WELT: How to help people with autism spectrum disorders? It’s not like ADHD, where at least medication is available.
Christine Preißmann: I have many young adult patients. For those there is still the very important question: “How can I deal well with my autistic parts?” Essentially, it is about naming strengths and weaknesses, arranging life accordingly and developing an acceptance for one’s own deficits that are not one’s own fault . It is also important to recognize and avoid situations of excessive demands in good time. Added to this is the training of interpersonal skills and flexibility. It is a kind of combination of behavioral therapy approaches, situation analyzes and – if you will – coaching.
WELT: Let’s talk about early childhood autism. How and from when can parents recognize that something is wrong?