New Definition Proposed For ‘Profound Autism’

Article by Disability Scoop: Published October 8, 2026

Excerpt below:

The “profound autism” label has gained traction in recent years as a way to describe individuals on the more severe end of the spectrum, but now there is an effort to clarify exactly who qualifies.

The label came to prominence with a 2021 proposal from an international commission of autism researchers, providers, self-advocates and parents that was published in The Lancet. Since then, however, researchers have used inconsistent criteria when attempting to study this group.

A proposal put forth this summer in the journal Molecular Autism seeks to establish a consensus definition.