[elihu]

If we get a better understanding of what autism actually is, I'd expect we'd also establish more specific and accurate terms for it. I don't see any reason why it would just go away as a concept, though. It seems like it's pretty well established at this point that there is a collection of characteristics that some people have that fit the current understanding of what is meant by "autism". I'm not an expert in the area, though, so if you think that's not true it'd be interesting to know why not.

[BurningFrog]

I expect it will be understood to be several separate things, which express themselves in vaguely similar ways, but are quite different both in origin and treatment.

[Idiotfucker]

(Adding to this) Similar to how depression, anxiety, PTSD, and a few other manifest similarly, but are labeled, diagnosed and treated as separate issues.

[todorus]

> I don't see any reason why it would just go away as a concept, though. It seems like it's pretty well established at this point that there is a collection of characteristics that some people have that fit the current understanding of what is meant by "autism".

The caveat being that this category exists within the current framework. The same could be said about "female hysteria", and pretty much all psychological conditions that have been left behind as symptoms of the zeitgeist.