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At that time, psychoanalysts believed that autism was caused by “refrigerator mothers” – cold, unfeeling mothers who sub-consciously rejected their children.
Thus, in their attempts to cure autism, doctors heavily drugged such children senseless. In addition, autistic children were made to kick and spit at statues resembling their mothers.
Those were, indeed, the dark ages. No wonder the medical profession found it impossible to cure autism.
A biological disorder
Dr Bernard Rimland knew that his wife was not cold. He knew that the “refrigerator mother” theory was wrong and destructive – and hurtful to parents!
His determination to cure autism led him in research to discover that autism is, in fact, a biological disorder – a problem with the body, not the mind and certainly not the mother. His 1964 book, Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior, changed the world of autism forever.
In 1965, Dr Rimland founded the National Society for Autistic Children (today the Autism Society of America) to promote a highly controversial behavioural modification therapy developed by Ivar Lovass. That therapy, known today as ABA or Applied Behavioural Analysis, has since helped many autistic kids to improve their condition greatly.Next, Dr Bernard Rimland sought feedback parents of autistic children and investigated the use of high dose vitamin B6. The idea that a vitamin could treat a brain disorder – and cure autism – was considered preposterous. Today, vitamin B6 has been scientifically proven to greatly benefit autistic children.
In 1967, DrBernard Rimland founded the Autism Research Institute (ARI) which has become the foremost autism research organisation in the world today.The ARI has identified a long list of biological and environmental factors that either cause or contribute to autism – heavy metals, yeast and bacteria infection, nutritional deficiency, intestinal disorders, sensitivity to gluten and casein (grain and milk protein) and so on. With that, it developed a comprehensive range of effective treatments.
Incidentally, Dr Rimland played a role in drawing public attention to autism when he served as technical advisor to the 1988 Academy Award winning movie, Rainman, which starred Dustin Hoffman as an autistic savant.
Dr Rimland's career coincided with a period when the rate of autism sky-rocketed – by several fold during the 1980s and 1990s, and by several thousand percent since the 1960s. Thus, he stirred more controversy when, in 1995, he suggested that vaccination, particularly the use of mercury in vaccines, might be a possible cause of “the autism epidemic”.
Defeat Autism Now!
Not surprisingly, the medical establishment reacted with scorn and antagonism.
That same year, Dr Bernard Rimland created, Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) as a platform for top researchers to identify causes of autism and promote safe and effective treatments that the medical establishment would not investigate.
DAN! began as a small meeting of a few scientists. It flourished into a huge worldwide movement with some of its DAN! Conferences offering standing room only.
There is thus a significant number of doctors and healthcare practitioners who today believe that it is possible, if not to “cure autism”, at least, to achieve a significant reduction in the symptoms of autism.
Dr Bernard Rimland had a simple message: “Believe in your children. Never give up on them. Autism is treatable.”
