.png)
The pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) are neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by specific delays and deviance in social, communicative development and stereotypic behaviors. Autistic disorder is one of five PDDs classified in DSM-IV. The prognostic factors are early diagnosis, IQ level, presence of joint attention, spontaneous speech in 5 years old and early started, well-structured special education programs. We will present an autistic case diagnosed early and started special education in 24 months. He is now 5.5 years old and none of the symptoms of PDD was determined in last psychiatric evaluation done before a month. A 5.5-year-old boy was first applied to our policlinic, when he was 24 months by absence of speech, absence of response to his mother’s stimulus and absence of looking when his name is called. His mother recognized that he did not make eye contact while breastfeeding. In first psychiatric evaluation, it was examined that he did not speak , had no eye contact, and did not look when called with his name. Stereotypic behaviors like shaking and turning around own axis were observed. The diagnosis was made as autistic disorder. Psycho-education about diagnosis and treatment process was given. Parents participated the treatment process actively after establishment of autism diagnosis. Besides the two hours of special education in a week, parents took care of their son for three hours every day. In tenth month of education, he started to take speech therapy in addition to present special education. Besides these therapies, he began to attend to kindergarten. He verbalized his first speech words in eighteen months of treatment and two months after this, he started to use two words sentences. He also started to make eye contact and to cuddle his parents. Parents did not mention to the last kindergarten about their son’s diagnosis. In preschool development report, our case was defined as “willing to classroom activities, successful in explaining his feelings, chosen as a play friend by his classmates”. In last psychiatric evaluation done last month it was observed that he could use 6-7 words sentences, could understand and perform directions, could imitate his friends and parents, give proper responses to verbal and nonverbal stimulus. He did not have stereotypic behaviors. He is currently attending to kindergarten and does not have adaptation problems and nobody in kindergarten recognized that he was autistic. Early diagnosis, timely started, well-structured special education programs and parents’ support are important for favorable prognosis. The parents were in accordance and collaboration with treatment team in particular of behavior alteration homework. Favorable prognostic criteria for this case are early diagnosis in 24 months age, early and qualified special education, adequate parent support. Although presence of these prognostic factors, many autistic children don’t improve in social and communication skills as reported in this case report. Good prognosis and absence of any autistic trait in last psychiatric examination is thought to be important for both the parents of autistic children’s and treatment teams. It’s accepted that autistic disorder isn’t a curable neuropsychiatric disorder but some cases may have normal functionality in most domains of daily life.