A growing understanding of autism In 1989, the first children in South Australia to be recognised as having Asperger syndrome were diagnosed by
In conclusion, the history of autism dates back over a century, with the term being first used in 1911 by Eugen Bleuler. However, it was not until Leo Kanner's 1943 paper that autism was recognized as a separate condition.
1980: "Infantile autism" is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) for the first time; the condition is also officially separated from childhood schizophrenia.
Clinicians who encountered autism in the 1950s and 1960s called it by many names. Among them were Kanner's syndrome (named after Leo Kanner), early infantile autism, hyperkinetic disease, and Heller's disease (based on 1908 description by Austrian educator Theodor Heller), also known as dementia infantilis.
The number of children known to have autism has increased dramatically since the 1980s, at least partly due to changes in diagnostic practice; it is unclear whether prevalence has actually increased; and as-yet-unidentified environmental risk factors cannot be ruled out.
Although the exact cause of autism is still unknown, there is evidence to suggest that genetics play a significant role. Since autism is less prevalent in females, autism was always thought to be passed down from the mother. However, research suggests that autism genes are usually inherited from the father.
1 in 100 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder as of 2021. Autism prevalence has increased 178% since 2000. The country with the highest rate of diagnosed autism in the world is Qatar, and the country with the lowest rate is France.
These historical changes have influenced the form and function of later research into autism and related conditions. The concept of autism was coined in 1911 by the German psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler to describe a symptom of the most severe cases of schizophrenia, a concept he had also created.
Autism, now called autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder. ASD is a developmental disability caused by differences in your child's brain. People with ASD may behave, interact and learn in ways that are different from other people.
Can autism skip a generation? Yes, it's possible for autism to skip a generation. This is because the genes that contribute to autism can be passed down from grandparents to grandchildren, even if the parents do not have the condition.
And now we're going to remember the life of a man who has been called autism's first child. In 1943, Donald Triplett was the first-ever person to be formally diagnosed with autism. He died last week at the age of 89.
Autism was originally described as a form of childhood schizophrenia and the result of cold parenting, then as a set of related developmental disorders, and finally as a spectrum condition with wide-ranging degrees of impairment. Along with these shifting views, its diagnostic criteria have changed as well.
Early interventions for autism began in the 1920s with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). This treatment involved passing electrical currents through the brain and was used to treat a variety of mental illnesses.
At the time, treatment for autism was very limited. Most of these children were placed in institutions, far from the public eye, to live out their lives. Professionals commonly held the view that “refrigerator mothers” were responsible for the symptoms observed in these children.
In 1877, British doctor John Down used the term developmental retardation to describe conditions including what would be considered autism today.
Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult because there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorder.
Autism Prevalence
Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls. Most children were still being diagnosed after age 4, though autism can be reliably diagnosed as early as age 2.
Risk Factors
Having a sibling with ASD. Having certain genetic or chromosomal conditions, such as fragile X syndrome or tuberous sclerosis. Experiencing complications at birth. Being born to older parents.
If someone in your family has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), you may be more likely to have a child with ASD. ASD can look very different from person to person, so taking a careful family health history can be important for early diagnosis.
It is estimated that 1 in 100 people in Australia have Autism. In 2018 there were 205,200 Australians with Autism, a 25.1% increase from the 164,000 in 2015 (Source: ABS SDAC 2018– Autism in Australia). This means that if you have Autism you are not alone.
Autism is not an illness
It means your brain works in a different way from other people. It's something you're born with. Signs of autism might be noticed when you're very young, or not until you're older. If you're autistic, you're autistic your whole life.
Some argue that autism's prevalence is rising because of environmental causes like vaccines. There is no evidence, though, for that explanation. Others argue that the rate is increasing because of the rising age of parents, especially fathers.