Die outistiese kind se ontoereikende ontmoeting met die medemens

Abstract

In order to support and to render guidance to the parents of autistic children in the upbringing of such children, a sound knowledge of and insight into autism is essential. Owing to the autistic child’s peculiar disabilities, such as excessive abstraction, selfdirectedness, inaccessibility for caress, the absence of attentive listening to speech, the lack of meaningful directedness to a person’s face and voice, and lack of selfinitiated attempts to encounter other persons, many problems are encountered. This article is devoted to the autistic child’s failure to actualize adequate encounter with his mother and other persons, which is the fundamental characteristic of autism.