Darold A. Treffert (March 12, 1933 – December 14, 2020) was a psychiatrist and research director who specialized in the epidemiology of autism spectrum disorders and savant syndrome. He lived in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. He was on the staff at Agnesian HealthCare and served on the Board of Trustees of Marian University. Treffert was a clinical professor at the University of Wisconsin Medical School. He was also a clinical professor at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.[1][2]
Darold Treffert | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 12, 1933 |
| Died | December 14, 2020 (aged 87) Fond du Lac, Wisconsin |
| Nationality | American |
| Citizenship | American |
| Alma mater | Bethany Lutheran College (1953) University of Wisconsin Medical School (MD, 1958) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Savant syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, hyperlexia |
| Institutions | Treffert Center
Agnesian HealthCare St. Agnes Hospital Fond du Lac County Health Care Center Marian University University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee University of Wisconsin Medical School Winnebago Mental Health |
| Website | www.treffertcenter.com www.savantsyndrome.com |
Education
editTreffert first attended Bethany Lutheran College where he focused on pre-medical courses and earned an associate in arts degree in 1953. He received his medical doctorate in 1958 from the University of Wisconsin Medical School. He interned in Eugene, Oregon, and then completed a residency in psychiatry at University Hospitals (now University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics) in Madison, Wisconsin.[1]
Career
edit| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Accidental Genius, Darold Treffert, 17:58, TEDx Fond du Lac[3] |
In 1976, he held positions in the private practice of psychiatry, was executive director of the Fond du Lac County Health Care Center and the medical director of the Alcoholism Rehabilitation Unit of St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac. From 1979 to 1980, Treffert was president of the State Medical Society of Wisconsin and from 1981 to 1987 was chair of its board of directors. He has also been the president of the Wisconsin Psychiatric Association and the American Association of Psychiatric Administrators. In 1995, he was appointed to the Wisconsin Medical Examining Board and, in January 2002, was elected its chair.[1]
Treffert maintained a website on autism, savant syndrome, and related conditions hosted by the Wisconsin Medical Society.[4][5] He held a research director position at the Treffert Center, Agnesian HealthCare in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.[6]
Treffert died unexpectedly at his home in Fond du Lac on December 14, 2020.[7]
Recognition
editHe received awards from the Wisconsin Mental Health Association, the Office of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.[1]
Appearances
editTreffert has made appearances on 60 Minutes, CBS Evening News, The Phil Donahue Show, Discovery Channel, Larry King Live, the Newshour, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Today, and in a number of documentaries.[1]
Publications
editTreffert has written articles in Scientific American and MIND.[8] His books include:
- Extraordinary People: Understanding Savant Syndrome, iUniverse.com, 2000. ISBN 0-595-09239-X
- Islands of Genius: The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired, and Sudden Savant. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2010. ISBN 978-1-84905-810-0
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e About Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine Darold Treffert.com, Retrieved 11 October 2012.
- ^ "Dr. Darold A. Treffert". Fond du Lac Reporter. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Accidental Genius". Treffert Center at Agnesian Healthcare. September 8, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
- ^ http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/mind-guest-blog/about.php?author=719[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Savant syndrome". www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org. Archived from the original on 28 April 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ "Dr. Darold Treffert Savant Syndrome Expert – Psychiatrist". Archived from the original on July 14, 2007. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
- ^ Roznik, Sharon (December 14, 2020). "Dr. Darold Treffert, Fond du Lac's pioneer in the world of the savant mind, leaves behind legacy". Fond du Lac Reporter. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
- ^ Oops! When “Autism” Isn’t Autistic Disorder: Hyperlexia and Einstein Syndrome | MIND Guest Blog, Scientific American Blog Network
External links
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