Applied behavioral analysis is the most widely used therapy for autism, but some people say its drills and routines are cruel, and its aims misguided.

Childhood disintegrative disorder, a rare and severe condition, rapidly melts away a child’s abilities. A new theory proposes that this little-known condition turns back the developmental clock.

On Cayo Santiago island, scientists track the alliances and power struggles of a colony of feral monkeys — collecting data to generate new insights into the social challenges that people with autism face.

Clinicians can use play to deliver therapies that could improve a child’s social skills, language and certain cognitive capacities.

Meeting people with autism can give scientists new ideas and the motivation to pursue long-term studies.

Somer Bishop is launching a revolution in autism diagnosis, creating faster, more precise tools that speed research and better capture the full spectrum of autism symptoms.

A woman claims that a genetic test failed to flag her son’s deadly condition, a researcher wins a rare appeal of a rejected grant application, and a graduate student’s gadget could help people with autism to read emotions.

Some children who read early or speak late are misdiagnosed with autism.

A widely used diagnostic test for autism can reliably distinguish the condition from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but not always.

Scientists should phrase their findings to be sensitive to the dignity and needs of people with autism.