HISTORY
The term "autism" was first used in 1943 by Dr Leo Kanner. He published a paper about a group of children he had observed in his clinic. These children were unlike most others - withdrawn, non-verbal, with bizarre ritualistic behaviours. He described them in detail and applied the term Early Infantile Autism.
Misconceptions: "The Refrigerator Mother"
Over the next 20 years, various professionals added to Kanner's comments, and a number of misconceptions developed about children with autism, and their families. Bruno Bettelheim published a book entitled The Empty Fortress (1966) in which he described these children as hopeless cases. Bettelheim suggested the term 'the refrigerator mother', as he had observed common characteristics in the mothers of these children. They were professional women, highly intelligent, and presented as cold, unemotional parents. The inference was that parenting techniques produced the autistic behaviour pattern. Little attention was paid to the impact of these children on their parents, and to the existence of normally developing, well-adjusted siblings.
Early Infantile Autism was also perceived as being a pre-schizophrenic condition, and a condition of childhood only. It was firmly placed in the realm of psychiatry, and little attention paid to the developmental and biological aspects of the condition. The children were dismissed as ineducable.
Attitudes Questioned
In the early 1960's, several young professionals started to actively and loudly question these attitudes. Coincidentally (or maybe not), they were also the parents of young autistic children. In the UK, two psychiatrists - Lorna and John Wing - published a ground breaking book Early Childhood Autism - Clinical, Educational and Social Aspects (1966); and in the US a psychologist, Bernard Rimland published Infantile Autism: the Syndrome and its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behaviour (1964). A young teacher, Ruth Sullivan, set about establishing an educational program for young autistic children, and in 1968 was elected the founding President of the Autism Society of America.
A Better Undestanding
Along with the work of others at this time, such as Victor Lotter (epidemiologist), Mike Rutter (psychologist), Ivar Lovaas (behaviourist) and Sybil Elgar (teacher), a more constructive understanding of Autism as a developmental disorder of biological origin has evolved.
However, the legacy of those first twenty years has been hard to shake. The image of autistic children as aloof and isolated with bizarre, meaningless behaviours remains in the minds of many. Hollywood, television and the media have each presented their own 'take' on Autism and Asperger Syndrome. Some are more helpful than others in advancing both our knowledge and understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
By far the most informative body of knowledge about Autism Spectrum Disorders has come from Autistic and Asperger people. Temple Grandin published Emergence: Labelled Autistic in 1986, followed by the autobiographies of Donna Williams, Wendy Lawson and Gunilla Gerland in the early 1990's. Today there are a large number of personal and parent accounts published. see Reading List
Today's Challenge
Awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorders has increased significantly since the 1960's. Yet even today policy makers and education and health professionals not directly involved in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorder may have limited knowledge of these disorders. Ongoing education and awareness programs about the needs of children and adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, and the possibilities for intervention and effective treatment are critical.
"When a child is diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, their parents or primary carers must become experts overnight in order to effectively support and advocate on behalf of their child." - Autism: Perceptions & Reality (The Autism Foundation, 1996).