[Current approaches to the problem of autism in childhood].

The paper provides clinical and catamnestic descriptions of 240 children with infantile autism; 160 with atypical autism (of them 100 had schizophrenic attacks, 60 presented with mental retardation concurrent with atypical autism (in phenylketonuria, tuberose sclerosis, Down syndrome, Martin-Bell syndrome), 20 with Asperger's syndrome, 60 with Rett's syndrome, 20 with psychogenic paraautism according the Nissen classification. The similarity of autism-like disorders and atypical autism was considered. Syndromal verifications in accordance with ICD-10 (1994) and ICD-10 (1999) in Russian versions and clinical nosological verifications adopted in Russia were studied in all the examinees. New approaches to treating patients with autistic disorders were developed.