The first formal diagnosis of autism was made by Leo Kanner, an Austrian- American psychiatrist, in 1943. He described a group of children with unique behaviors characterized by difficulties in communication, social interaction, repetitive behaviors, and a strong desire for sameness. One of the first individuals diagnosed was Donald Grey Triplett, called "Case 1" by Kanner, who became known as the first person ever formally diagnosed with autism. Before Kanner's work, autism was not recognized as a distinct condition and was often confused with childhood schizophrenia or other psychiatric disorders. The term "autism" itself was first coined by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911, but it referred to a symptom related to schizophrenia, not the developmental condition as we understand it today.
