I think public conscience vs public ignorance is a long haul proposition BUT it is slowly happening. So much more often I get people actually saying (when they hear my son has Autism) "Oh ok, has he got Asperger's or Autism?" or "Is he high functioning or low functioning?"
Could not simply have had these comments from all but a psychologist 3 or 4 yeasrs ago.
Back then the only thing you would get would be "I am so sorry" or "Oh yeah juust like Rainman...."
Significant improvement but a long way to go.
Still much further than when i went to school and people like me and alison were not picked up by the Australian school system. We either sank or swam.

Disclosure: I removed several posts from this thread.

Historically, many aspects of the mind have been misunderstood. I think it is just another example of public ignorance which will hopefully evolve into a genuine understanding.

It will. So long as it is not hijacked along the way by a specific agenda or there is a change of culture surrounding it (ie to be treated a social embarrassment or hidden grief or a society ill or evil). Left untouched by these things, it will become public knowledge. So much even in the last 13 years. I have high hopes