Picture Exchange Communication System em crianças com autismo na odontologia

Aim: To identify, through an integrative review, evidence regarding the implementation of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) in the communication and collaboration of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in dentistry. Methods: Articles were included that primarily focused on the adoption of PECS as a strategy in dental consultations for children with ASD and in oral health care, both within and outside the dental office. The articles were required to be in Portuguese, English, or Spanish, accessible online in their entirety and published between 2013 and 2023. The following exclusion criteria were adopted: studies addressing pathological alterations. Case studies, experiential reports, review studies, editorials, and opinion articles were also excluded. The search for articles was conducted in two health-related databases – Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS) and the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine (PubMed). Additionally, the references of the included studies were explored. Results: Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, five articles were selected for the final sample. Through interpretative analysis, thematic categories emerged: The use of PECS in dental consultations and PECS and oral hygiene in children with ASD. Conclusion: The use of PECS in dentistry as a communicative aid demonstrated potential in promoting the inclusion of children with ASD. Based on the findings of this integrative review, it can be considered that the implementation of PECS has significant benefits in communication and collaboration of children with ASD in the context of dental consultations and in promoting oral health in their routine.