“AUTISM’S FIRST CHILD.”

“AUTISM’S FIRST CHILD.” John Donvan and Caren Zucker have a moving article in the October Atlantic about the first patient ever diagnosed with autism. The article was published in 1943, and he was identified as “Case 1…Donald T.” There were a total of 11 cases. Donald’s father had called Donald’s case to the attention of the psychologist who wrote the article in a 33 page typed letter that the psychologist characterized as having “obsessive detail.” Donald’s parents were desperate, dealing with a pattern of behaviors that had never been identified. Donald had been institutionalized at 3 and taken back by his parents at 5. This was at a time when a child like Donald might have been institutionalized for life. Donvan and Zucker went looking for Donald and summarized their success in finding him: “His full name is Donald Gray Triplett. He’s 77 years old. And he’s still in Forest, Mississippi. Playing golf.”