Adjustment problems of the family with a child with autism in a greek province
KOTSOPOULOS S.

The stress experienced by a family, which tries to cope with the special needs of a child with autism, is great if it is left without assistance by special community services. Such community services are scarce in the Greek provinces. In that case parents try to manage with their child's difficulties on their own. Three cases are presented in brief. In the first, the mother of a 10 yrs. old boy with severe behaviour difficulties gave up her job in order to be present at home with him at all times. In the second case a family who has a daughter with autism of preschool age (and two normal children) sells its assets in a village in order to move to the town where the Day Centre is located. The father cannot find a job and moves to Athens where he gets a manual worker's job. There he intends to take the family at a great loss for the whole family in terms of quality of life. Third is the case of a family with a 3 yrs old girl, their only child, living in a small mountainous village with very law income. The father decides to work in the merchant navy in order to provide enough income to the mother and child, which would allow them to continue attending the Day Treatmnent Program. Encephalos 2010, 47(2):91-94.

Key words: Autism, family, adjustment.