Far too often, parents caught in the circle of school and therapy are unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel, we can attest to that from personal experience. But the truth is that an early intervention program combined with support from parents, siblings and teachers can work wonders for children on the spectrum and help them become their best selves. Here we will highlight for you stories of those who have overcome autism and have achieved success in the world.
Perhaps the most famous Autistic person, Mary Temple Grandin was born in Boston, Massachusetts on August 29, 1947. Mary was diagnosed with brain damage as a child. It was only when she was in her teens that her mother discovered a diagnostic checklist for autism and concluded that Mary was indeed Autistic, a finding later confirmed by medical professionals when she was in her 40’s. Her parents engaged the services of a speech therapist and engaged in educational games with her at home. Mary received considerable support from her school and after finishing her schooling went on to earn a degree in psychology from Franklin Pierce College in 1970, followed by a master’s degree in animal science from Arizona State University and a doctoral degree in animal science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She was also named a Fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in 2009.
Mary has provided a rare insight into how the mind of an autistic person works in her book “Thinking in Pictures” and how we can turn the individual traits of people on the Spectrum into their strengths in “The Autistic Brain: Thinking across the Spectrum” . In 2010, HBO released a movie based on her life called Temple Grandin which went on to win 5 Emmy awards.
Born to Barry and Samaharia Kaufman Raun Kaufman was diagnosed as being severly autistic, non verbal with an IQ lower than 30. However, his parents, a couple of teachers, did not give up hope and designed a home based program which in three and ahalf years, transformed their son into a vibrant, intelligent person who graduated from Brown (an Ivy league School). He now heads the autism treatment program known as the “Son-Rise Program”.
The best-selling book, Son-Rise (now updated to Son-Rise: The Miracle Continues), and the award-winning NBC-TV movie Son-Rise: A Miracle of Love, are based on his life and his wonderful journey. Raun gives his parents credit for his recovery saying “Without any support, they supported me. They worked and waited. They persisted and persevered. Not knowing what the future held, not requiring my reciprocation of their love, care, smiles, and cheers, they gave me every chance.” His story is a true testament to how parents can help their children on the spectrum achieve their true potential.
