36 Facts About Bernard Rimland

Bernard Rimland was an American research psychologist, writer, lecturer, and influential person in the field of developmental disorders.

Bernard Rimland founded and directed two advocacy groups: the Autism Society of America and the Autism Research Institute.

Bernard Rimland promoted several since disproven theories about the causes and treatment of autism, including vaccine denial, facilitated communication, chelation therapy, and false claims of a link between secretin and autism.

Bernard Rimland supported the ethically controversial practice of using aversives on autistic children.

Bernard Rimland completed his undergraduate studies and earned a master's degree in psychology at San Diego State University.

Bernard Rimland worked as a psychologist at the Point Loma Naval Station, where he remained until 1985.

In 1964, Bernard Rimland published his book, Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior.

Bernard 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.

Bernard Rimland 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.

Bernard Rimland supported Applied Behavioral Analysis, a systematic educational approach made popular by Ivar Lovaas.

Bernard Rimland published an ARI newsletter, which reached an international audience.

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

In 1988, Bernard Rimland served as technical advisor on autism for the 1988 movie Rain Man.

Bernard Rimland suggested giving Raymond Babbitt, the movie's main character portrayed by Dustin Hoffman, the extraordinary characteristics of someone with Savant syndrome.

Bernard Rimland felt the movie portrayed people with disabilities, and particularly autism, sympathetically.

Bernard Rimland sued to get the money returned, but lost in court because he failed to file the lawsuit in time.

Bernard Rimland was outspoken on what he believed to be the major causes for autism: environmental pollutants, antibiotics, and vaccinations.

Bernard Rimland considered vaccinations to be a "prime suspect" in the onset of autism.

Bernard Rimland maintained that, while not proven, there was a direct link between thiomersal and autism.

Bernard Rimland supported Andrew Wakefield's now discredited suggestion that the MMR vaccine was linked to autism.

Bernard Rimland contended that the vaccination triggered autism by placing a burden on the immune systems of children between birth and age 2.

Bernard Rimland linked the increase of late-onset autism during the 1980s with the introduction of the MMR vaccine, a correlation the Center for Disease Control, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Medical Association did not support.

Bernard Rimland rejected the idea that a diagnosis of autism at or around 18 months, the same time the vaccinations were administered, was coincidental.

Bernard Rimland supported chelation therapy, a treatment for lead and heavy metal poisoning, for some children with autism.

Bernard Rimland supported research that focused on "natural, non-toxic ways" to address symptoms of autism.

Bernard Rimland believed that vitamins and minerals could help change body chemistry and bring about behavioral changes.

Bernard Rimland advocated the use of secretin, a "naturally occurring intestinal hormone, saying it was "possibly the most important discovery in the history of autism.

Bernard Rimland claimed that children treated with the hormone showed "sudden and dramatic improvement".

Bernard Rimland was an early supporter of facilitated communication, though he disputed founder Douglas Biklen's claims that autism was "fundamentally a motor problem".

Bernard Rimland advocated "properly conducted research" to determine whether correct answers could be obtained if the facilitator did not know the answers.

Bernard 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.

Bernard Rimland was in favor of aversives, and testified against the Hughes Act, which restricted their use.

Dr Bernard Rimland has been warned publicly and privately that to continue to use our names and our professional reputations to support positions that he espouses and we oppose exposes him to charges of unethical, illegal, as well as ridiculous conduct.

Bernard Rimland was born on November 15,1928, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Mark, born in 1956, exhibited challenging behaviors which Bernard Rimland self-diagnosed through research as autism.

At the age of 78, Bernard Rimland died of prostate cancer on November 21,2006, at a care facility in El Cajon, California.