When Was Autism Discovered?
Table of Contents
Intro
Early Observations of Autistic Traits Before the Term "Autism"
1910–1930s: The First Uses of the Word "Autism"
1940s: Autism Recognized as a Distinct Condition
How the Understanding of Autism Evolved Over the Decades
When Did People Realize That Adults Can Be Autistic?
Myths About Autism's "Discovery"
Why Many Adults Only Recently Learned About Autism
The Role of Autistic Voices in Re-Shaping Autism History
What We Now Know: Autism Has Always Existed
Conclusion
When Was Autism Discovered? (A Gentle Look at the History of Autism)
If you've recently discovered you're autistic, you might find yourself asking: when was autism first recognized? It's a question many late-identified autistic adults ask as they piece together their own stories. Understanding when and how autism was identified can help explain why so many of us spent years feeling different without knowing why.
The history of autism isn't just about dates and names in medical textbooks. It's about understanding how generations of autistic people lived without the language to describe their experiences, how bias shaped early research, and why so many adults are only now discovering their autistic identity.
For those of us navigating this journey of self-discovery, learning this history can be validating, frustrating, and ultimately empowering. It helps us see that our neurotype has always existed—it just took the world a long time to understand it properly.
Early Observations of Autistic Traits Before the Term "Autism"
Autism existed long before anyone gave it a name. Throughout history, there are accounts of individuals who likely were autistic—people described as eccentric, withdrawn, unusually focused on specific interests, or communicating differently from their peers. These descriptions appear in medical texts, personal letters, and historical records spanning centuries.
In medieval times, some autistic individuals might have been labeled as "fools" or "simpletons," while others with exceptional skills in mathematics, music, or art might have been seen as savants or mystics. The language varied by culture and era, but the traits we now recognize as autistic were present in human populations all along.
Why These Early Accounts Were Misunderstood
Without a framework for understanding neurodevelopmental differences, people interpreted autistic traits through the lens of moral judgment, supernatural beliefs, or intellectual disability. Someone who didn't make eye contact might be seen as rude or possessed. A child who had meltdowns might be considered poorly disciplined. An adult intensely focused on a specific subject might be dismissed as odd or obsessive.
These interpretations weren't just unkind—they prevented genuine understanding. Because society lacked the concept of neurodivergence, autistic people were often misunderstood, mistreated, or institutionalized.
Society's Limited Understanding of Neurodivergence in Past Centuries
For most of human history, differences in how people's brains worked were invisible to society at large. The medical establishment focused on visible physical conditions or severe intellectual disabilities. Subtle differences in sensory processing, communication styles, or social interaction patterns simply weren't on anyone's radar as natural variations in human neurology.
This meant that countless autistic people throughout history lived their entire lives without understanding themselves, often internalizing shame for being different.
1910–1930s: The First Uses of the Word "Autism"
Origin of the Word "Autism" From the Greek Autos ("Self")
The term "autism" comes from the Greek word "autos," meaning "self." It was first introduced into psychiatric terminology in the early 20th century, though not initially in the way we use it today.
Swiss Psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler and Early Usage in Relation to Schizophrenia
In 1911, Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler coined the term "autism" to describe what he saw as a symptom of schizophrenia—specifically, a withdrawal into one's inner world and a detachment from external reality. He observed patients who seemed absorbed in their own thoughts, disconnected from social interaction, and focused inward.
What He Got Right and Wrong
Bleuler noticed something real: some people relate to the world differently, with intense inner focus and unique patterns of social engagement. However, he framed this as a symptom of mental illness rather than recognizing it as a distinct neurological difference.
Why This Early Definition Did Not Reflect Autism as We Understand It Today
Bleuler's concept of autism was tied to psychosis and schizophrenia, conditions fundamentally different from what we now call autism. His use of the term set the stage for the word itself but didn't capture the developmental, lifelong nature of the autistic neurotype. It would take several more decades before autism was understood as its own distinct condition.
1940s: Autism Recognized as a Distinct Condition
Leo Kanner's 1943 Paper Describing "Early Infantile Autism"
The pivotal moment in autism history came in 1943 when American psychiatrist Leo Kanner published a paper describing eleven children who shared distinctive characteristics. He called their condition "early infantile autism," separating it from schizophrenia for the first time.
Key Features He Observed
Kanner noticed these children had intense desires for sameness, unique language patterns (including echolalia), exceptional memory skills, and what he described as difficulties with social relationships. Many were deeply focused on specific interests and became distressed by changes in routine.
Limitations and Biases in His Interpretation
While Kanner's work was groundbreaking, it had significant limitations. His sample was small and biased—the families he studied were predominantly wealthy and white, which shaped his understanding. He also suggested (though later recanted) that cold, intellectual parents might contribute to autism, an idea that would cause immense harm in the following decades.
Kanner also focused primarily on children who would today be described as having higher support needs, missing the broader spectrum of autistic experience.
Hans Asperger's 1944 Research and How It Shaped What We Now Call the Autism Spectrum
Just one year after Kanner's paper, Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger published his own research describing children with many similar traits but who had strong language skills and were often highly intelligent in specific areas. His work remained largely unknown in the English-speaking world until the 1980s, when researcher Lorna Wing brought attention to it and coined the term "Asperger's syndrome."
Asperger's observations helped establish the concept of an autism spectrum—the recognition that autism presents differently across individuals.
Ethical Issues in Asperger's History
It's important to acknowledge the troubling context of Asperger's work. Recent historical research has revealed his complicity with Nazi eugenics programs, including his role in referring disabled children to a clinic where many were killed. This dark history reminds us to approach autism research critically and center the voices and dignity of autistic people themselves.
How the Understanding of Autism Evolved Over the Decades
1950s–1960s: Harmful Theories (e.g., "Refrigerator Mother")
In the decades following Kanner's research, psychology was dominated by psychoanalytic theories that blamed parents—particularly mothers—for their children's autism. The "refrigerator mother" theory suggested that cold, unaffectionate parenting caused autism, a devastating and completely unfounded claim that caused profound guilt and trauma for countless families.
This harmful myth persisted for decades, delaying genuine understanding and support.
1980s: Autism Officially Recognized in Diagnostic Manuals
Autism was first included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1980 as "infantile autism." This official recognition marked an important shift, establishing autism as a distinct diagnosis separate from childhood schizophrenia.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, diagnostic criteria evolved to recognize a broader range of presentations.
1990s–2000s: Rise of the Autism Spectrum Concept
The concept of autism as a spectrum gained traction during this period. Asperger's syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and other diagnoses emerged, acknowledging that autism presented differently across individuals.
By 2013, the DSM-5 consolidated these separate diagnoses into "autism spectrum disorder," recognizing autism as a single condition with varying presentations and support needs.
Modern View: Autism as a Neurotype, Not a Disorder to Cure
Today, many autistic people and researchers advocate for understanding autism as a neurotype—a natural variation in how human brains develop and process information—rather than a disease or disorder requiring a cure. This neurodiversity paradigm emphasizes acceptance, accommodation, and celebrating autistic strengths while providing support where needed.
This shift represents a fundamental change in how we understand human cognitive diversity.
When Did People Realize That Adults Can Be Autistic?
The Shift Toward Recognizing Late-Identified Adults
For most of autism's recognized history, it was viewed primarily as a childhood condition. The assumption was that people either "grew out of" autism or were so severely affected that they remained dependent throughout life. This narrow view left countless autistic adults unrecognized.
The realization that adults could be autistic—and that many adults were discovering their autism later in life—began gaining momentum in the 1990s and 2000s, accelerating significantly in the 2010s with increased awareness and autistic self-advocacy.
Why Many Adults Were Overlooked for Decades
Several factors contributed to adults being missed. Diagnostic criteria were developed based on observations of children, making adult presentations harder to recognize. Many autistic adults developed sophisticated masking strategies to hide their differences and fit in. Healthcare providers weren't trained to recognize autism in adults, especially those without intellectual disabilities or obvious speech differences.
Understanding Autism Beyond Childhood Stereotypes
We now know that autism is a lifelong neurological difference. Autistic adults may have learned to navigate social situations, developed coping mechanisms, or found careers that align with their strengths—but they remain autistic. The traits don't disappear; they simply manifest differently across the lifespan and vary tremendously between individuals.
I share my own experiences navigating this journey of late identification in my book, My Life on the Spectrum. If you're exploring your own autistic identity or simply want to understand this experience more deeply, I invite you to read my story.
Myths About Autism's "Discovery"
Myth: Autism Is a New Condition
One of the most persistent myths is that autism is somehow new—a modern phenomenon that didn't exist in previous generations. This is false. Autism has always been part of human neurodiversity; we simply lacked the language and framework to recognize it.
Myth: Autism Didn't Exist Before the 20th Century
The formal recognition of autism came in the 1940s, but autistic people have existed throughout human history. Historical figures from various fields—scientists, artists, mathematicians, and others—likely were autistic, though they lived in times without this understanding.
Myth: Autism Comes From Modern Lifestyle or Vaccines
Science has thoroughly debunked claims that autism is caused by vaccines, modern technology, or contemporary lifestyles. These myths persist despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Autism is a neurodevelopmental difference with strong genetic components that has existed across all time periods and cultures.
Gentle, Science-Based Debunking
It's understandable why these myths emerge—humans look for explanations when confronted with something unfamiliar. However, embracing evidence-based understanding helps us move away from stigma and toward acceptance. Autism isn't caused by parenting, vaccines, screens, or processed food. It's simply one of many ways human brains can be wired.
Why Many Adults Only Recently Learned About Autism
Masking and Survival Behaviors
Many autistic adults, particularly women and gender-diverse individuals, became experts at masking—suppressing autistic traits and mimicking neurotypical behavior to fit in. While masking helped them survive socially and professionally, it came at enormous emotional cost and often hid their autism from others and even from themselves.
Gender and Cultural Biases
Early autism research focused almost exclusively on boys and men, creating diagnostic criteria that missed how autism often presents in girls and women. Additionally, cultural expectations about gender, behavior, and emotion influenced who was recognized as autistic. Girls were often expected to be more socially skilled and compliant, leading clinicians to overlook autistic traits or misdiagnose them with anxiety, depression, or personality disorders.
Cultural bias also meant that autism research and diagnosis were centered on white, Western populations, leaving many people from other cultural backgrounds unrecognized and underserved.
Lack of Awareness in Past Decades
Information about autism was simply not widely available until recently. Many adults grew up in the 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s when autism awareness was minimal. Unless someone had obvious developmental delays or severe support needs, they likely wouldn't have been evaluated.
How Diagnosis and Self-Identification Have Expanded
With the internet, autistic self-advocacy, and broader public awareness, many adults have encountered information about autism and recognized themselves in those descriptions. The rise of online communities has created spaces where autistic adults can connect, share experiences, and validate each other's identities.
Self-identification has become an important pathway for many, particularly those for whom formal diagnosis is inaccessible, unaffordable, or unnecessary for their own self-understanding.
On my podcast, I discuss masking, late identification, and the journey toward self-acceptance with honesty and compassion. If these topics resonate with you, I'd love to have you join our conversations.
The Role of Autistic Voices in Re-Shaping Autism History
Self-Advocacy Movements
The autism rights and neurodiversity movements, led by autistic people themselves, have fundamentally changed how autism is understood and discussed. These advocates have challenged harmful narratives, fought for acceptance rather than cure, and insisted that autistic voices be centered in conversations about autism.
The Neurodiversity Paradigm
The neurodiversity paradigm reframes autism not as a tragedy or medical problem but as a natural form of human diversity. Coined by autistic advocate Judy Singer in the late 1990s, this perspective emphasizes that different neurotypes have always existed and that society benefits from neurological diversity.
Why First-Person Stories Matter
For too long, autism was defined entirely by non-autistic clinicians and researchers observing from the outside. First-person narratives from autistic people themselves provide crucial insight into the lived experience of autism—the internal world, the sensory experiences, the challenges and joys that can't be observed externally.
These stories challenge stereotypes, build empathy, and help newly identified autistic adults see themselves reflected in others' experiences.
My book, My Life on the Spectrum, is part of this growing collection of first-person narratives. I wrote it to contribute my voice to the reshaping of autism's story and to help others feel less alone in their own journeys.
Conclusion
The history of autism is complex—filled with both breakthroughs and harm, recognition and misunderstanding. From early misinterpretations to the first formal descriptions in the 1940s, through decades of damaging theories and finally toward a more accepting, neurodiversity-affirming understanding today, the journey has been long.
What matters most is that we're moving in the right direction. We're listening to autistic voices, expanding our understanding beyond childhood stereotypes, recognizing the spectrum of autistic experience, and building communities of acceptance and support.
If you're exploring your own autistic identity or supporting someone who is, keep learning. Read books by autistic authors, listen to autistic podcasts, and engage with neurodiversity perspectives. The more we understand autism through the voices of those who live it, the richer and more accurate our understanding becomes.
