At one time autism was not known, until Leo Kanner described it. Just because the DSM has not caught up with the research that does not make it less real. I disagree that there are no criteria. Unfortunately there is no test like for strep throat and we have to rely on the reporting of parents and teachers.
One difficult question is "Where is the cut off point. We all have sensory peculiarities, but when does it become a disorder?"
I am working with a child who is so sensitive to the feel of paper or anything like it with a dry feel, he says. He uses a transparency paper to put under
My son has refused to be fully potty trained since we started when he was a toddler. He jumps around and holds his belly in whenever he feels the sensation