Leo Kanner

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Old main building, Yankton, So. Dakota, state hospital. (71526)

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The Henry Phipps Psychiatric Clinic

Leo Kanner (June 13, 1894 – April 3, 1981) was an Austrian-American psychiatrist and physician known for his pioneering work in child psychiatry. He is best recognized for his groundbreaking study on autism and is often referred to as the father of child psychiatry in the United States.

Early Life and Education

Leo Kanner was born in Klekotów, Austria-Hungary (now in Ukraine). He pursued his medical education at the University of Berlin, where he received his medical degree in 1921. Following his graduation, Kanner emigrated to the United States in 1924, where he continued his career in medicine.

Career

Kanner's medical career in the United States began at the State Hospital in Yankton, South Dakota. He later moved to the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, where he became the first physician to be appointed in a pediatric psychiatry department at a U.S. hospital. It was here that Kanner made significant contributions to the field of child psychiatry.

In 1943, Leo Kanner published a landmark paper titled "Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact," where he described 11 children who exhibited a marked lack of interest in other people but a high level of interest in the non-social environment. This condition, which he termed "early infantile autism," is now known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Kanner's detailed observations and descriptions of autism set the foundation for future research in the field.

Contributions to Psychiatry

Kanner's work extended beyond autism. He made significant contributions to the understanding and treatment of various childhood psychiatric disorders. His approach emphasized the importance of considering the child's environment and the parent-child relationship in the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric conditions.

Kanner was also a prolific writer, authoring more than 250 articles and several books on child psychiatry. His texts, such as "Child Psychiatry" (1935), were among the first comprehensive works in the field and remain influential.

Legacy

Leo Kanner's contributions to psychiatry, particularly his work on autism, have had a lasting impact on the field. He is credited with establishing child psychiatry as a medical specialty. Despite controversies surrounding some of his theories, particularly those related to the role of parenting in autism, Kanner's work laid the groundwork for modern research and understanding of autism spectrum disorders.

Kanner passed away on April 3, 1981, but his legacy continues through the ongoing research and treatment of autism and other childhood psychiatric disorders.

See Also

• Autism spectrum disorder
• Child psychiatry
• History of autism