Ma VK, Stewart S, Hagerman R, Feldman HM. Meta-analysis of the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised/Follow-up for screening. Pediatrics. 2023 Jun 1;151(6):e2022059393. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-059393.

Stone WL. Screening Tool for Autism in Two-Year-Olds (STAT). In: Volkmar F, editor. Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. New York (NY): Springer; 2020. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_608-4.

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5-TR. 5th ed., text rev. Washington (DC): American Psychiatric Association; 2022.

Khachadourian V, Mahjani B, Sandin S, Kolevzon A, Buxbaum JD, Reichenberg A, et al. Comorbidities in autism spectrum disorder and their etiologies. Transl Psychiatry. 2023 Feb 25;13(1):71. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41398-023-02374-w.

Chen KL, Jiang DR, Yu YT, Lee YC. Development and psychometric evidence of the Chinese version of the Theory of Mind Inventory-2 (ToMI-2) in children with autism spectrum disorder. Res Autism Spectr Disord. 2023;103:102132.

Rzepka-Migut B, Paprocka J. Efficacy and safety of melatonin treatment in children with autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a review of the literature. Brain Sci. 2020;10(4):219. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10040219.

Feng P, Zhao S, Zhang Y, Li E. A review of probiotics in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders: perspectives from the gut-brain axis. Front Microbiol. 2023;14:1123462. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1123462.

Rehn AK, Caruso VR, Kumar S. The effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2023 Feb;50:101719. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2022.101719.

Fadlalmola HA, Abedelwahed HH, Hamid HI, Ali AB, Algadi HAA, Farg SJ, et al. Effects of massage on self-regulatory difficulties, tactile and oral abnormalities, and parenting stress in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD): a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2024 Dec 12;17(4):4-19. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3822/ijtmb.v17i4.1079.