[Usefulness of the concepts of "epigenesis" and "auto-organization" to understand the autistic child syndrome]. / Utilité des concepts d'"épigenèse" et d'"auto-organisation" pour la compréhension des syndromes autistiques de l'enfant.

ABSTRACT

This article, based more on speculation than on clinical work, aims at clarifying the nature of child autistic syndromes using two elements epigenetic findings concerning the construction of human brain and the idea that there is a self-organizing development and functioning of the living. First initiated by H. Atlan (1979) and A. Bourguignon (1981), this approach could lead to a fruitful understanding of autistic disturbances, both consistent with developmental neurobiology and psychodynamics. This approach integrates clinical, paraclinical, follow-up and experimental data related to these disturbances. It also might lead to new therapeutic approaches which we are in the process of investigating.