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Imani Blackshear

Professor Cook

English 1201.2v2

21 March 2021

How has autism changed overtime?

Although the developmental disorder, autism, was not publicly published until the

1980’s, it was first recognized in 1911 by the German psychiatrist, Eugen Bleuler. Since then,

the process for diagnosing a person with autism and the treatments for this disorder have

dramatically changed. But how has it changed overtime?

Originally known as “delayed echolalia” in the early 1940’s, Austrian-American

psychiatrist, Leo Tanner, began studying autism and believed it to be an emotional disorder.

Soon it was believed to be birthed in cold and unemotional mothers according to the Austrian

American psychiatrist, Bruno Bettelheim. During the 1950’s, Bettelheim believed that children

with autism were not born that way and could be undiagnosed with shock therapy and

psychotropic drugs if used properly. However, due to later research in the 1960’s, scientists

denied this claim as they found out that autism is deeply rooted into the child’s brain

development. As time went on, the name of autism changed from, “delayed echolalia,”

“childhood schizophrenia,” to “pervasive developmental disorder.” Later in the 1980’s, the

“Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'' was published, and autism became its

own separate diagnosis. Following the publishing of the DSM, many researchers have found new

treatment methods for people with autism, along with ways to diagnose them (Zeldovich)( “The

evolution of ‘autism’ as a diagnosis, explained”).

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Although the DSM manual consisted of the three vital qualities of autism and specified

the criteria needed to diagnose a child with autism, researchers are still unsure of the primary

causes of autism (Zeldovich)( “The evolution of ‘autism’ as a diagnosis, explained”). However,

in 1998, researcher Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues claimed that early childhood

vaccinations are the cause of autism. This caused a widespread of panic in families who have a

member with ASD. Additionally, this caused many people to become anti-vaccinators.

Following some research, scientists classified Wakefield’s claim false, which consequently led to

Wakefield’s medical license to be revoked in 2010. Since then, experts have studied that autism

could possibly result from a combination of genetic and environmental influences such as ASD

in family genes, premature birth, and the parents' ages (Gale) (“Autism Spectrum Disorder”).

Moreover, after researchers classified the potential causes that could lead to autism, they

have also found new treatment methods. Early in the 1920’s, Italian neurologist Ugo Cerletti

developed electroconvulsive therapy for psychiatry. Later many doctors began using this process

for autism and it is still periodically used today. Furthermore, along with this therapeutic session,

doctors began suggesting that people with autism should go on dietary restrictions. However,

dietary therapy for ASD, have remained unproven to be effective by experts. Many believe that

these restrictions may worsen the symptoms of autism and later lead to anxiety and depression

(Gale, a Cengage Company) (“Autism Spectrum Disorder”). In 1950, parentectomy, the removal

of a parent (or both parents) from the child, became the most common treatment until American

scientist, Temple Grandin, developed the squeeze machine for children with autism. This

treatment was used to relax those on the spectrum and relieve stress. Parents and doctors still use

this therapeutic method today by using weighted blankets and hugging their child tightly. Many
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of the other treatments, however, are still not proven to be effective by scientists (Sinclair)

(“History of Autism Treatment”).

While many American scientists and doctors studied autism, Britain was also studying

this developmental disorder. Beginning in 1911, German psychiatrist, Eugen Bleuler originally

described autism as a severe case of schizophrenia. He believed that people with this disorder

have completely been brainwashed to avoid the unsatisfying truths and have replaced them with

fantasies and illusions. Throughout the 1920’s and the 1950’s, psychologists referred to the word

autism as the “inner life” of a patient with autism. It was not until 1960, that researchers found

out that autism was rooted into the preliminary stages of child-development and now referred to

autism as a “lack of an unconscious symbolic life”. The United Kingdom, child-psychiatric

researcher, Michael Rutter conducted the first ever genetic-study of autism. He claimed that

autism was more of deficiency in a child rather than a made-up fantasy. Later in that year,

diagnoses for kids with autism rapidly increased in Britain and more researchers studied deeper

into this matter for more of an understanding (Evans) (“How autism became autism”).

After hearing the new diagnosis of autism, many families began to start campaigns to

shut down “mentally retarded” institutions and demanded more of an effective treatment plan for

kids with autism. Additionally, pressure groups such as the UK Society for Autistic Children,

began to ensure that new effective methods would be provided for kids with autism so they can

adjust to the new social norms. Doctors later began to develop new behavioral treatments for

kids with autism to fasten this process (Evans) (“How autism became autism”). This idea was

spread worldwide and gave many researchers the idea that children who are suspected to have

autism should have early intervention and referral for testing. Today the average age to get

diagnosed for autism is at four years old, however, doctors have begun testing children around
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eighteen to twenty-four months. Developmental and behavioral pediatrician, Dr. Marilyn

Augustyn, suggests that getting early intervention can help families get the best effective

treatment for their child, although it may be expensive. Many doctors suggest that kids who are

on the autism spectrum should undergo the A.B.A program (Applied Behavior Analysis), which

can help identify certain triggers, specific behaviors, and ways to respond to the child when they

exhibit good behavior. According to Dr. Augustyn, this treatment has proven to be more

effective overtime as she has noticed that her patients seem to be communicating more socially

than usual (M.D. Klass).

Overtime, autism has changed in a variety of ways. From the changing of its name, to the

diagnosis, and the treatment plans, autism has had a radical shift since the 1960’s. Many

researchers, psychiatrists, and psychologists have deeply influenced the evolution of this

developmental disorder since the early 1900’s.

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Bibliography

"Autism Spectrum Disorder." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2019.

Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/ZUZIGS079693602/OVIC?

u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=e70f12cb. Accessed 21 Mar. 2021.

Evans, Bonnie. “How Autism Became Autism.” History of the Human Sciences, vol. 26,

no. 3, 8 May 2013, pp. 3–31, 10.1177/0952695113484320. Accessed 21 Mar. 2021.

Klass M.D., Perri. “Early Treatment for Autism Is Critical, New Report Says.” The New

York Times, 6 Jan. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/01/06/well/family/early-treatment-for-

autism-is-critical-new-report-says.html. Accessed 21 Mar. 2021.

Sinclair, Elizabeth. “History of Autism Treatment.” Applied Behavior Analysis Programs

Guide, 2018, www.appliedbehavioranalysisprograms.com/history-autism-treatment/.

Accessed 21 Mar. 2021.

Zeldovich, Lina. “Spectrum.” Spectrum | Autism Research News, 29 May 2018,

www.spectrumnews.org/news/evolution-autism-diagnosis-explained/. Accessed 21 Mar.

2021.