The October 2010 issue of The Atlantic features a fascinating article, “Autism’s First Child,” on the life of first individual to be diagnosed with autism, Donald Triplett (above), now 77 years old. The authors of the article discuss their efforts to track Triplett down and what his life has been like in the video below, which accompanies The Atlantic article. The article is described as follows:

As new cases of autism have exploded in recent years—some form of the condition affects about one in 110 children today—efforts have multiplied to understand and accommodate the condition in childhood. But children with autism will become adults with autism, some 500,000 of them in this decade alone. What then? Meet Donald Gray Triplett, 77, of Forest, Mississippi. He was the first person ever diagnosed with autism. And his long, happy, surprising life may hold some answers.

The full article on article can be read here.