The diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome has a relatively short history in the United States: **Timeline:** - **1943**: Dr. Leo Kanner identifies "infantile autism" — severe withdrawal, social indifference, language difficulties, repetitive behaviors. - **1940s**: Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger publishes about "little professors" — boys with obsessions, communication difficulty, social problems, theory of mind deficit. Written in German, published in an obscure wartime journal. - **1980s**: British psychiatrist Dr. Lorna Wing discovers Asperger's work and introduces it to the English-speaking world. - **1994**: DSM-IV-R first includes AS (previously only recognized in children). - **Ongoing**: Debate persists — distinct condition or part of an autism spectrum? Kanner's patients were severely impaired (mute, intellectually disabled). Asperger's patients were more verbal and higher-functioning. Both shared the same triad, leading to the **spectrum concept** that guides current thinking. **Source:** Lovett, *Solutions for Adults with Asperger Syndrome*, Ch 1 (pp31-33) See also: [[Autistic Triad]]