infantile autism: Meaning and Definition of

in'fantile au'tism

Pronunciation: [key]
— Psychol. Psychol.
  1. a disorder appearing in children before the age of two and a half, characterized by lack of interest in others, impaired communication skills, and bizarre behavior, as ritualistic acts and excessive attachment to objects.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.