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Kanner first describes autism
Leo Kanner publishes "Autistic disturbances of affective contact," the first published description of "early infantile autism." (photo: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Leo-Kanner.jpeg) -
Asperger publishes his first descriptions
Hans Asperger publishes “Autistic psychopathy in childhood," in his native German, describing patients with common traits, and labeling it "autism." (photo: https://blogs.uoregon.edu/autismhistoryproject/files/2018/11/Hans-Asperger-273me09-209x300.jpg) -
Autism first appears in DSM
Autism is added to the DSM-II, as a "psychiatric disorder" -
Community Mental Health Act signed
President Kennedy signs the Community Mental Health Act, directing research toward the creation of community mental health centers, rather than isolated institutions. (photo:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/John_F._Kennedy_Signs_the_Community_Mental_Health_Act_-_ST-C376-2-63.jpg) -
Refrigerator Mothers
Bruno Bettelheim publishes "The Empty Fortress" and perpetuates the theory that autism is caused by "cold" mothers. (photo: https://blogs.uoregon.edu/autismhistoryproject/files/2018/11/Bruno-Bettelheim-portrait-26d4o59-222x300.jpg) -
PL94-142: Free Appropriate Public Education
Congress passed public law 94-142, guaranteeing students with disabilities access to a free, appropriate public education. -
DSM-III changes autism categorization
The DSM-III characterizes autism as a "pervasive developmental delay," setting it apart from the psychiatric disorders. -
Temple Grandin autobiography published
In Emergence: Labeled Autistic, Temple Grandin's first published autobiography, she describes her first-hand experiences growing up with autism. -
Lovaas publishes, ABA bible is born
Ole Lovaas publishes “Behavioral Treatment and Normal Educational and Intellectual Functioning in Young Autistic Children.” Lovaas would become a pioneer in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. -
IDEA adds autism
The 1990 passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act includes a revision to special education eligibility categories - and includes autism as its own category for the first time. -
Asperger's writings published in English
Uta Frith's textbook “autism and AS” includes translation of Hans Asperger's original writings regarding autistic symptomology. -
Asperger Disorder included in ICD
Asperger Disorder was included for the first time in the International Classification of Diseases. -
DSM-IV adds Asperger Syndrome
The DSM-IV revision includes Asperger Syndrome, and characterizes autism as a spectrum disorder for the first time. -
Wakefield publishes autism-MMR link
Andrew Wakefield publishes the results of his study, positing that the MMR vaccine was increasing autism rates in British children. -
Debunked: Refrigerator Mothers
The international Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions pronounces that "“parents have absolutely no responsibility for their children’s autism," making an official stand refuting the Refrigerator Mother theory. -
Autism: 1 in 250
The CDC publishes the autism prevalence at 1 in 250 children. -
Debunked: MMR-autism connection
The Lancet, where Wakefield first published his study, prints a retraction, stating several reasons why Wakefield's study was not scientifically sound. -
DSM-V revision: ASD
The DSM-V revision created a 3-tier hierarchy of need for defining individuals with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. This restructuring also eliminated the individual diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome from the DSM. -
Autism: 1 in 59
The CDC updates the autism prevalence to 1 in 59 children, age 8.
