Overcoming Autism: Temple Grandin

Many of you have been kind in asking about Zane, and in asking questions about autism.

Here is a fascinating bit of radio, insightful because of the person and because of her condition. There's a radio connection, too!

Autistic individuals think differently than other folks. This is a key concept for those of us with autistic kids, or those who work with such persons, to grasp. Dr. Temple Grandin helped me better understand the dynamics of this in a wonderful way.

Dr. Grandin recently was featured on National Public Radio. Opening sentences:
Because I have autism, I live by concrete rules instead of abstract beliefs. And because I have autism, I think in pictures and sounds. I don't have the ability to process abstract thought the way that you do. Here's how my brain works: It's like the search engine Google for images. If you say the word "love" to me, I'll surf the Internet inside my brain. Then, a series of images pops into my head. What I'll see, for example, is a picture of a mother horse with a foal, or I think of "Herbie the Lovebug," scenes from the movie Love Story or the Beatles song, "Love, love, love..."

Here's the entire NPR piece, audio and text.

Gandin helps those of us who have autistic kids...to have hope.