Aspies For Freedom

http://www.ktvotv3.com/News/news_story.aspx?id=71552

Dr. Temple Grandin speaks about autism

By Christa Minter
Posted: Friday, November 30, 2007 at 4:49 p.m.

KIRKSVILLE --     Best selling author and speaker, Dr. Temple Grandin, was at Truman State University today speaking to a group of three hundred about autism.

Dr. Grandin, a professor of animal science at Colorado State University, was born with autism and went on to receive a Ph.D., and become a nationally know speaker and author.

She attributes her success to early education and good teachers.

“If you think you have a young kid that's showing autistic symptoms, no speech, no social relatedness, the worst thing you can do is let them sit around and watch television all day.  You've got to start getting early education going,” said Dr. Grandin.

She speaks to groups all over the county about her experience and how to deal with autistic children.

In her speeches she addresses various topics about autism such as sensory sensitivity problems, depth perception, and different ways of thinking.

*beep* This is erkolos speaking

Early education is probably great, but apparently some parents think that Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (Lovaas, ABA) is exactly that, is it?
Another question is whether many of the educational offers for autistic children under the banner of ABA could be classified as ABA, because it isn't always that similar to the classic, sometimes brutal and violent, ABA earlier in history and in Judge Rotenberg Centre. For some months ago I had a discussion with someone at the chat about ABA and the person actually called alot of what that is now called ABA "play therapy" and definitely not ABA.

Go Temple Grandin!!!

Good question, Erk. I know from my MIL who works in the "special needs" area at a school district here in the US that the school district has to give some sort of therapy/schooling to children with disabilities as early as three, I believe. (but am fuzzy on facts obviously) I'm not too sure exatly what sort of therapy is used, but she has made reference in our conversation to a child she knew of that came is "profoundly autistic" and will now look you in the eye... The whole thing is part of the Americans with Disabilities Act which means that the gov has to cover certain things. Case in point: a friend of mine has a daughter with spina bifida and she goes to a preschool for free that gives them therapy and is all funded by the government and special interest groups...

I don't think (or at least hope) that these therapies are not so bad as these, but I fear they are at least close. I know another member was having a hard time with her younger daughter with the whole making them look you in the eye thing.

"was born with autism"

This is the phrase that seemed odd to me. Are there any autistics who are not "born with autism?" Is this meant to imply that she is no longer autistic? How about just using the adjective in an appropriate place, as in "the autistic professor ...." ??? It is just a matter of framing, but it is also important.

That's what I thought it sounded like it was trying to convey as well. A better phrase would have been "has autism".