DeMyer, M.K., Churchill, D.W., Pontius, W., Gilkey, K.M. (1971). A comparison of five diagnostic systems for childhood schizophrenia and infantile autism. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 1, 175-189.
http://www.neurodiversity.com/library_demyer_1971.pdf

(BTW–thanks to and courtesy of Neurodiversity.com!)

The short version is that just scanning the criteria among the 5 different instruments, depending on which was used, Eleanor, if diagnosed at that time, could have easily diagnosed with BOTH childhood schizophrenia and infantile autism, and there was some variability even across instruments assessing for the same diagnosis. There is also the distinct possibility that the primary diagnosis for her could have been mental retardation.

This is interesting to me historically and because it does illustrate some issues with comparing past to present when the criteria differ, the instruments change and there is also observer/assessor differences. Reading some of the old literature on autism associated with congenital rubella, there were differences of assessment there, with some identifying autism, some autistic features and some mental retardation.

Prior to Public Law 94-142 (Education of All Handicapped Children Act) (1975), now colloquially known when referring to IDEA, or FAPE. At that time, while some districts did admit special needs students, many also did not and they were not obligated to teach such students in the normal public system, or in some cases at all. Hence large placements in private or state-sponsored special schools or institutions (ex: Willowbrook, Fernald School, many more).

Prior to the introduction of the traumatic brain injury (TBI) and autism categories in 1990, IDEA served students with TBI and autism, but they were reported in a different disability service category, i.e, mental retardation, hearing impairments including deafness, speech or language impairments, visual impairments including blindness, emotional disturbance, orthopedic impairments, other health impairments, multiple disabilities, deaf-blindness, and specific learning disabilities.

In 1997 Developmental Delay was added as an optional category for children ages 6-9.

The 2000-2001 school year was the first that disability was collected for children ages 3-5.

IDEA Part B Data Fact Sheet-October 2006
http://www.ideadata.org/docs/bfactsheetcc.pdf

“In those autopsies which have examined the ‘autistic’ brain microscopically 100% of them have found structural abnormalities. In many cases the damage is microscopic but can not be seen using imaging tools such as MRI.”

Were any non-autistic brains examined in a similar manner? (This might sound snarky but I don’t mean it that way.) I think that a lot – if not all – people’s brains would show some kind of small irregularity if examined microscopically.

And sheesh, gfcfmom, the only remarkable thing about “Evidence of Harm” is that David Kirby doesn’t seem to have grown an extra four inches of nose while writing it.

I’m always hopeful that societal mores can be changed or evolve and that we can learn to better understand how everyone is liable to misinterpret what might seem like “anti-social” behavior. It’s difficult for Charlie not to be constantly humming, vocalizing, saying what sound like non-verbal “noises.” I’ve learned he needs to do some of these to help stay focused and to self-calm, and I’ve also noted that he needs to learn to be silent at certain times, for instance if he were at a job some day, where a little humming might be all right—a little, though, not a lot.