Barbie is launching its first autistic doll in an effort to represent how individuals with autism spectrum disorder experience the world around them, USA TODAY can exclusively reveal.

A wider public conversation has arisen over whether it's time for a shift in how we think about categories of autism, amid rising interest in the disorder across the country.

Barely six months after releasing its Barbie with Type 1 diabetes, Mattel introduced its first Barbie with autism. The doll was made in partnership with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network and is available nationwide today.

The new autistic Barbie joins an existing line of diverse dolls, including those with Down syndrome, diabetes and more. See more dolls.

Autistic spectrum disorders are complicated and most likely caused by a number of different problems. However, we still don’t know definitively if something in the diet could influence autism. The following study can’t answer that question due to the ...