History of Autism

The history of autism began in 1911, when Eugen Bleuler, a Swiss psychiatrist, described it as a medical disorder for the first time. At the time, however, he was talking about adults, and the disorder he was describing is now called schizophrenia.

The word "autism" hails from a Greek word that means "self." When a person has autism, they may become self-absorbed or withdraw from other human contact.

What Causes Autism?
In the beginning, parents were blamed for causing autism in their children due to a lack of parenting skills. This bad parenting was said to force perfectly normal children to withdraw and eventually become autistic. This belief was bolstered by the fact that parents can have more than one child who is autistic.

With further education, the medical community has determined that autism is caused by abnormal brain development and is not, nor ever has been, caused by bad parenting. Genetics in the families of autistic children may hold the answers to the cause. There may also be environmental factors, including exposure to certain chemicals or compounds, that trigger autism. Research continues, but doctors currently cannot say for certain why some children become autistic.

Who Discovered Autism?
Dr. Eugen Bleuler used the word "autism" in 1911 to describe adults who were suffering from the disorder we now call schizophrenia. In 1943, Dr. Leo Kanner, of John Hopkins University described the disorder we now know as autism. His evaluation and discovery was based on the behavior of 11 children with the disorder, whom he observed for 6 years. All of the children he studied had, according to his reports, withdrawn from human contact and were all exhibiting very similar characteristics.

In 1944, Dr. Hans Asperger, a German scientist, identified another part of the austism spectrum, known as Asperger's Syndrome. Asperger's Syndrome is characterized by less intense symptoms. Children with Asperger's Syndrome often have a very high IQ, but are unable to relate to others or relay their emotions correctly. Many individuals with this syndrome become obsessed with certain items or areas of their life. They often lose themselves in self-absorbed play, and make little eye contact with others.

It wasn't until the late 1960s that autism and schizophrenia were classified as separate medical disorders. Doctors believed they were the same because both conditions are related to the amount of serotonin in the brain.

Over the past 15 years, several different types of autism have been identified. Currently, 1 in 166 children has some form of autism.