Autism has been around as a recognized condition for over a century, with the term "autism" first introduced by Eugen Bleuler in 1911 to describe a symptom related to schizophrenia. However, autism as a distinct diagnosis was first described by Leo Kanner in 1943, when he identified it as "early infantile autism." The understanding of autism has evolved significantly since then, with autism being formally recognized as a developmental disorder distinct from schizophrenia in 1980 with the publication of DSM-III. Before this time, individuals with autistic traits were often misclassified under broader terms like childhood schizophrenia. Over the decades, diagnostic criteria and understanding have expanded to what is now known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD).