{"id":21450,"date":"2025-03-10T12:10:55","date_gmt":"2025-03-10T17:10:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autism.org\/?p=21450"},"modified":"2025-08-25T11:47:05","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T16:47:05","slug":"autism-a-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/autism.org\/autism-a-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Autism: A Century of Discovery and Development"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_6 1_6 fusion-one-sixth fusion-column-first\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;width:16.666666666667%;width:calc(16.666666666667% - ( ( 4% + 4% ) * 0.16666666666667 ) );margin-right: 4%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-1 fusion_builder_column_2_3 2_3 fusion-two-third\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;width:66.666666666667%;width:calc(66.666666666667% - ( ( 4% + 4% ) * 0.66666666666667 ) );margin-right: 4%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:60px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-image-element fusion-image-align-center in-legacy-container\" style=\"text-align:center;--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);\"><div class=\"imageframe-align-center\"><span class=\" fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-1 hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"440\" height=\"323\" alt=\"wao-ari logo images\" title=\"wao-ari-joint &#8211; vertical\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/wao-ari-joint-vertical.png\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/wao-ari-joint-vertical.png\" class=\"lazyload img-responsive wp-image-17830\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27440%27%20height%3D%27323%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20440%20323%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27440%27%20height%3D%27323%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/wao-ari-joint-vertical-200x147.png 200w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/wao-ari-joint-vertical-400x294.png 400w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/wao-ari-joint-vertical.png 440w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 440px\" \/><\/span><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:60px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\" style=\"--awb-text-transform:none;\"><blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBy looking at the history of how ASD has been perceived and studied, it can be used to understand the source of biases and attitudes that individuals with ASD and their families endure by society. Often these perceptions are outdated, such as autism being caused by parents being neglectful, so condensing this information of disproven myths into its own webinar may be helpful in dispelling public misconceptions towards autism.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8212; Helena Nguyen, Clinical Intern at The Johnson Center for Child Health and Development<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-video fusion-youtube fusion-aligncenter\" style=\"--awb-max-width:600px;--awb-max-height:360px;--awb-width:100%;\"><div class=\"video-shortcode\"><div class=\"fluid-width-video-wrapper\" style=\"padding-top:60%;\" ><iframe title=\"YouTube video player 1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OXHoKlddMng?wmode=transparent&autoplay=0\" width=\"600\" height=\"360\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:60px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-2\" style=\"--awb-text-transform:none;\"><p><strong>This is a joint presentation with the World Autism Organization.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>In this webinar:<\/h2>\n<p><strong>1:00 &#8211; 12:00<\/strong> &#8211; Organization and speaker introductions<br \/>\n<strong>13:00<\/strong> &#8211; Early descriptions of autism<br \/>\n<strong>17:42<\/strong> &#8211; Misconceptions and shifting paradigms<br \/>\n<strong>22:21<\/strong> &#8211; Emergence of diverse research and advocacy<br \/>\n<strong>30:16<\/strong> &#8211; Genetic and sensory insights, nutritional interventions<br \/>\n<strong>33:12<\/strong> &#8211; Evolving diagnostic criteria and brain differences<br \/>\n<strong>41:00<\/strong> &#8211; Biology, co-occurring conditions, and ABA certification<br \/>\n<strong>48:00<\/strong> &#8211; Genetics, Neurology, and Comprehensive Lifespan Support<br \/>\n<strong>51:00<\/strong> &#8211; Q&amp;A<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this webinar, Dr. Stephen M. Edelson, Chief Science Officer for ARI, outlines historic milestones in autism research, understanding, and acceptance. He contextualizes pivotal studies and cultural references, highlighting their role in the evolution of autism understanding and acceptance. He summarizes nearly 100 years of autism research as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Early descriptions of autism (1925-1940s)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first documented study of autistic behaviors was published in 1925 by Ukranian researcher Grunya Sukhareva. Her pioneering work, though unrecognized for decades, laid the foundation for understanding diverse presentations of autism. Nearly 20 years later, Dr. Leo Kanner published a detailed description of 11 clinical cases instrumental in creating early diagnostic criteria. His work provided the first comprehensive description of autism and is still frequently cited today. A third contributor to early autism descriptions was Dr. Hans Asperger, whose work contributed to the recognition of \u201chigher-functioning\u201d presentations of autism <\/span><b>(13:26)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Misconceptions and shifting paradigms (1950s)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the late 1950s, Bruno Bettelheim&#8217;s &#8220;refrigerator mother&#8221; theory falsely blamed parents for autism due to emotional neglect, causing immense guilt and hindering effective interventions. This harmful theory persisted until Dr. Bernard Rimland&#8217;s 1964 book <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Infantile Autism<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> persuasively argued a biological basis for autism. His work asserts genetic, neurological, and environmental factors play a role in the development and presentation of autism. Rimland&#8217;s publication was a pivotal turning point in autism research as it successfully challenged prevailing psychological theories and redirected the discourse to the biomedical track. In 1967, Dr. Rimland founded the Autism Research Institute (ARI), creating a platform for funding and promoting biomedical research. Rimland also co-produced a documentary called &#8220;The Invisible Wall&#8221; to raise awareness <\/span><b>(17:42)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Emergence of diverse research and advocacy (1960s)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 1960s saw the emergence of multi-disciplinary investigations, with UCLA researchers like Edward Ritvo breaking into the medical aspects of autism, which marked the beginning of pharmacological research. Simultaneously, Ivar Lovaas was pioneering behavior therapy, which later developed into applied behavior analysis (ABA). Victor Lotter conducted the first prevalence surveys, estimating 4.5 in 10,000, providing a baseline for epidemiological studies. Cognitive theories from Uta Frith, Neil O&#8217;Connor, and Bette Hermelin emerged to explain distinct processing styles, laying the groundwork for our modern understanding of sensory differences in the autistic experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During this time, diagnostic efforts also evolved, as Eleanor Mildred Creak&#8217;s British Working Group developed a nine-point diagnostic criteria in 1961. This was quickly followed by Lorna Wing&#8217;s &#8220;Triad of Impairment, which became a highly influential model for conceptualizing autism and directly impacted diagnostic manuals like the DSM and ICD. Parent advocacy also gained momentum, as Drs. Ruth Sullivan and Rimland established the National Society for Autistic Children (later Autism Society) in the U.S. and Helen Allison created its counterpart in the UK to empower parents and provide crucial support <\/span><b>(22:21)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Genetic and Sensory Insights, Nutritional Interventions (1970s)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 1970s brought significant insights, with Susan Folstein and Michael Rutter&#8217;s landmark twin study providing the first empirical data supporting a genetic component to autism, thus solidifying its biological basis. Concurrently, Jean Ayres pioneered sensory integration work, drawing attention to sensory processing differences and influencing occupational therapy interventions. Dr.\u00a0 Rimland also explored the role of nutritional supplements like vitamin B6 and magnesium based on anecdotal reports from parents, highlighting the potential for biomedical interventions and individualized treatment approaches <\/span><b>(30:26)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Evolving Diagnostic Criteria and Brain Differences (1980s)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 1980, the DSM-III (1980) established &#8220;infantile autism&#8221; as a distinct category, which was a crucial step in formalizing the diagnosis. The 1980s also saw foundational neurobiological discoveries, as Margaret Bauman and Thomas Kemper documented the first evidence of neurological differences in the brain tissue of an individual with autism; thus validating its biological underpinnings <\/span><b>(33:12)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivar Lovaas&#8217;s &#8220;The Me Book&#8221; democratized access to behavioral intervention strategies, and his recovery study, though controversial, fueled optimism and investment in early intensive behavioral interventions. This decade also saw public awareness surge as Temple Grandin&#8217;s autobiographical works offered unique insights into the autistic experience and challenged common stereotypes. The movie <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rain Man<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> also significantly increased public awareness, though in some cases it presents a limited view of autistic capabilities <\/span><b>(37:06)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Biology, co-occurring conditions, and ABA certification (1990s)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 1990s saw a strong emphasis on the underlying biology of autism. The Defeat Autism Now (DAN!) movement brought co-occurring medical conditions, such as immune and gastrointestinal issues, into the limelight, advocating for their recognition and treatment as integral aspects of autism. Concurrently, Cure Autism Now (CAN) was established to fund biological treatments and prevention and find a cure for autism; this organization merged with Autism Speaks in 2005 and is currently the largest entity focused on autism awareness and support. Beyond medical interventions, various groups, including Families for Early Autism Treatment (FEAT), were established to support and advocate for early interventions. FEAT published the first autism e-newsletter, expanding information dissemination across the community. The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) was also created in the 90s. The BACB standardized the certification process for individuals offering Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) <\/span><b>(41:00)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Genetics, Neurology, and Comprehensive Lifespan Support (The 2000s &#8211; Now)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Profound advancements across several domains have characterized the period from the 2000s to now. Genetics research has exploded, moving beyond fundamental DNA analysis to include exome sequencing and epigenetics, with findings suggesting environmental factors like proximity to pesticides might increase autism likelihood. In neurology, increased focus on brain tissues, brainwave activity, advanced imaging, and neurotransmitters has deepened our understanding of the autistic brain. Recognition of co-occurring medical conditions has also expanded to include gastrointestinal problems, immune dysregulation, metabolic disorders, sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, and more. Models like the Early Start Denver Model and functional communication training have gained significant traction and support in behavioral intervention methods. Dr. Edelson notes a need for more attention on pivotal response training.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Edelson explains how the adult autism field has gained traction over the last decade or so. Issues like housing, employment, recreation, and persistent medical issues must be addressed in this population. This growing focus on senior issues emphasizes the need for nursing staff and group homes to understand autistic behaviors, sensory differences, and anxieties in older adults to provide appropriate care <\/span><b>(48:00)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-2 fusion_builder_column_1_6 1_6 fusion-one-sixth fusion-column-last\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;width:16.666666666667%;width:calc(16.666666666667% - ( ( 4% + 4% ) * 0.16666666666667 ) );\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-2 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-3 fusion_builder_column_1_3 1_3 fusion-one-third fusion-column-first\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;width:33.333333333333%;width:calc(33.333333333333% - ( ( 4% ) * 0.33333333333333 ) );margin-right: 4%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-3\"><p><strong>About the speaker:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignleft wp-image-17466 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/updated-Steve-crop-150x150.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/updated-Steve-crop-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27150%27%20height%3D%27150%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20150%20150%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27150%27%20height%3D%27150%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/updated-Steve-crop-66x66.jpg 66w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/updated-Steve-crop-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.<\/strong>, is the Chief Science Officer of the Autism Research Institute. Active in the field of autism for over 45 years, he began leading ARI in 2006, after the passing of autism pioneer and advocate, Dr. Bernard Rimland. <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/steve-edelson-bio\/\">Learn more about Dr. Edelson.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-4 fusion_builder_column_2_3 2_3 fusion-two-third fusion-column-last\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;width:66.666666666667%;width:calc(66.666666666667% - ( ( 4% ) * 0.66666666666667 ) );\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-4\"><h4>Take the knowledge quiz<\/h4>\n<p>Can&#8217;t see the quiz below? 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fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:30px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-recent-posts fusion-recent-posts-1 avada-container layout-default layout-columns-3\"><section class=\"fusion-columns columns fusion-columns-3 columns-3\"><article class=\"post fusion-column column col col-lg-4 col-md-4 col-sm-4\"><div class=\"fusion-flexslider fusion-flexslider-loading flexslider flexslider-hover-type-none\"><ul class=\"slides\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/emerging-research-on-autism-rates-and-covid\/\" aria-label=\"Emerging Research on Autism Rates and Covid\" class=\"hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/AdobeStock_416761381-700x441.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-recent-posts size-recent-posts lazyload\" alt=\"Doctor is doing ultrasound screening for a pregnant woman\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271350%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%202560%201350%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271350%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/AdobeStock_416761381-700x441.jpeg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/AdobeStock_416761381-320x202.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/AdobeStock_416761381-700x441.jpeg 700w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"recent-posts-content\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2025-11-25T15:01:19-05:00<\/span><h4 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/emerging-research-on-autism-rates-and-covid\/\">Emerging Research on Autism Rates and Covid<\/a><\/h4><p class=\"meta\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2025-11-25T15:01:19-05:00<\/span><span>April 22nd, 2026<\/span><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/covid-19\/\" rel=\"category tag\">COVID-19<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/health\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Health<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/immune-issues\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Immune Issues<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/medical-care\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Medical Care<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/neurological\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Neurological<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/parenting\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Parenting<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/prenatal-health\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Pregnancy<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/research\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/research-webinar\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/webinars\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Webinar<\/a><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><\/p><p>  Free webinar at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time (US), April 22, 2026 Tune in to hear about the Columbia University COVID-19 Mother Baby Outcomes Initiative (COMBO), which resulted in the first report demonstrating that<\/p><\/div><\/article><article class=\"post fusion-column column col col-lg-4 col-md-4 col-sm-4\"><div class=\"fusion-flexslider fusion-flexslider-loading flexslider flexslider-hover-type-none\"><ul class=\"slides\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/sensorimotor-features-and-early-developing-brain-regions\/\" aria-label=\"Understanding Autism through the Lens of Sensorimotor Features and Early-Developing Brain Regions\" class=\"hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Untitled-design-54-700x441.jpg\" class=\"attachment-recent-posts size-recent-posts lazyload\" alt=\"Child and therapist engaging in exercises in a sensory integration room\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271280%27%20height%3D%27720%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201280%20720%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271280%27%20height%3D%27720%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Untitled-design-54-700x441.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Untitled-design-54-320x202.jpg 320w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Untitled-design-54-700x441.jpg 700w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"recent-posts-content\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2026-03-11T15:51:35-05:00<\/span><h4 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/sensorimotor-features-and-early-developing-brain-regions\/\">Understanding Autism through the Lens of Sensorimotor Features and Early-Developing Brain Regions<\/a><\/h4><p class=\"meta\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2026-03-11T15:51:35-05:00<\/span><span>March 10th, 2026<\/span><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/health\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Health<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/medical-care\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Medical Care<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/neurological\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Neurological<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/research\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/research-webinar\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/sensory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Sensory<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/webinars\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Webinar<\/a><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><\/p><p>     Sensorimotor differences are commonly reported in autistic individuals. However, the daily-life impact and neurobiological basis of motor differences are not clear. This talk will discuss sensorimotor differences commonly reported in<\/p><\/div><\/article><article class=\"post fusion-column column col col-lg-4 col-md-4 col-sm-4\"><div class=\"fusion-flexslider fusion-flexslider-loading flexslider flexslider-hover-type-none\"><ul class=\"slides\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/using-machine-learning-for-biomarker-discovery\/\" aria-label=\"Towards the Development of a Diagnostic Test for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Data Science Meets Metabolomics\" class=\"hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AdobeStock_209628810-700x441.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-recent-posts size-recent-posts lazyload\" alt=\"Biomarkers DNA image\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271706%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%202560%201706%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271706%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AdobeStock_209628810-700x441.jpeg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AdobeStock_209628810-320x202.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AdobeStock_209628810-700x441.jpeg 700w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"recent-posts-content\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2026-02-23T14:18:06-05:00<\/span><h4 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/using-machine-learning-for-biomarker-discovery\/\">Towards the Development of a Diagnostic Test for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Data Science Meets Metabolomics<\/a><\/h4><p class=\"meta\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2026-02-23T14:18:06-05:00<\/span><span>February 10th, 2026<\/span><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/biomarkers\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Biomarkers<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/genetics\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Genetics<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/health\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Health<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/immune-issues\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Immune Issues<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/medical-care\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Medical Care<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/neurological\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Neurological<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/research\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/research-webinar\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/webinars\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Webinar<\/a><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><\/p><p>      Hear Juergen Hahn, Ph.D., ARI Scientific Advisory Board member, discuss how using machine learning can lead to biomarker discoveries in autism research. Handouts are online HERE   <\/p><\/div><\/article><article class=\"post fusion-column column col col-lg-4 col-md-4 col-sm-4\"><div class=\"fusion-flexslider fusion-flexslider-loading flexslider flexslider-hover-type-none\"><ul class=\"slides\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/how-genetics-is-shaping-the-field-of-autism-research\/\" aria-label=\"How Genetics is Shaping the Field of Autism Research\" class=\"hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/genes-4-700x441.jpg\" class=\"attachment-recent-posts size-recent-posts lazyload\" alt=\"Medical professional conducting a test or analysis\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271000%27%20height%3D%27667%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201000%20667%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271000%27%20height%3D%27667%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/genes-4-700x441.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/genes-4-320x202.jpg 320w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/genes-4-700x441.jpg 700w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"recent-posts-content\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2026-02-23T14:19:25-05:00<\/span><h4 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/how-genetics-is-shaping-the-field-of-autism-research\/\">How Genetics is Shaping the Field of Autism Research<\/a><\/h4><p class=\"meta\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2026-02-23T14:19:25-05:00<\/span><span>January 27th, 2026<\/span><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/environmental-factors\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Environmental Factors<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/genetics\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Genetics<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/health\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Health<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/medical-care\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Medical Care<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/neurological\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Neurological<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/research\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/research-webinar\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/webinars\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Webinar<\/a><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><\/p><p>      Learn about how research on genetic influences is shaping our understanding of autism.      About the speaker: M. Pilar Trelles, MD, is a licensed and<\/p><\/div><\/article><article class=\"post fusion-column column col col-lg-4 col-md-4 col-sm-4\"><div class=\"fusion-flexslider fusion-flexslider-loading flexslider flexslider-hover-type-none\"><ul class=\"slides\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/disparities-in-autism-ascertainment-in-black-children\/\" aria-label=\"Disparities in Autism Ascertainment in Black Children\" class=\"hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/AdobeStock_243113653-700x441.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-recent-posts size-recent-posts lazyload\" alt=\"Happy black family laughing playing with children at home, cheerful african american parents tickling 2 mixed race kids having fun on couch, mom dad with little son daughter enjoying funny activity\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271707%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%202560%201707%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271707%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/AdobeStock_243113653-700x441.jpeg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/AdobeStock_243113653-320x202.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/AdobeStock_243113653-700x441.jpeg 700w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"recent-posts-content\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2026-01-21T17:41:49-05:00<\/span><h4 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/disparities-in-autism-ascertainment-in-black-children\/\">Disparities in Autism Ascertainment in Black Children<\/a><\/h4><p class=\"meta\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2026-01-21T17:41:49-05:00<\/span><span>January 21st, 2026<\/span><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/environmental-factors\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Environmental Factors<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/health\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Health<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/medical-care\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Medical Care<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/parenting\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Parenting<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/research\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/research-webinar\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/webinars\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Webinar<\/a><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><\/p><p>    Handouts are available HERE You can access the ongoing study Dr. Dickerson discusses during the Q&amp;A HERE  Learn about disparities in autism ascertainment in Black children and accessible treatment models<\/p><\/div><\/article><article class=\"post fusion-column column col col-lg-4 col-md-4 col-sm-4\"><div class=\"fusion-flexslider fusion-flexslider-loading flexslider flexslider-hover-type-none\"><ul class=\"slides\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/five-underappreciated-nutrients\/\" aria-label=\"Nutrition Research Updates: Five Underappreciated Nutrients that Neurodivergent Kids May Be Missing\" class=\"hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/AdobeStock_159462072-700x441.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-recent-posts size-recent-posts lazyload\" alt=\"Balanced diet food background. Organic food for healthy nutrition. Ingredients for cooking. Food assortment.\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271829%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%202560%201829%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271829%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/AdobeStock_159462072-700x441.jpeg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/AdobeStock_159462072-320x202.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/AdobeStock_159462072-700x441.jpeg 700w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"recent-posts-content\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2026-01-14T16:00:35-05:00<\/span><h4 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/five-underappreciated-nutrients\/\">Nutrition Research Updates: Five Underappreciated Nutrients that Neurodivergent Kids May Be Missing<\/a><\/h4><p class=\"meta\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2026-01-14T16:00:35-05:00<\/span><span>January 13th, 2026<\/span><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/biomarkers\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Biomarkers<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/gastrointestinal\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Gastrointestinal<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/health\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Health<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/medical-care\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Medical Care<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/research\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/research-webinar\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/webinars\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Webinar<\/a><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><\/p><p>     Vicki Kobliner, MS, RDN, reviews current nutrition research and shares practical strategies to support the health of neurodivergent children.Handouts are online HERE      About the speaker:<\/p><\/div><\/article><\/section><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":21451,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,9735,80,26,9651,3782,4402,19,3933,9703,24],"tags":[3477,2813,4527,9847,9932,9803,4915,9799,4779,9933,9570,3467],"class_list":["post-21450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adults-on-the-spectrum","category-biomarkers","category-gastrointestinal","category-health","category-medical-care","category-neurological","category-parenting-webinar","category-research","category-research-webinar","category-wao","category-webinar","tag-ari-funded-research","tag-autism-research","tag-bernard-rimland","tag-bernie","tag-co-occurring","tag-co-occurring-conditions","tag-comorbid","tag-edelson","tag-health-care","tag-hisory","tag-stephen-edelson","tag-treatment","webinar-author-dr-stephen-m-edelson"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.6 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Autism: A Century of Discovery and Development - Autism Research Institute<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn about autism understanding and research across the last century from Dr. Stephen M. Edelson, who has more than 45 years experience.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/autism-a-history\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Autism: A Century of Discovery and Development\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn about autism understanding and research across the last century from Dr. Stephen M. 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