Autism and Schizophrenia in a Child Guidance Clinic

Twenty-one patients with condition varying from neurotic shyness through autism, to brain injury were described, categorized and placed on a spectrum of autism. Criteria for diagnosis have been developed with consequent increase in the accuracy of prognostication and a more effective approach to treatment. The outcome of our experience with these children over a 5½ year period is discussed. A format for uniform clinical examination and investigations has been suggested; alongside this we have described the usefulness of categorizing the morphology of phantasy. The natural history of “autism” as we see it has been graphically described. The paper contains clinical excerpts on some of our cases.