18/12/2022
REDEFINING AUTISM
The definition of autism has changed many times since it was first described in the 1940s. It has evolved from so-called childhood schizophrenia in the 1950s and 1960s, to infantile autism in the 1980s, to the broad autism spectrum disorder (ASD) we know today.
ASD is typically thought of as a collection of traits: restricted interests, repetitive behaviors and difficulty with social communication. But by the time those traits can be detected and a child diagnosed with ASD — around the age of 4, on average, in the United States — has missed out on months, if not years, of therapy when her brain is most flexible.
Despite more than a decade of research aimed at improving early detection, the average age of ASD diagnosis has not budged. Part of the problem lies with how the condition is defined and diagnosed.
