Michael Fitzgerald (psychiatrist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Fitzgerald
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Fitzgerald in 2006
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| Born | 7 October 1946 Lucan, Dublin, Ireland
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| Children | 3 |
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| Institutions | Trinity College Dublin |
Michael Fitzgerald, born on October 7, 1946, is a well-known Irish professor. He specializes in helping children and teenagers with their mental health. He is especially known for his work on autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Michael Fitzgerald's Work
Professor Fitzgerald has spent his career studying the mental health of children and teenagers. He looks at how common certain conditions are in young people. He has worked with researchers in many different countries, like 18 of them! He also helped start special master's degree programs at universities in Ireland.
He has given many talks around the world. He lectured in big cities like London and New York City. He also visited places like Buenos Aires, Melbourne, and countries in Asia like China and Korea. By June 2005, he had diagnosed over 900 people with Asperger syndrome, which is a type of autism.
Understanding Autism and Creativity
Professor Fitzgerald is very interested in the connection between autism and creativity. In 2004, he wrote a book called Autism and Creativity: Is There a Link Between Autism in Men and Exceptional Ability? In this book, he suggested that famous people might have had autism. These included writers like Lewis Carroll and W. B. Yeats. He also mentioned leaders like Éamon de Valera and thinkers like Ludwig Wittgenstein.
In 2005, he wrote another book, The Genesis of Artistic Creativity: Asperger's Syndrome and the Arts. Here, he suggested that other historical figures, such as the fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen and author George Orwell, might also have had autism.
