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Bernard Rimland, Ph.D., (born 1930) is a research psychologist, Director Of the Autism Research Institute (ARI), and founder of the Autism Society of America (1965). Dr. Rimland is an internationally recognized authority on autism and the father of a high-functioning autistic son. Rimland's book, Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implication for a Neural Theory of Behavior (1964) is credited with changing the prevailing view of autism, in the field of psychiatry, from an emotional illness - caused by refrigerator mothers - to its current recognition that autism is a biological disorder.

Dr. Rimland's son Mark was born in 1956. It was evident from birth the infant had something drastically wrong with him. Autism was extremely rare then. Rimland had recently earned is Ph.D in experimental psychology, in 1953, but was not yet familiar with the word autism. Only much later was it determined his condition fell into the category of early onset, or classic autism, rather than regressive autism, which is more prevalent today.

After his son's diagnosis, Rimland set forth on a quest to understand autism and bring much needed attention to research into the disorder, often sparking controversy along the way. The medical establishment has long questioned Rimland's contributions to autism research. In 1995, in speaking to the Chicago Sun-Times Bennett Leventhal, a professor at the University of Chicago, declared "Rubbish", in responding to Rimland's concerns about the rise in autism diagnoses, and vaccinations might be among the causes. While Rimland's assertion about increased cases of autism has proven correct, the vaccination debate rages on.

Rimland has lectured on autism and related problems throughout the world, including thousands of professional gourps, and is the author of numerous publications. Rimland served as the primary technical advisor on autism for the movie Rain Man.

The Autism Research Institute is a global network of parents and professionals concerned with autism. ARI conducts and fosters scientific research intended to enhance treatments for, and prevention of, autism. The ARI data bank, the world's largest, contains over 35,000 detailed case histories of autistic children.

Dr. Rimland is the editor of the Autism Research Review International, published by ARI, which covers biomedical and educational advances in autism research.

Quotes from Bernard Rimland

"Soon after my textbook on autism was published in 1964, I began to hear from other parents. Many parents told me that their children were normal until getting a triple vaccine – the DPT shot. In 1965 I began systematically collecting data on the symptoms and possible causes of autism: In 1967 — 33 years ago — I began querying the parents, specifically about the child’s response to the DPT shot. Many had reported marked deterioration. During the past few years the Autism Research Institute has been flooded with an upsurge in pleas for help from parents throughout the world – from wherever the World Health Organization vaccine guidelines are followed. The majority of these parents say their children were normal until getting the MMR – another triple vaccine." Dr. Bernard Rimland, testimony before US congressional committee (April 6, 2000)

See also

Andrew Wakefield Controversies in autism Mark Geier

External links

• Autism.org - Center for the Study of Autism
• SDJewishJournal.com - 'Dr. Bernard Rimland is autism's worst enemy:

Devastated by his child's diagnosis decades ago, Rimland is dedicated to destroying the developmental disorder', by Patricia Morris Buckley (2003)

• Whale.to - 'The Autism Increase: Research Needed on the Vaccine Connection', Testimony of Bernard Rimland, Ph.D., Before the House Committee on Government Reform (April 6, 2000)