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India and Autism

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Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Historical Background

In India, the history of autism dates back to 1960s and is marked by initial sporadic efforts at clinical descriptions and research followed by a more sustained progress in clinical services, research, and policies. The first case report of autism appeared in an Indian journal in 1962 (Bassa 1962). There were a few publications in the 1960s and 1970s referring to infantile autism, with a steady flow after the 1990s. Before the 1980s, awareness of the disorder, both among professionals and the general public was low, that increased gradually (Daley 2004). In the next two decades, i.e., from late 1980s to early 2000s, there were major developments in the field, in terms of services, legislation, policy, and capacity building. Nongovernment organizations and parent led organizations primarily for advocacy for children and adults with autism and their families were established (e.g., Tamanna, New Delhi; Action for Autism, New Delhi). Soon, these organizations forayed...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fortis Hospital, Mohali, Punjab, India

    Savita Malhotra

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India

    Ruchita Shah

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  1. Savita Malhotra
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  2. Ruchita Shah
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Correspondence to Savita Malhotra .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Fred R. Volkmar

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Malhotra, S., Shah, R. (2017). India and Autism. In: Volkmar, F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102116-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102116-1

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