The history of autism as a formal diagnosis began in 1911.
Most of the public history of autism has been dominated by allistic (non-autistic) professionals and caregivers.
He later named this condition infantile autism.
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Much of his science was rooted in eugenics and the race hygiene politics of the Nazi regime.
This theory has long since been discredited.
1959:Austrian-born scientist Bruno Bettelheim publishes an article inScientific Americanabout Joey, a 9-year-old autistic child.
1965:The Sybil Elgar School begins teaching and caring for autistic children.
1970s
1970s:PsychiatristLorna Wing, MD, proposes the concept of autism spectrum disorders.
She identifies the triad of impairment, which includes three areas: social interaction, communication, and imagination.
The study finds that genetics are an important factor for being autistic.
The hypothesis is debunked by comprehensive epidemiological studies and eventually retracted.
1999:The Autism Society adopts the Autism Awareness Puzzle Ribbon as the universal sign of autism awareness.
2003:Bernard Rimland, MD, and Stephen Edelson, PhD, write the bookRecovering Autistic Children.
2006:Ari Neeman establishes theAutistic Self Advocacy internet(ASAN).
2006:The president signs the Combating Autism Act to provide support for autism research and treatment.
2013:The DSM-5 combines autism, Aspergers, and childhood disintegrative disorder into autism spectrum disorder.
2020:A large-scale genetic sequencing study identifies 102 autism-related genes involved in early brain development.
Autism research and advocacy continue to build on these past events.
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