AUTHORS: Celu\u0161\u00e1kov\u00e1, H., \u010cel\u00e1rov\u00e1, D., Szapuov\u00e1, \u017d., Ostatn\u00edkov\u00e1, D.<\/p>\n
ABSTRACT: The assessment of cognitive abilities in autistic spectrum di<\/span>sorders represents a professional challenge. The disease di<\/span>srupts the mechanisms of social learning and also affects <\/span>cognitive development through social communication defi<\/span>cits. Presence or absence of Intellectual Disability is conside<\/span>red to be the most serious factor affecting the future functio<\/span>ning of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, so it is <\/span>important to focus on it. Particular abilities and deficits arise <\/span>from disrupted development of theory of mind, which reflects <\/span>in disruption of speech development, symbolic play, in under<\/span>standing of social situations and in adequacy of responses to <\/span>changing circumstances. Likewise, there are specific disrup<\/span>tions in executive functions such as decreased processing <\/span>speed, concentration of attention, memory capacity, learning <\/span>ability, mental flexibility and fluency. A comprehensive appro<\/span>ach that focuses not only on the overall intellectual capacity <\/span>but differentiates the strengths and weaknesses of the indivi<\/span>dual is both a basic starting point for an effective intervention <\/span>but also is a mapping of the child\u2018s and adult\u2018s abilities that <\/span>can be used in education and other professional applications.<\/span><\/p>\n Lek\u00e1rsky obzor. – Ro\u010d. 67, \u010d. 7-8 (2018), s. 239-243. – ISSN (print) 0457-4214<\/p>\n