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'''Bernard Rimland, [[PhD]]''' (November 15, 1928 – November 21, 2006) was an American research [[psychologist]], writer, lecturer, and advocate for children with [[developmental disorders]].
'''Bernard Rimland, [[PhD]]''' (November 15, 1928 – November 21, 2006) was an American research [[psychologist]], writer, lecturer, and advocate for children with [[developmental disorders]]. Rimland's first book, ''Infantile Autism'', sparked by the birth of a son who had autism, was instrumental in changing attitudes toward the disorder. Rimland founded and directed two advocacy groups: the [[Autism Society of America]] (ASA) and the [[Autism Research Institute]].<ref name="Carey, Benedict (November 2006)">{{cite news|last=Carey|first=Benedict|title=Bernard Rimland, 78, Scientist Who Revised View of Autism, Dies|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/28/obituaries/28rimland.html?_r=0|accessdate=15 May 2014|newspaper=New York Times|date=November 28, 2006}}</ref>


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==Education==
Based in [[San Diego, California]], since 1940, Rimland was the founder, in 1967, and director of the [[Autism Research Institute]] (ARI), and founder of the [[Autism Society of America]] (ASA), in 1965.<ref>{{cite news|last=Carey|first=Benedict|title=Bernard Rimland, 78, Scientist Who Revised View of Autism, Dies|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/28/obituaries/28rimland.html?_r=0|accessdate=15 May 2014|newspaper=New York Times|date=November 28, 2006}}</ref> Rimland was long an internationally recognized authority on [[autism spectrum disorder]]s, and was the father of a high-functioning [[autistic]] son.
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Rimland completed his undergraduate studies and earned a master's degree in psychology at [[San Diego State University]].<ref name="Maugh, Thomas (November 2006)" /> He obtained his Ph.D. in [[experimental psychology]] and research design, from [[Pennsylvania State University]] in 1953.<ref name="Carey, Benedict (November 2006)" />


==Career==
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==Education and early career==
Upon completion of his doctorate, Rimland and his wife moved back to San Diego. Rimland worked as a psychologist at the Point Loma Naval Station,<ref name="Maugh, Thomas (November 2006)" /> where he remained until 1985.<ref name="Venables, Stephen (November 2006)" />
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After completing his undergraduate studies at [[San Diego State University]], Rimland obtained his Ph.D. in [[experimental psychology]] and research design, from [[Pennsylvania State University]] in 1953.


After the birth of his son, Mark, and his subsequent diagnosis of autism around the age of 2, Rimland began researching the disorder. The prevailing theory in the 1950s was that autism was the reaction of children to mothers who were "cold and distant". Rimland's personal experience contradicted this idea of "[[refrigerator mother]]s" and he began searching for alternative explanations.<ref name="Maugh, Thomas (November 2006)" />
Rimland's son, Mark, was born in 1956, when autism was a rare and poorly-described diagnosis. From birth, however, something was drastically wrong. Rimland had recently earned his doctorate, but was not yet familiar with the word "autism." Only much later was it determined Mark's condition fell into the category of [[early infantile autism]], rather than [[regressive autism]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Psychologist researcher into autism who overturned the theory that it was a reaction to bad parenting|url=http://www.autism.com/about_rimland#Time|accessdate=15 May 2014|newspaper=The Independent, London|date=November 28, 2006}}</ref> Despite challenges, Mark became a talented artist.


In 1964, Rimland published his book, ''Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior.'' In the book, Rimland asserted that autism was not a psychological manifestation caused by unfeeling parents,<ref name="Ask the Globe (December 1986)">{{cite news|title=Ask the Globe|work=Boston Globe|issue=Third Edition 4|date=December 15, 1986|location=Boston, Massachusetts|page=44}}</ref> a widely held belief popularized by [[Bruno Bettelheim]].<ref name="Venables, Stephen (November 2006)" /> Instead, Rimland suggested, autism was a result of biochemical defects "triggered by environmental assaults". He acknowledged that there may also be a genetic component predisposing children to the disorder. Rimland argued that autism could "be treated—or at least ameliorated—with biomedical and behavioral therapies."<ref name="Venables, Stephen (November 2006)">{{cite news|last1=Venables|first1=Stephen|title=Bernard Rimland; psychologist researcher in autism who overturned the theory that it was a reaction to bad parenting|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/bernard-rimland-5544714.html|accessdate=6 May 2018|work=The Independent|date=November 28, 2006|location=London (UK)|page=34}}</ref> ''Infantile Autism'' challenged the medical establishment's perceptions of autism.<ref name="US Newswire (November 2006)">{{cite news|title=ASA Founder, Pioneer in autism research, support, to be honored by community he founded|work=US Newswire|date=November 22, 2006|location=Washington}}</ref><ref name="Maugh, Thomas (November 2006)" /> Rimland's message resonated with parents and, after the book was published, he began getting calls and letters from people who wanted to share their stories and ask for advice.<ref name="Maugh, Thomas (November 2006)" />
After his son's diagnosis, Rimland set forth on a quest to understand autism, and bring much needed attention to the disorder, in order to foster research into its causes and treatment. Rimland has often sparked controversy along his way.


In 1965, Rimland founded the Autism Society of America (ASA), a parent advocacy organization, to "work on behalf of autistic children and their families at local, state and national levels."<ref name="US Newswire (October 2006)">{{cite news|title=Partnership to address epidemic; two organizations founded by Dr. Bernard Rimland join to promote cutting-edge research and service delivery in the autism community|work=US Newswire|date=October 31, 2006|location=Washington}}</ref>
Rimland published his book, ''Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior'', in 1964.<ref>{{cite news|last=Maugh|first=Thomas|title=Bernard Rimland, 78; author was the father of modern autism|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2006/nov/26/local/me-rimland26|accessdate=15 May 2014|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=November 26, 2006}}</ref> Its foreword, by [[Leo Kanner]], the man who first identified autism as a syndrome, gave the book credibility among professionals in the field. It was an about-turn for Kanner, the originator of the word "autism" and of the "[[refrigerator mother]]" theory; through his observations and research, Kanner had come to believe that autism had a neurological cause—the accepted view in the medical profession today. But at the time Rimland's book was published, and for many years afterwards, a common theory was that autism was caused by unloving '[[refrigerator mother]]s', an unproven but widely accepted idea most famously propounded by [[University of Chicago]] professor [[Bruno Bettelheim]], notably in his book ''The Empty Fortress: Infantile Autism and the Birth of the Self'' (1967), which claimed that the traumatized unloved child retreated into autism. As a professional research psychologist, Rimland was well positioned to launch the first major attack on Bettelheim's theory. Rimland's was the first authoritative voice to dispute Bettelheim's research and call into question his conclusions.


In 1967, Rimland left the ASA to established the Autism Research Institute (ARI), a San Diego-based non-profit organization dedicated to researching and collecting data on autism and related disorders.<ref name="US Newsire (May 2005)">{{cite news|title=150 parents of autistic children launch organization, ad campaign with stunning message: removing mercury reverses autism in kids|work=US Newswire|date=May 24, 2005|location=Washington|page=1}}</ref> He kept a database of research and case histories, as well as conducted and sponsored research in an attempt identify the cause of autism and offer effective treatment solutions. Rimland supported Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), a systematic educational approach made popular by Ivar Lovaas.<ref name="Venables, Stephen (November 2006)" /> He published an ARI newsletter, which reached an international audience.<ref name="Shattock, Paul (December 2006)" />
Parents from all over the United States, excited that, for the first time, a professional in the field did not accuse them of maltreating their autistic child, began to write to Rimland. He called a meeting in Teaneck, New Jersey, at the house of one of the families, and this small group of parents, including [[Ruth C. Sullivan]] (first president of the ASA), became the nucleus that founded the [[Autism Society of America]].


Rimland was also the editor of the ''[[Autism Research Review International]]'',<ref name="Rimland, Bernard (April 2000)">{{cite news|last1=Rimland|first1=Bernard|title=Commentary: Do Children's Shots Invite Autism?; Vaccines: Chronic diseases have risen with increased vaccinations against acute diseases.|work=Los Angeles Times|date=April 26, 2000|location=Los Angeles, California|page=B.9}}</ref> published by ARI, which covers biomedical and educational advances in autism research.
==Conflicts with medical opinion==
Many senior figures in medicine and psychology questioned Rimland's contributions to autism during the later period of his career. In 1995, Bennett Leventhal, a professor at the [[University of Chicago]], tersely dismissed as "rubbish" Rimland's concern about the rise in autism diagnoses, and his assertion that [[vaccine|vaccinations]] might be among the causes. Rimland was among a minority of researchers who believed that [[Thiomersal controversy|thiomersal]] (a mercury-based preservative used in vaccines) was a direct cause of autism. The United States [[Institute of Medicine]] (IOM) in its 2004 report found that, "the body of epidemiological evidence favors rejection of a causal relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism."[http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10997] The [[Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency]] (MHRA), [[National Health Service]] (NHS), [[World Health Organization]] (WHO), [[European Medicines Agency]] (EMEA), [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA), [[Centers for Disease Control]] (CDC), and many other national and international medical organizations have issued statements of a similar nature, finding no link between autism and thimerosal based on the evidence currently available from a variety of studies.


In 1988, Rimland served as technical advisor on autism for the 1988 movie ''[[Rain Man]]''. Rimland suggested giving Raymond Babbitt, the movie's main character portrayed by Dustin Hoffman,<ref name="Venables, Stephen (November 2006)" /> the extraordinary characteristics of someone with [[Savant syndrome]].<ref name="Deneen, Sally (March 1989">{{cite news|last1=Deneen|first1=Sally|title=Researcher helps film win Oscars; patients, friends love use of autism in plot|work=Sun Sentinel|date=March 30, 1989|location=Fort Lauderdale|page=1B}}</ref> Hoffman interviewed Rimland's son, Mark, in preparing for the role.<ref name="Maugh, Thomas (November 2006)" /> He felt the movie portrayed people with disabilities, and particularly autism, sympathetically.<ref name="King, Andrea (March 1989)">{{cite news|last1=King|first1=Andrea|title=Rain Man touches home; film raises autistics' self-image, say families and support groups|work=The Washington Post|issue=Final Edition|date=March 29, 1989|location=Washington, D.C.|page=C01}}</ref><ref name="Bass, Alison (December 23, 1988)">{{cite news|last1=Bass|first1=Alison|title='Rain Man' illuminates autism|work=Boston Globe|issue=Third Edition|date=December 23, 1988|location=Boston, Massachusetts|page=23}}</ref> The makers of the movie made a donation of $75,000, intended to go to Rimland's Autism Research Institute. However, the check was made out to the Autism Society of America in error. Rimland sued to get the money returned, but lost in court because he failed to file the lawsuit in time.<ref name="Washington Post (August 1997)">{{cite news|title=Error costs 'Rain Man' adviser $75,000|work=The Washington Post|issue=Final Edition|date=August 13, 1997|location=Washington, D.C.|page=C:10}}</ref>
==A brush with Hollywood==
Rimland lectured on autism and related problems throughout the world, including before thousands of professional groups, and he was the author of numerous publications. His high profile, within what was then a small community of autism activists, caught the eye of movie producers in nearby [[Hollywood, California]].


Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!), established in 1995, brought together parents, clinicians, and researchers to "explore and establish effective biomedical interventions.<ref name="Shattock, Paul (December 2006)">{{cite news|last1=Shattock|first1=Paul|title=Obituary: Bernard Rimland: Parent and practitioner revolutionizing the treatment of autismh|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/dec/06/guardianobituaries.mainsection|accessdate=6 May 2018|work=The Guardian|date=December 6, 2006|location=London (UK)|page=37}}</ref><ref name="US Newswire (November 2006)" />
Rimland subsequently served as the primary technical advisor on autism for the 1988 movie ''[[Rain Man]]''. Mark Rimland was interviewed by [[Dustin Hoffman]], serving as one of several models for the character portrayed by the movie star. The movie helped establish worldwide awareness of autism, just when the prevalence of autism was first becoming apparent.


==Stance on Key Issues==
==Miscellany==
Rimland was outspoken on what he believed to be the major causes for autism: environmental pollutants, antibiotics, and vaccinations.<ref name="Venables, Stephen (November 2006)" /> Sometimes, this put him at odds with the established medical community. In a letter to the editor of the Washington Post in 1997, Rimland wrote: "The reason that the public–and Congress–supports alternative medicine is that conventional medicine, despite its arrogance, is far too ineffective, far too harmful and far too costly. Non-conventional medicine is a rational alternative to a much greater evil–conventional medicine."<ref name="Rimland, Bernard (October 1997)">{{cite news|title=When 'Alternative' medicine is prescient|work=Washington Post|issue=Final edition|date=October 7, 1997|location=Washington, D.C.|page=A.16}}</ref>
Rimland was the editor of the ''[[Autism Research Review International]]'', published by ARI, which covers biomedical and educational advances in autism research.


===Vaccinations===
Rimland and his wife, Gloria, before Rimland's death in 2006, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. The couple was married by Rabbi Monroe Levens of Tifereth Israel Synagogue, which was then located in [[Kensington, California]].
Rimland considered vaccinations to be a "prime suspect" in the onset of autism.<ref name="Sunday Mercury (August 1999)">{{cite news|title=Our Health: Doctor blames MMR jabs for surge in autism|work=Sunday Mercury|date=August 22, 1999|location=Birmingham (UK)|page=36}}</ref> He maintained that, while not proven, there was a direct link between [[Thiomersal controversy|thiomersal]] (a mercury-based preservative used in vaccines) and autism.<ref name="Venables, Stephen (November 2006)" /><ref name="Kesich, Greg (October 2001)">{{cite news|last1=Kesich|first1=Greg|title=Did kids' vaccines trigger autism? Three Maine families say yes, along with dozens of others with autistic children, but most officials see no link|work=Portland Press Herald|date=October 29, 2001|location=Portland, Maine|page=1A}}</ref> He supported Andrew Wakefield's assertion that the MMR vaccine intended to protect against measles, mumps and rubella was linked to autism. Rimland contented that the vaccination triggered autism by placing a burden on the immune systems of children between birth and age 2.<ref name="Maugh, Thomas (March 2001)">{{cite news|title=California and the West; Vaccine, surge in autism unrelated, study says. Health: Rise in cases occurred while measles-mumps-rubella inoculation rate was constant. Critics discount findings.|work=Los Angeles Times|issue=Home Edition|date=March 7, 2001|location=Los Angeles, California|page=A.3}}</ref>


Rimland linked the increase of late-onset autism during the 1980s with the introduction of the MMR vaccine,<ref name="Venables, Stephen (November 2006)" /> a correlation the Center for Disease Control, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Medical Association did not support.<ref name="PR Newswire (March 1998)">{{cite news|title=Vaccine Policymakers clash over research into vaccines; autism and intestinal disorders|url=https://www.nvic.org/nvic-archives/pressrelease/thelancet.aspx|accessdate=6 May 2018|work=PR Newswire|date=March 3, 1998|location=New York, New York|page=1}}</ref><ref name="Kaplan, Sunny (April 2000)">{{cite news|last1=Kaplan|first1=Sunny|title=Autism-vaccine link raised in hearing; Medicine: psychologist tells House panel that steep rise in disorder may stem from immunization campaign, a theory hotly contested by other experts|work=Los Angeles Times|issue=Home Edition|date=April 7, 2000|location=Los Angeles, California|page=26}}</ref> He rejected the idea that a diagnosis of autism at or around 18 months, the same time the vaccinations were administered, was coincidental.<ref name="Kesich, Greg (October 2001)" /><ref name="PR Newswire (March 1998)" /> When the California Department of Health Services, along with studies from England and Finland, reported that the vaccine "plays little or no role in the disease," Rimland stated that it was "much too early to dismiss the [vaccine] hypothesis".<ref name="Maugh, Thomas (March 2001)" /> He remained undeterred when a study by Robert L. Davis, published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, found no association between MMR and inflammatory bowel disease, discussed in the Wakefield report, "nor any evidence that the vaccine triggered acute onset of symptoms."<ref name="Maugh, Thomas (March 2001)" /> In 2004, all but 13 of the original co-authors of the Wakefield study recanted their findings due to insufficient evidence.<ref name="The News Press (March 2004)">{{cite news|last1=Atwater|first1=Andi|title=Authors recant autism study|work=The News Press|date=March 4, 2004|location=Fort Myers, Florida|page=A.1}}</ref> The United States [[Institute of Medicine]] (IOM) in its 2004 report found that, "the body of epidemiological evidence favors rejection of a causal relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism."<ref name="Immunization Safety Review (2004)">{{cite web|title=Immunization Safety Review: Vaccines and Autism|url=https://www.nap.edu/catalog/10997/immunization-safety-review-vaccines-and-autism|website=The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine|publisher=Institute of Medicine: The National Academies Press|accessdate=6 May 2018|location=Washington, D.C.|doi=10.17226/10997|date=2004}}</ref>
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==References==

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{{Reflist}}
The [[Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency]] (MHRA), [[National Health Service]] (NHS), [[World Health Organization]] (WHO), [[European Medicines Agency]] (EMEA), [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA), [[Centers for Disease Control]] (CDC), and many other national and international medical organizations have issued statements of a similar nature, finding no link between autism and thimerosal based on the evidence currently available from a variety of studies.<ref name="McKim, Jennifer (January 2006)">{{cite news|last1=McKim|first1=Jennifer B.|title=Some autistic kids' parents dispute criticism of nontraditional treatments|work=Knight Ridder Tribune News Service|date=January 13, 2006|location=Washington|page=1}}</ref><ref name="Hviid, et al. (2003)">{{cite journal|last1=Hviid|first1=Anders|last2=Stellfeld|first2=Michael|last3=Wohlfahrt|first3=Jan|last4=Melbye|first4=Mads|title=Association Between Thimerosal-Containing Vaccine and Autism|journal=JAMA|date=2003|volume=290|issue=13|pages=1763-1766|doi=10.1001/jama.290.13.1763|url=http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/290/13/1763|accessdate=29 May 2018|publisher=American Medical Association}}</ref><ref name="Thimerosal in Vaccines (CDC)">{{cite web|title=Thimerosal in Vaccines|url=https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/thimerosal/index.html|website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention|accessdate=29 May 2018}}</ref><ref name="MacDonald, John (May 2004)">{{cite news|last1=MacDonald|first1=John A.|title=Parents, doctors at odds on autism; report one attempt to answer question; report due out on whether disorder linked to vaccines|work=Hartford Courant|issue=6-7 Edition|date=May 15, 2004|location=Hartford, Connecticut|page=A1}}</ref><ref name="Fumento, Michael (July 2005)">{{cite news|last1=Fumento|first1=Michael|title=Fear-mongering over childhood shots|work=Daily Breeze|date=July 2005|location=Torrance, California|page=A17}}</ref><ref name="European Medicines Agency (2004)">{{cite web|title=Thimoresal in vaccines for human use - recent evidence supports safety of thiomersal-containing vaccines|url=http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Scientific_guideline/2009/09/WC500003904.pdf|website=European Medicines Agency|accessdate=29 May 2018|location=London, United Kingdom|date=March 24, 2004}}</ref><ref name="Taylor et al (June 2014)">{{cite journal|last1=Taylor|first1=LE|last2=Swerdfeger|first2=AL|last3=Eslick|first3=GD|title=Vaccines are not associated with autism: an evidence-based meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies|journal=Vaccine|date=June 17, 2014|volume=32|issue=29|pages=3623-3629|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24814559|accessdate=29 May 2018}}</ref>

===Chelation===

Rimland supported [[chelation therapy]], a treatment for lead and heavy metal poisoning, for some children with autism. Neither the American Academy of Pediatrics<ref name="McKim, Jennifer (January 2006)" /> nor Federal Drug Administration (FDA)<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ratnayake|first1=Hiran|title=Controversial autism therapy used in Delaware: Chelation blamed for PA death, but some parents say they have no choice|work=The News Journal|date=January 17, 2006|location=Wilmington, Delaware|page=A.1}}</ref> support the use of chelation for the treatment of autism.

===Diet Therapy and Secretin===
Rimland supported research that focused on "natural, non-toxic ways" to address symptoms of autism. He believed that vitamins (specifically B-6 and magnesium) and minerals could help change body chemistry and bring about behavioral changes.<ref name="Ask the Globe (December 1986)" /><ref name="Mims, Bob (October 1986)">{{cite news|last1=Mims|first1=Bob|title=Researchers seek autism Treatment|work=Orange County Register|date=October 12, 1986|location=Santa Ana, California|page=H05}}</ref><ref name="Lawton, Cathy (January 1989)">{{cite news|last1=Lawton|first1=Cathy|title=Life isn't much like the movies for OC autistics|work=Orange County Register|date=January 12, 1989|location=Santa Ana, California|page=D01}}</ref><ref name="Griffith, Kelly (April 2001)">{{cite news|last1=Griffith|first1=Kelly|title=Headline: Autism, ADHD in spotlight|work=Press & Sun-Bulletin|date=April 25, 2001|location=Binghamton, New York|page=B.1}}</ref>

Rimland advocated the use of [[secretin]], a "naturally occurring intestinal hormone, saying it was "possibly the most important discovery in the history of autism.<ref name="Kalk, Samara (May 1999)">{{cite news|last1=Kalk|first1=Samara|title=Scrambling for secretin; questions remain on new treatment for autism...but parents want it now|work=Madison Capital Times|issue=All Edition|date=May 24, 1999|location=Madison, Wisconsin|page=1A}}</ref><ref name="PR Newswire (March 1999)">{{cite news|title=Repligen gainst rights to potential autism treatment|work=PR Newswire|date=March 10, 1999|location=New York|page=1}}</ref> He claimed that children treated with the hormone showed "sudden and dramatic improvement". However, researchers in North Carolina and the University of Chicago in separate studies showed that the children receiving treatments with secretin showed "no more improvement" than those receiving a placebo. This treatment was not recommended by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.<ref name="Maugh, Thomas (December 1999)">{{cite news|last1=Maugh II|first1=Thomas H.|title=In clinical trial, hormone shows no effect on autism; health: secretin, which parents had fervently sought as a cure, produces no more improvement than a placebo|work=Los Angeles Times|issue=Home edition|date=December 9, 1999|page=A, 1: 15}}</ref><ref name="Mestel, Rose (March 12, 2001)">{{cite news|last1=Mestel|first1=Rose|title=Special Report: Autism. Parents look to unproven therapies to solve autism|work=Los Angeles Times|issue=Home Edition|date=March 12, 2001|page=S.5}}</ref>

===Facilitated Communication===
Rimland was an early supporter of [[Facilitated Communication]] (FC) (now discredited),<ref name="ISAAC Position Statement (2014)">{{cite journal|title=ISAAC Position Statement on Facilitated Communication|journal=Augmentative and Alternative Communication|volume=30|issue=4|pages=357-358|doi=10.3109/07434618.2014.971492|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/07434618.2014.971492|publisher=International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication}}</ref> though he disputed founder [[Douglas Biklen]]'s claims that autism was "fundamentally a motor problem". Rimland said, "How is it possible that an autistic kid can pick up the last tiny crumbs of potato chips off a plate but not have sufficient motor coordination to type the letter E?"<ref name="Boodman, Sandra G. (January 1995)" />

At first, Rimland claimed the technique was effective for "a small number of people",<ref name="Talan, Jamie (January 1993)">{{cite news|last1=Talan|first1=Jamie|title=An End to Silence? A controversial, new computer technique sweeps through the autistic community, offering the hope of communication|work=Newsday|issue=Nassau Edition|date=January 12, 1993|location=Long Island, New York|page=51}}</ref> but far fewer than the 100% success rate claimed by some proponents.<ref name="Libman, Gary (November 1992)">{{cite news|last1=Libman|first1=Gary|title=A controversial technique may be the key to providing sufferers with a way to communicate: unlocking autism|work=Los Angeles Times|issue=Home Edition|date=November 17, 1992|location=Los Angeles, California|page=1}}</ref> He advocated "properly conducted research" to determine whether correct answers could be obtained if the facilitator did not know the answers.<ref name="Spake, Amanda (May 1992)">{{cite news|last1=Spake|first1=Amanda|title=Skeptics and Believers; Facilitated Communication Debate|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1008445.html|accessdate=26 May 2018|work=The Washington Post|issue=Final Edition|date=May 31, 1992|page=w22}}</ref><ref name="Kim, Rose (June 14, 1992)">{{cite news|last1=Rose|first1=Kim|title=Enabling the diabled simple keyboard technique heps severely impaired communicate|work=Los Angeles Times|issue=Orange County Edition|date=June 14, 1992|location=Los Angeles, California}}</ref>

As FC generated false claims of abuse (about 25 by his count in 1993)<ref name="Goleman, Daniel (July 13, 1993)">{{cite news|last1=Goleman|first1=Daniel|title=Hope and skepticism|work=New York Times|issue=Late Edition (East Coast)|date=July 13, 1993|location=New York, New York|page=C.1}}</ref>, mostly against parents, Rimland's view of FC's usefulness changed to one of caution. "In almost every instance of this sort, when charges have come to court and been investigated, courts have decided that they were untrue."<ref name="Libman, Gary (November 1992)" /><ref name="Talan, Jamie (January 1993)" />

Rimland became a "vigorous critic" of FC after "more than two dozen 'blind' trials, showed the people with autism being facilitated "typed the names of objects that only the facilitators had been shown."<ref name="Berger, Joseph (February 1994)">{{cite news|last1=Berger|first1=Joseph|title=Shatteringthe silence autism; new communication method is hailed as a miracle and derided as a dangerous sham|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/12/nyregion/shattering-silence-autism-new-communication-method-hailed-miracle-derided.html|accessdate=26 May 2018|work=New York Times|issue=Late Edition (East Coast)|date=February 12, 1994|location=New York, New York|page=1.21}}</ref> In 1995, Rimland reported that peer-reviewed studies (40+) with more than 400 people with autism as subjects had "failed to document FC in all but a handful of cases."<ref name="Boodman, Sandra G. (January 1995)" /> As a result, in 1994, the [[American Psychological Association]], the [[American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry]] and the [[American Speech-Language-Hearing Association]] noted in their position statements that "there is no scientific proof that communication via a facilitator is valid." <ref name="Boodman, Sandra G. (January 1995)">{{cite news|last1=Boodman|first1=Sandra G.|title=Can autistic children be reaching through "Facilitated Communication"? Scientists say no.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/wellness/1995/01/17/can-autistic-children-be-reached-through-facilitated-communication-scientists-say-no/0f703028-81ac-4d4a-877e-daf6f98cd0fc/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.17cb2bb75acc|accessdate=26 May 2018|work=The Washington Post|issue=Final Edition|date=January 17, 1995|location=Washington, D.C.|page=z.01}}</ref>

==Personal Life==
Rimland was born on November 15, 1928 in Cleveland, Ohio. He and his family moved to San Diego, California in 1940.<ref name="Maugh, Thomas (November 2006)">{{cite news|last1=Maugh II|first1=Thomas H.|title=Obituaries: Bernard Rimland, 78; Author was the father of modern autism research|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2006/nov/26/local/me-rimland26|accessdate=6 May 2018|work=Los Angeles Times|issue=Home Edition|date=November 26, 2006|location=Los Angeles, California|page=B.14}}</ref>

In 1951, Rimland married Gloria Belle Alf. They had three children: Mark, Paul and Helen. Mark, born in 1956, exhibited challenging behaviors which Rimland self-diagnosed through research as autism. This condition, relatively unknown at the time, was confirmed by a pediatrician.<ref name="Maugh, Thomas (November 2006)" />

Rimland died of prostate cancer on November 21, 2006 at a care facility in El Cajon, California.<ref name="Maugh, Thomas (November 2006)" />


==Books==
==Books==
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*2003 ''Treating Autism: Parent Stories of Hope and Success'' (with Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.)
*2003 ''Treating Autism: Parent Stories of Hope and Success'' (with Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.)
*2006 ''Recovering Autistic Children'' (originally published as ''Treating Autism'') Second Edition (with Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.)
*2006 ''Recovering Autistic Children'' (originally published as ''Treating Autism'') Second Edition (with Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.)

⚫
==References==
⚫
{{Reflist|30em}}


{{pervasive developmental disorders}}
{{pervasive developmental disorders}}

Revision as of 23:26, 29 May 2018


Bernard Rimland
Bernard Rimland (second from right) in front of the Autism Research Institute (ARI)
Born(1928-11-15)November 15, 1928
Cleveland, OH, U.S.
DiedNovember 21, 2006(2006-11-21) (aged 78)
San Diego, California, U.S.
CitizenshipAmerican
Alma materSan Diego State University (Bachelor's)
Pennsylvania State University (PhD)
Known forAutism: researched causes, epidemic, the thiomersal theory, and biomedical treatment.
AwardsNational Vaccine Information Center's Courage in Science Award (2002)
Scientific career
FieldsPsychology
InstitutionsAutism Research Institute
Autism Society of America
Defeat Autism Now!

Bernard Rimland, PhD (November 15, 1928 – November 21, 2006) was an American research psychologist, writer, lecturer, and advocate for children with developmental disorders. Rimland's first book, Infantile Autism, sparked by the birth of a son who had autism, was instrumental in changing attitudes toward the disorder. Rimland founded and directed two advocacy groups: the Autism Society of America (ASA) and the Autism Research Institute.[1]

Education

Rimland completed his undergraduate studies and earned a master's degree in psychology at San Diego State University.[2] He obtained his Ph.D. in experimental psychology and research design, from Pennsylvania State University in 1953.[1]

Career

Upon completion of his doctorate, Rimland and his wife moved back to San Diego. Rimland worked as a psychologist at the Point Loma Naval Station,[2] where he remained until 1985.[3]

After the birth of his son, Mark, and his subsequent diagnosis of autism around the age of 2, Rimland began researching the disorder. The prevailing theory in the 1950s was that autism was the reaction of children to mothers who were "cold and distant". Rimland's personal experience contradicted this idea of "refrigerator mothers" and he began searching for alternative explanations.[2]

In 1964, Rimland published his book, Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior. In the book, Rimland asserted that autism was not a psychological manifestation caused by unfeeling parents,[4] a widely held belief popularized by Bruno Bettelheim.[3] Instead, Rimland suggested, autism was a result of biochemical defects "triggered by environmental assaults". He acknowledged that there may also be a genetic component predisposing children to the disorder. Rimland argued that autism could "be treated—or at least ameliorated—with biomedical and behavioral therapies."[3] Infantile Autism challenged the medical establishment's perceptions of autism.[5][2] Rimland's message resonated with parents and, after the book was published, he began getting calls and letters from people who wanted to share their stories and ask for advice.[2]

In 1965, Rimland founded the Autism Society of America (ASA), a parent advocacy organization, to "work on behalf of autistic children and their families at local, state and national levels."[6]

In 1967, Rimland left the ASA to established the Autism Research Institute (ARI), a San Diego-based non-profit organization dedicated to researching and collecting data on autism and related disorders.[7] He kept a database of research and case histories, as well as conducted and sponsored research in an attempt identify the cause of autism and offer effective treatment solutions. Rimland supported Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), a systematic educational approach made popular by Ivar Lovaas.[3] He published an ARI newsletter, which reached an international audience.[8]

Rimland was also the editor of the Autism Research Review International,[9] published by ARI, which covers biomedical and educational advances in autism research.

In 1988, Rimland served as technical advisor on autism for the 1988 movie Rain Man. Rimland suggested giving Raymond Babbitt, the movie's main character portrayed by Dustin Hoffman,[3] the extraordinary characteristics of someone with Savant syndrome.[10] Hoffman interviewed Rimland's son, Mark, in preparing for the role.[2] He felt the movie portrayed people with disabilities, and particularly autism, sympathetically.[11][12] The makers of the movie made a donation of $75,000, intended to go to Rimland's Autism Research Institute. However, the check was made out to the Autism Society of America in error. Rimland sued to get the money returned, but lost in court because he failed to file the lawsuit in time.[13]

Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!), established in 1995, brought together parents, clinicians, and researchers to "explore and establish effective biomedical interventions.[8][5]

Stance on Key Issues

Rimland was outspoken on what he believed to be the major causes for autism: environmental pollutants, antibiotics, and vaccinations.[3] Sometimes, this put him at odds with the established medical community. In a letter to the editor of the Washington Post in 1997, Rimland wrote: "The reason that the public–and Congress–supports alternative medicine is that conventional medicine, despite its arrogance, is far too ineffective, far too harmful and far too costly. Non-conventional medicine is a rational alternative to a much greater evil–conventional medicine."[14]

Vaccinations

Rimland considered vaccinations to be a "prime suspect" in the onset of autism.[15] He maintained that, while not proven, there was a direct link between thiomersal (a mercury-based preservative used in vaccines) and autism.[3][16] He supported Andrew Wakefield's assertion that the MMR vaccine intended to protect against measles, mumps and rubella was linked to autism. Rimland contented that the vaccination triggered autism by placing a burden on the immune systems of children between birth and age 2.[17]

Rimland linked the increase of late-onset autism during the 1980s with the introduction of the MMR vaccine,[3] a correlation the Center for Disease Control, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Medical Association did not support.[18][19] He rejected the idea that a diagnosis of autism at or around 18 months, the same time the vaccinations were administered, was coincidental.[16][18] When the California Department of Health Services, along with studies from England and Finland, reported that the vaccine "plays little or no role in the disease," Rimland stated that it was "much too early to dismiss the [vaccine] hypothesis".[17] He remained undeterred when a study by Robert L. Davis, published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, found no association between MMR and inflammatory bowel disease, discussed in the Wakefield report, "nor any evidence that the vaccine triggered acute onset of symptoms."[17] In 2004, all but 13 of the original co-authors of the Wakefield study recanted their findings due to insufficient evidence.[20] The United States Institute of Medicine (IOM) in its 2004 report found that, "the body of epidemiological evidence favors rejection of a causal relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism."[21]

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), National Health Service (NHS), World Health Organization (WHO), European Medicines Agency (EMEA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and many other national and international medical organizations have issued statements of a similar nature, finding no link between autism and thimerosal based on the evidence currently available from a variety of studies.[22][23][24][25][26][27][28]

Chelation

Rimland supported chelation therapy, a treatment for lead and heavy metal poisoning, for some children with autism. Neither the American Academy of Pediatrics[22] nor Federal Drug Administration (FDA)[29] support the use of chelation for the treatment of autism.

Diet Therapy and Secretin

Rimland supported research that focused on "natural, non-toxic ways" to address symptoms of autism. He believed that vitamins (specifically B-6 and magnesium) and minerals could help change body chemistry and bring about behavioral changes.[4][30][31][32]

Rimland advocated the use of secretin, a "naturally occurring intestinal hormone, saying it was "possibly the most important discovery in the history of autism.[33][34] He claimed that children treated with the hormone showed "sudden and dramatic improvement". However, researchers in North Carolina and the University of Chicago in separate studies showed that the children receiving treatments with secretin showed "no more improvement" than those receiving a placebo. This treatment was not recommended by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.[35][36]

Facilitated Communication

Rimland was an early supporter of Facilitated Communication (FC) (now discredited),[37] though he disputed founder Douglas Biklen's claims that autism was "fundamentally a motor problem". Rimland said, "How is it possible that an autistic kid can pick up the last tiny crumbs of potato chips off a plate but not have sufficient motor coordination to type the letter E?"[38]

At first, Rimland claimed the technique was effective for "a small number of people",[39] but far fewer than the 100% success rate claimed by some proponents.[40] He advocated "properly conducted research" to determine whether correct answers could be obtained if the facilitator did not know the answers.[41][42]

As FC generated false claims of abuse (about 25 by his count in 1993)[43], mostly against parents, Rimland's view of FC's usefulness changed to one of caution. "In almost every instance of this sort, when charges have come to court and been investigated, courts have decided that they were untrue."[40][39]

Rimland became a "vigorous critic" of FC after "more than two dozen 'blind' trials, showed the people with autism being facilitated "typed the names of objects that only the facilitators had been shown."[44] In 1995, Rimland reported that peer-reviewed studies (40+) with more than 400 people with autism as subjects had "failed to document FC in all but a handful of cases."[38] As a result, in 1994, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association noted in their position statements that "there is no scientific proof that communication via a facilitator is valid." [38]

Personal Life

Rimland was born on November 15, 1928 in Cleveland, Ohio. He and his family moved to San Diego, California in 1940.[2]

In 1951, Rimland married Gloria Belle Alf. They had three children: Mark, Paul and Helen. Mark, born in 1956, exhibited challenging behaviors which Rimland self-diagnosed through research as autism. This condition, relatively unknown at the time, was confirmed by a pediatrician.[2]

Rimland died of prostate cancer on November 21, 2006 at a care facility in El Cajon, California.[2]

Books

  • 1964 Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implication for a Neural Theory of Behavior - written after his son, Mark, was diagnosed as autism.
  • 1976 Modern Therapies (with Virginia Binder, A. Binder)
  • 1998 Biological Treatments for Autism and PDD (with William Shaw, Lisa Lewis, Bruce Semon)
  • 2001 Tired - so Tired!: And the "Yeast Connection" (with William Crook, Cynthia Crook)
  • 2003 Vaccines, Autism and Childhood Disorders: Crucial Data That Could Save Your Child's Life (with Neil Z. Miller)
  • 2003 Treating Autism: Parent Stories of Hope and Success (with Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.)
  • 2006 Recovering Autistic Children (originally published as Treating Autism) Second Edition (with Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.)

References

  1. ^ a b Carey, Benedict (November 28, 2006). "Bernard Rimland, 78, Scientist Who Revised View of Autism, Dies". New York Times. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Maugh II, Thomas H. (November 26, 2006). "Obituaries: Bernard Rimland, 78; Author was the father of modern autism research". Los Angeles Times. No. Home Edition. Los Angeles, California. p. B.14. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Venables, Stephen (November 28, 2006). "Bernard Rimland; psychologist researcher in autism who overturned the theory that it was a reaction to bad parenting". The Independent. London (UK). p. 34. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Ask the Globe". Boston Globe. No. Third Edition 4. Boston, Massachusetts. December 15, 1986. p. 44.
  5. ^ a b "ASA Founder, Pioneer in autism research, support, to be honored by community he founded". US Newswire. Washington. November 22, 2006.
  6. ^ "Partnership to address epidemic; two organizations founded by Dr. Bernard Rimland join to promote cutting-edge research and service delivery in the autism community". US Newswire. Washington. October 31, 2006.
  7. ^ "150 parents of autistic children launch organization, ad campaign with stunning message: removing mercury reverses autism in kids". US Newswire. Washington. May 24, 2005. p. 1.
  8. ^ a b Shattock, Paul (December 6, 2006). "Obituary: Bernard Rimland: Parent and practitioner revolutionizing the treatment of autismh". The Guardian. London (UK). p. 37. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  9. ^ Rimland, Bernard (April 26, 2000). "Commentary: Do Children's Shots Invite Autism?; Vaccines: Chronic diseases have risen with increased vaccinations against acute diseases". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. p. B.9.
  10. ^ Deneen, Sally (March 30, 1989). "Researcher helps film win Oscars; patients, friends love use of autism in plot". Sun Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale. p. 1B.
  11. ^ King, Andrea (March 29, 1989). "Rain Man touches home; film raises autistics' self-image, say families and support groups". The Washington Post. No. Final Edition. Washington, D.C. p. C01.
  12. ^ Bass, Alison (December 23, 1988). "'Rain Man' illuminates autism". Boston Globe. No. Third Edition. Boston, Massachusetts. p. 23.
  13. ^ "Error costs 'Rain Man' adviser $75,000". The Washington Post. No. Final Edition. Washington, D.C. August 13, 1997. p. C:10.
  14. ^ "When 'Alternative' medicine is prescient". Washington Post. No. Final edition. Washington, D.C. October 7, 1997. p. A.16.
  15. ^ "Our Health: Doctor blames MMR jabs for surge in autism". Sunday Mercury. Birmingham (UK). August 22, 1999. p. 36.
  16. ^ a b Kesich, Greg (October 29, 2001). "Did kids' vaccines trigger autism? Three Maine families say yes, along with dozens of others with autistic children, but most officials see no link". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. p. 1A.
  17. ^ a b c "California and the West; Vaccine, surge in autism unrelated, study says. Health: Rise in cases occurred while measles-mumps-rubella inoculation rate was constant. Critics discount findings". Los Angeles Times. No. Home Edition. Los Angeles, California. March 7, 2001. p. A.3.
  18. ^ a b "Vaccine Policymakers clash over research into vaccines; autism and intestinal disorders". PR Newswire. New York, New York. March 3, 1998. p. 1. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  19. ^ Kaplan, Sunny (April 7, 2000). "Autism-vaccine link raised in hearing; Medicine: psychologist tells House panel that steep rise in disorder may stem from immunization campaign, a theory hotly contested by other experts". Los Angeles Times. No. Home Edition. Los Angeles, California. p. 26.
  20. ^ Atwater, Andi (March 4, 2004). "Authors recant autism study". The News Press. Fort Myers, Florida. p. A.1.
  21. ^ "Immunization Safety Review: Vaccines and Autism". The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine. Washington, D.C.: Institute of Medicine: The National Academies Press. 2004. doi:10.17226/10997. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  22. ^ a b McKim, Jennifer B. (January 13, 2006). "Some autistic kids' parents dispute criticism of nontraditional treatments". Knight Ridder Tribune News Service. Washington. p. 1.
  23. ^ Hviid, Anders; Stellfeld, Michael; Wohlfahrt, Jan; Melbye, Mads (2003). "Association Between Thimerosal-Containing Vaccine and Autism". JAMA. 290 (13). American Medical Association: 1763–1766. doi:10.1001/jama.290.13.1763. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  24. ^ "Thimerosal in Vaccines". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  25. ^ MacDonald, John A. (May 15, 2004). "Parents, doctors at odds on autism; report one attempt to answer question; report due out on whether disorder linked to vaccines". Hartford Courant. No. 6-7 Edition. Hartford, Connecticut. p. A1.
  26. ^ Fumento, Michael (July 2005). "Fear-mongering over childhood shots". Daily Breeze. Torrance, California. p. A17.
  27. ^ "Thimoresal in vaccines for human use - recent evidence supports safety of thiomersal-containing vaccines" (PDF). European Medicines Agency. London, United Kingdom. March 24, 2004. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  28. ^ Taylor, LE; Swerdfeger, AL; Eslick, GD (June 17, 2014). "Vaccines are not associated with autism: an evidence-based meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies". Vaccine. 32 (29): 3623–3629. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  29. ^ Ratnayake, Hiran (January 17, 2006). "Controversial autism therapy used in Delaware: Chelation blamed for PA death, but some parents say they have no choice". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. p. A.1.
  30. ^ Mims, Bob (October 12, 1986). "Researchers seek autism Treatment". Orange County Register. Santa Ana, California. p. H05.
  31. ^ Lawton, Cathy (January 12, 1989). "Life isn't much like the movies for OC autistics". Orange County Register. Santa Ana, California. p. D01.
  32. ^ Griffith, Kelly (April 25, 2001). "Headline: Autism, ADHD in spotlight". Press & Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. p. B.1.
  33. ^ Kalk, Samara (May 24, 1999). "Scrambling for secretin; questions remain on new treatment for autism...but parents want it now". Madison Capital Times. No. All Edition. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 1A.
  34. ^ "Repligen gainst rights to potential autism treatment". PR Newswire. New York. March 10, 1999. p. 1.
  35. ^ Maugh II, Thomas H. (December 9, 1999). "In clinical trial, hormone shows no effect on autism; health: secretin, which parents had fervently sought as a cure, produces no more improvement than a placebo". Los Angeles Times. No. Home edition. p. A, 1: 15.
  36. ^ Mestel, Rose (March 12, 2001). "Special Report: Autism. Parents look to unproven therapies to solve autism". Los Angeles Times. No. Home Edition. p. S.5.
  37. ^ "ISAAC Position Statement on Facilitated Communication". Augmentative and Alternative Communication. 30 (4). International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication: 357–358. doi:10.3109/07434618.2014.971492.
  38. ^ a b c Boodman, Sandra G. (January 17, 1995). "Can autistic children be reaching through "Facilitated Communication"? Scientists say no". The Washington Post. No. Final Edition. Washington, D.C. p. z.01. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  39. ^ a b Talan, Jamie (January 12, 1993). "An End to Silence? A controversial, new computer technique sweeps through the autistic community, offering the hope of communication". Newsday. No. Nassau Edition. Long Island, New York. p. 51.
  40. ^ a b Libman, Gary (November 17, 1992). "A controversial technique may be the key to providing sufferers with a way to communicate: unlocking autism". Los Angeles Times. No. Home Edition. Los Angeles, California. p. 1.
  41. ^ Spake, Amanda (May 31, 1992). "Skeptics and Believers; Facilitated Communication Debate". The Washington Post. No. Final Edition. p. w22. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  42. ^ Rose, Kim (June 14, 1992). "Enabling the diabled simple keyboard technique heps severely impaired communicate". Los Angeles Times. No. Orange County Edition. Los Angeles, California.
  43. ^ Goleman, Daniel (July 13, 1993). "Hope and skepticism". New York Times. No. Late Edition (East Coast). New York, New York. p. C.1.
  44. ^ Berger, Joseph (February 12, 1994). "Shatteringthe silence autism; new communication method is hailed as a miracle and derided as a dangerous sham". New York Times. No. Late Edition (East Coast). New York, New York. p. 1.21. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
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