When autism was discovered?
Autism was first described in the early 1940s by two doctors: Leo Kanner in the United States and Hans Asperger in Austria. Kanner’s 1943 paper described children with difficulties in social interaction and repetitive behaviours. Around the same time, Asperger identified similar traits in children who had strong verbal skills but struggled with social cues. While these early observations laid the groundwork, the understanding of autism has changed significantly over time—moving from narrow definitions to today’s broader concept of the autism spectrum.
If you want to better understand autism today, explore our family-focused resources.
If you want to better understand autism today, explore our family-focused resources.