Isabelle Rapin

Isabelle Juliette Martha Rapin, M.D. (December 4, 1927 – May 24, 2017), was a professor of both Neurology and Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. She was a leading authority on autism for decades, As a child, she was an avid reader, and a Girl Scout who attended all-girls' schools between the ages of 9 and 19. Of her husband, she said: "Without his unselfish and sustained encouragement and help, his willingness to share in all household and child-rearing jobs (except for car maintenance, his, and sewing, mine), I could never have flourished in child neurology as I did."

Rapin said, "My interest in language disorders and autism was enhanced by the arrival at Einstein of Dr. Doris A. Allen, whose background was developmental psycholinguistics, psychology, and speech pathology ... After evaluating hundreds of autistic children, I became convinced that the report by one third of parents of autistic preschoolers of a very early language and behavioral regression is real and deserving of biologic investigation."

Rapin's awards and recognition included: President's Award from the American Academy of Neurology Honorary Alumna status from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine

In an autobiography published in the Journal of Child Neurology, Rapin said:"The message I would give a young colleague is that child neurology is a wonderfully rewarding field, intellectually and personally, because of the families you will meet. In order to have it all, that is, be married, have children, restore and furnish an antique house, work in the garden, enjoy a lot of what life offers, and have a great job, you need a supportive and generous mate, adequate baby sitting and house help, flexibility, good humor, and a nose for the unusual. Consider every patient a potential source of new knowledge, describe what you see, pursue your interests vigorously, and learn to cut corners and prioritize. Find a good mentor, enjoy what you do, and be lucky."

Publications As of 2006, Rapin had published more than 135 papers and 75 book chapters; some of her books were: