He died at the age of 89 in mid-June, an American who was the first patient diagnosed with autism, according to his relatives.
In 1943, a group of doctors diagnosed Donald Triplett, known as Donald T. In the scientific literature, as a carrier of a neurocognitive disorder called “autism”, and he was ten years old at the time.
It was the first case of autism identified in the medical field. Triplett played a key role in defining this disability and has had many interviews as well as being the subject of a documentary and a book.
As a child, Triplett did not respond to his parents’ requests or show interest in other children, at a time when he was showing the ability to memorize very accurate information and numbers on a variety of topics.
At that time, his parents wrote a 22-page letter to a child psychiatrist, in which they explained in detail their son’s behavior, in a text that remained a reference in documenting the symptoms of autism.
Despite being diagnosed with this cognitive disorder, Triplett was able to continue his studies and work for more than 60 years at a bank in the small town of Forest, Mississippi.
His relatives said, “His parents realized early in his life that he was special in many ways and worked hard to provide him with the resources so that he could live a happy and productive life.”
They noted that Triplett “lived a strong and independent life,” which “gave hope to other families whose children suffer from autism.”
#death #patient #diagnosed #autism #age