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Benjamin Spock Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.
Benjamin Spock facts for kids
| Benjamin Spock | |
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Spock on April 21, 1976
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| Born | Benjamin McLane Spock May 2, 1903 New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died | March 15, 1998 (aged 94) La Jolla, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Fields | Pediatrics, Psychoanalysis |
| Institutions | Mayo Clinic 1947–1951 University of Pittsburgh 1951–1955 Case Western Reserve University 1955–1967 |
| Alma mater | Yale University Columbia University MD |
| Notable awards | E. Mead Johnson Award (1948) |
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| Medal record | ||
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| Men's rowing | ||
Competitor for the  United States |
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| Olympic Games | ||
| Gold | 1924 Paris | Eight |
Benjamin McLane Spock (May 2, 1903 – March 15, 1998) was an American pediatrician whose book Baby and Child Care (1946) is one of the best-sellers of all time. The book said to mothers "you know more than you think you do".
Spock was the first pediatrician to study psychoanalysis to try to understand children's needs. His ideas influenced parents to be more flexible and affectionate with their children, and to treat them as individuals. However, his theories were also widely criticized by colleagues. According to the critics, he relied too heavily on anecdotal evidence rather than serious academic research.
Spock was regarded as a radical during the troubled times of the Vietnam War.
Spock won an Olympic gold medal in rowing in 1924 while attending Yale University.