Trastornos del Espectro Autista o Esquizofrenia Infantil, un diagnóstico controvertido

Objetive: Differential diagnosis between Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Schizophrenia. Methods: The case of a sixteen-year old boy who presents psychiatric antecedents since he was 5 years old is presented. His clinical evolution and the different diagnoses are revised. Results: A patient with difficulties in social interaction was diagnosed of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorders Not specified some years ago. Later the subsequent clinical evolution with presence of psychotic symptoms, disorganized behavior and cognitive deterioration made it possible to carry out the diagnosis of Schizophrenia Disorganized in his adolescence. Conclusion: The differenctial diagnosis between Autistic Spectrum Disorders and Schizophrenia is complicated in the first years of life. Only the later evolution, with the presence of psychotic symptoms in strict sense, will make it possible to define a diagnosis of certainty. The symptoms of different types of schizophrenia have been compared in the literature with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, and it has been observed that they are very similar, specially, with the schizophrenia, disorganized subtype.