Rohini Knudson
SPED Professional Portfolio
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
The word autism comes from German 'autismus' coined in 1910 by German psychologist Eugen Bleuler to describe a state of morbid self-absorption (Bleuler, 1951), from the Greek word 'autos' meaning 'self' and the suffix '-ismos' meaning 'state of being'. The word was later used by Leo Kanner in 1943 (Wolff, 2004) to describe a neurological condition characterized by differences from the norm in relating to others as well as absorption in one's interests and routines.
The word spectrum in autism spectrum disorder highlights the wide variation in the type and severity of core characteristics of autism among individuals that have this condition.
The condition is referred to as a disorder to reflect the disturbance in normal development of social, communicative, sensory and adaptive functioning that characterize the condition.
A look at the 'spectrum'
Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder that affects social, communication, and cognitive development accompanied by repetitive behavior and narrow/restricted interests.
Click on each image below to get a closer look (Images from University of Kansas, 2024).
