This sounds like BS at first but there is a science fiundtion for asserting the hypothesis that Autism is a genetic disorder caused by the recessive trait for Neanderthal introversion being stimuklated by the new cultural matriarchy that that species lived in before its extinction.
We all know that modern man carries Neanderthal genes due ti inbreeding back maybe 150,000 years ago.
We also know that the nurturing of the right social environment can effect the genetic propensities.
These two things can account for sudden emergence of so many new cases in the age.
A proof could be established by measuring the number of s=cases of Autism in patriarchs like Islam.