The mother of a 14-year-old autistic boy who was allegedly bashed by a group of teenage thugs claims her son was targeted after standing up for a friend who was being bullied.

A 15-year-old boy has since been charged by police.

He’s been charged with affray, recklessly causing injury and intentionally causing injury.

Simon Baron-Cohen

Simon Baron-Cohen absorbs the grave revelations in a study on a paediatrician enmeshed in autism’s history.

The Austrian paediatrician Hans Asperger has long been recognized as a pioneer in the study of autism. He was even seen as a hero, saving children with the condition from the Nazi killing programme by emphasizing their intelligence. However, it is now indisputable that Asperger collaborated in the murder of children with disabilities under the Third Reich.

Liz Kowalczyk and Photos by Craig F. Walker

He is a boy easy to love, and also a heart-testing puzzle to those who love him. He longs for home, but home has become somewhere hard to thrive. And yet, beset by autism and other issues, aided by family and teachers, Connor Biscan is learning to rise.

This time he had to go. There was no time to think about where.

Simon Baron-Cohen

Rick Morton

The early-intervention strategy for children with autism in the $22 billion NDIS is in disarray, and ­rationing has been introduced for services worth $300 million a year after 30,000 kids were granted ­access.

Worldwide best practice for autism intervention in young children, known as Applied Behaviour Analysis, requires a minimum of 20 hours of one-on-one therapy a week, but under the ­National Disability Insurance Scheme most of the youngest children receive about half of that, with packages between $10,000 and $15,000 a year.

The British Film Institute has apologised after a woman with Asperger's syndrome was "forcibly dragged out of" their London cinema for "laughing too much".

Key points:

• Tamsin Parker shouted "I'm sorry I have Asperger's" as security staff removed her
• Some audience members applauded, while some protested, with many walking out
• BFI apologised and said it was investigating the incident

Patrick Williams

When Max was diagnosed with high-functioning autism a year ago, it just made sense to mum Danielle Pritchard.

The three-year-old Brisbane boy had been having troubles with his speech, anxiety, and social skills among other small quirks.

Ms Pritchard knew just how important early intervention would be. As a teacher, she's worked with children similar to her own son before.

With the right treatment and routine finally in place, Max started to come into his own.

Emma Taylor spent her whole life believing that something was wrong with her.

"I've always been called weird or a little bit strange. One of the regulars at work calls me Fruit Loop. It was just something I was used to," the 27-year-old said.