Justifying Separate Experiences for Twins: Dorothy Burlingham’s Classic Twin Study/Twin Research Reviews: Monozygotic Twins with Maturity-Onset Diabetes, Gene Editing of Chinese Twins, Educational Disadvantage of Early-Born Twins and Developmental Trajectories of Movements in Fetal Twins/In the News: Twins with Nearly Identical License Plates, Rare Case of Fetus-in-Fetu, Twin Brothers Killed at Pearl Harbor, Death of a 96-Year-Old Twin Holocaust Survivor, Death of Male–Female Twin Toddlers in a Heated Car

Abstract

This article explores the justification for providing separate experiences for twins. The focus is on Dorothy Burlingham’s (1952; Twins: A study of three sets of identical twins with 30 charts. London, UK: Imago) classic, in-depth study of three identical twin-pairs. Implications for how twins are raised currently will be examined. Reviews are presented of twin research concerning monozygotic twins with maturity-onset diabetes, gene editing of fetal Chinese twins, educational disadvantage of early-born twins, and developmental trajectories of twins’ prenatal movements. Some unusual experiences and situations involving twins that warrant media attention are also summarized. They include twins with nearly identical license plates, a rare case of fetus-in-fetu, twin brothers killed at Pearl Harbor, the death of a 96-year-old twin Holocaust survivor, the accidental death of male–female twin toddlers in a heated car and confusion over identical twin politicians.

Dorothy Tiffany Burlingham and the psychology of the congenitally blind child

“… 4 This institution later evolved into the Hampstead Nurseries, a residential home for children under age 10 years. 5 In 1947, the two founded the Hampstead Child Therapy Course, a 5-year programme specialising in child analysis open to lay analysts and medical doctors. Anna received the bulk of the recognition for this effort, but she recognised that Burlingham’s contributions were underappreciated, noting that Burlingham ‘was much too modest to either demand or expect adequate recognition for her work’.…”

“…During the Blitz in 1940, the two women founded a shelter for children rendered homeless by German bombing raids 4. This institution later evolved into the Hampstead Nurseries, a residential home for children under age 10 years 5. In 1947, the two founded the Hampstead Child Therapy Course, a 5-year programme specialising in child analysis open to lay analysts and medical doctors.…”