infantile autism

[ in-fuhn-tahyl aw-tiz-uhm ]

noun

, Psychiatry.

1. (no longer in technical use) a disorder appearing in children before the age of two and a half, characterized by a lack of interest in others, impaired communication skills, and unusual behavior, such as ritualistic acts and very strong attachment to objects: now typically known as autism spectrum disorder.

Word History and Origins

Origin of infantile autism¹

First recorded in 1944; autism ( def )