The study examined the behavior and characteristics of 33 children in a self-contained unit for autistic children in a multidisciplinary framework involving psychiatric, neurologic, psychological, social, and educational parameters. Results of a comprehensive evaluation indicated the following primary diagnoses: early infantile autism, atypical developmental disorder, schizophrenia, autistic behavior with organic central nervous system disease, primary developmental language disorder, and unclassified mental retardation. Case studies of several of the children illustrate the heterogeneity of the population in a special unit for severely disturbed children who are autistic and who have problems in communication. Even within the diagnostic categories the children are individuals and different from one another. Prognostic information and suggestions for intervention are noted. (CL)