Kanner’s Syndrome is the term used to describe what was originally defined as “early infantile autism.” This diagnosis represents the first comprehensive, clinical description of the condition now understood as part of the wider Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). While no longer an official diagnostic label in current medical manuals, Kanner’s Syndrome provides foundational historical context for understanding the most profound presentations of autism. The characteristics Kanner documented formed the bedrock for subsequent research and the eventual classification of autism as a neurodevelopmental condition.
The Historical Origin of the Diagnosis
The foundation of Kanner’s Syndrome was established in 1943 by Dr. Leo Kanner, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins Hospital. His seminal work, published in the journal The Nervous Child, was titled “Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact.” This paper provided the first detailed clinical description of a distinct behavioral syndrome in children.
Dr. Kanner’s research was based on meticulous observations of 11 children—eight boys and three girls—studied between 1935 and 1943. These children exhibited a unique constellation of symptoms, distinguishing them from those diagnosed with intellectual disability or childhood schizophrenia.
He coined the term “early infantile autism,” defining it as an innate condition present from the beginning of life. Kanner borrowed the word “autism” from psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler, who had used it to describe a self-absorbed symptom of schizophrenia. Kanner noted that the syndrome’s onset occurred very early in development, often within the first two years of life.
Core Behavioral Characteristics
Kanner’s original description focused on two primary features. The first was “extreme autistic aloneness,” manifesting as a profound inability to relate to people and situations from infancy. These children appeared aloof, often ignored others, and failed to adopt an anticipatory posture when being picked up. This aloofness resulted in significant struggles with social interaction and communication, including avoiding eye contact and limited use of gestures.
The second primary feature Kanner identified was an “obsessive desire for the maintenance of sameness.” Children displayed a strong resistance to changes in routine or environment, with disruptions causing intense distress. This need for consistency extended to their play and interaction with objects.
Many children also displayed repetitive behaviors, such as rocking, hand-flapping, or spinning objects. Their language was often delayed or absent, and when speech was present, it frequently included unusual patterns like repeating phrases, known as echolalia. Kanner also noted that some children demonstrated excellent rote memory and highly focused attention on objects rather than people, often fixating intensely on mechanical details.
Evolution into Autism Spectrum Disorder
The distinct syndrome described by Kanner eventually broadened into the concept of a spectrum. For decades, Kanner’s formulation of “early infantile autism” remained the primary definition for the condition, but it was a relatively narrow diagnostic category, applying only to the most severe presentation. This narrow view began to shift as researchers realized that similar social and communication difficulties existed across a wide range of individuals, including those with average or above-average language and intelligence. This led to the recognition that autism was not a single condition but a continuum of related disorders.
The American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual, the DSM, reflected this evolving understanding. The third edition, DSM-III, published in 1980, established “Autistic Disorder” as a distinct developmental condition separate from childhood schizophrenia. This edition introduced specific criteria for diagnosis, improving consistency.
The DSM-IV later introduced the category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders, which included Autistic Disorder and Asperger’s Disorder. This formal categorization acknowledged the diversity of presentations. Asperger’s Disorder described individuals with similar social difficulties but without the language delays seen in Kanner’s original cases.
The most significant step came with the 2013 publication of the DSM-5, which consolidated all previous subcategories into a single umbrella diagnosis: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This change recognized that the core challenges in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors occur across varying levels of severity. Kanner’s original description is now considered to represent the most severe end of the spectrum, often called “classic autism.” The modern diagnostic criteria emphasize two core domains—deficits in social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior—a structure that echoes Kanner’s initial two defining features.
Dispelling Early Misconceptions of Cause
Kanner’s early work, while groundbreaking for identifying the syndrome, was unfortunately connected to a psychological theory of causation that proved incorrect. This was the widely accepted, though now thoroughly discredited, “refrigerator mother” theory.
This theory suggested that autism was caused by a lack of parental, and particularly maternal, emotional warmth and affection. The idea gained traction in the mid-20th century, largely popularized by the work of Bruno Bettelheim, who argued that cold, detached parenting led to the child’s psychological withdrawal.
While Kanner himself did not coin the term, his early descriptions of the parents of the 11 children as “obsessive” and lacking in “genuine warmth” inadvertently contributed to the theory’s acceptance. This placed an unfair burden of blame and guilt on mothers for decades.
By the late 1970s and early 1980s, significant scientific research, including twin studies, began to definitively disconfirm the psychological cause. These studies provided strong evidence for a biological basis, suggesting that autism was an innate, neurodevelopmental condition.
Today, the scientific consensus is that Autism Spectrum Disorder is rooted in a complex interplay of genetic and neurobiological factors, not parental behavior. Modern research focuses on genetic variations and differences in brain development, completely replacing the outdated and harmful psychological theories of the past.