[Content analysis of parents' descriptions of their autistic, trisomy 21 or normal children].

As part of a study of the clinical evaluation of infantile autism, interviews of parents of autistic, Down's syndrome, or normal children were subjected to content analysis. Parental representations in the three groups were determined. Parents often (81%) described their autistic children as "nervous" and felt distressed by their perceived failure to understand their child (62%). These findings suggest working hypotheses in the fields of care and research.