Home & Family - Temple Grandin

Summary

In this insightful interview, Temple Grandin, a prominent advocate for autism awareness, shares her personal journey with autism, diagnosed in the late 1940s. She discusses the early intervention that helped her develop speech and her unique visual thinking pattern, which differs from neurotypical brains. Grandin, who excels in art and design, emphasizes the importance of nurturing the strengths of children with autism and other learning differences, turning their unique abilities into successful careers. The conversation also touches on her experiences with bullying and the significance of hands-on activities in education.

Takeaways

• 📚 Temple Grandin was one of the first people diagnosed with autism, born in 1947, just before the first autism paper was published.
• 🗣️ Initially diagnosed with brain damage due to lack of understanding, she later received the correct autism diagnosis and benefited from early educational intervention.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Her parents played a crucial role in seeking help and her mother hired a nanny who engaged her in constant turn-taking games, which were instrumental in her development.
• 🎨 Temple had a talent for art and crafts, which allowed her to connect with other children and later became the foundation of her successful career in livestock design.
• 🏫 She experienced bullying and teasing in high school, highlighting the challenges faced by individuals with autism in social settings.
• 🤔 Temple describes herself as a 'total visual thinker,' with her mind working like a visual search engine, processing thoughts in images rather than words.
• 🎥 The HBO movie 'Temple Grandin' illustrates her unique way of thinking in pictures, which she initially believed was common but later realized was a distinct aspect of her autism.
• 🧠 An MRI scan revealed an asymmetry in her brain, particularly in the left parietal area filled with cerebrospinal fluid, which may explain her difficulties with math.
• 🐮 Temple invented the 'center track restrainer system' for livestock handling, demonstrating how her visual thinking skills could be applied to practical solutions.
• 💼 She emphasizes the importance of identifying and building on the strengths of individuals with autism, as she did with her art skills in her career.
• 👶 For parents suspecting autism in their child, Temple suggests early intervention and focusing on the child's areas of strength to help them succeed.

Q & A

What disorder is discussed in the transcript?

Autism is the disorder discussed in the transcript.

What is the estimated prevalence of autism among children born today?

It is estimated that one in 88 children born today will be diagnosed with autism.

Who is the guest in the interview and what is the title of her new book?

The guest in the interview is Temple Grandin, and the title of her new book is 'The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum'.

When was Temple Grandin born and what was her initial diagnosis?

Temple Grandin was born in 1947, and her initial diagnosis was some kind of brain damage due to the lack of understanding of autism at the time.

What role did Temple Grandin's parents play in her diagnosis and early intervention?

Temple's parents were instrumental in seeking a diagnosis and ensuring she received early educational intervention, including speech therapy and hiring a nanny who played constant turn-taking games with her.

How did Temple Grandin's childhood experiences differ from typical children, especially in high school?

Temple Grandin had a good childhood with interests in kites, airplanes, and craft projects. However, high school was a challenging time for her due to bullying and teasing, with her interests in specialized areas like horseback riding and electronics providing relief.

What type of thinker is Temple Grandin and how does it differ from others?

Temple Grandin is a total visual thinker, with her mind working like a visual search engine. She processes information through images, which is different from others who may think in words or abstract concepts.

What is Temple Grandin's area of strength that she turned into a successful career?

Temple Grandin's area of strength is art, which she turned into a successful career in livestock design business.

What invention did Temple Grandin create for the livestock industry?

Temple Grandin invented a piece of equipment called the center track restrainer system for the livestock industry.

How does Temple Grandin describe her thought process when recalling memories or ideas?

Temple Grandin describes her thought process as a series of still pictures that come up one at a time, which can turn into a video if she holds the image.

What advice does Temple Grandin have for parents who suspect their child might have autism?

The transcript does not provide specific advice from Temple Grandin for parents in this context, but it emphasizes the importance of recognizing and building on a child's strengths, as she did with her own visual thinking.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Temple Grandin's Journey with Autism

In this segment, Temple Grandin, one of the first individuals diagnosed with autism, shares her personal experience. Born in 1947, she was initially misdiagnosed with brain damage due to the lack of understanding of autism at the time. However, she received an accurate diagnosis and benefited from early educational intervention, which included speech therapy. Grandin's parents played a crucial role in her development, and she excelled in art and crafts, which she later turned into a successful career in livestock design. The segment also touches on her visual thinking process, which she discovered was different from others, and her areas of strength and weakness, particularly in mathematics.

05:01

🎨 Temple Grandin's Unique Visual Thinking

This paragraph delves into Temple Grandin's unique way of thinking in images, a characteristic she initially believed was universal. She explains that her mind accesses memories and thoughts as a series of still pictures, like slides, which can turn into a video if held. Grandin's brain structure, revealed through an MRI, shows an asymmetry with her left parietal area filled with cerebrospinal fluid, which she attributes to her poor math skills. Despite this, she has other brain circuits that excel in visual thinking. The segment also discusses the importance of identifying and building on the strengths of children with autism or other learning differences, potentially turning these strengths into a career.

Keywords

💡Autism

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. In the video, Temple Grandin discusses her personal experiences with autism, highlighting the early diagnosis and the challenges she faced, such as being misunderstood and bullied during her school years.

💡Mental Health

Mental health refers to a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being. The video script touches on autism as a misunderstood disorder within the realm of mental health, emphasizing the importance of understanding and addressing the unique needs of individuals with autism.

💡Early Intervention

Early intervention refers to educational and therapeutic services provided to young children with developmental needs. Temple Grandin mentions the positive impact of early educational intervention and speech therapy on her development, which helped her overcome speech difficulties associated with autism.

💡Neurologist

A neurologist is a medical professional specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the nervous system. In the script, it is mentioned that Temple Grandin was taken to a neurologist who initially misdiagnosed her condition before she was correctly diagnosed with autism.

💡Turn-Taking

Turn-taking is a social skill where individuals alternate in conversation or activities. The script describes how Temple's nanny played constant turn-taking games to help her develop this crucial social interaction skill.

💡Visual Thinker

A visual thinker is someone who processes information and 'thinks' in images or pictures. Temple Grandin describes herself as a visual thinker, which is a key aspect of how she perceives and interacts with the world, and is a central theme in the video.

💡Specialized Interest

A specialized interest refers to a focused area of intense interest or activity. The script mentions that Temple found solace and success in activities such as horseback riding and electronics, which were her specialized interests and provided a positive outlet during challenging times.

💡Livestock Design

Livestock design involves creating facilities and equipment for the care and handling of animals in agriculture. Temple Grandin turned her visual thinking and art skills into a successful career in livestock design, as discussed in the video.

💡Center Track Restrainer

The center track restrainer is a piece of livestock handling equipment designed by Temple Grandin. It is an example of how she applied her unique thinking and design skills to improve animal welfare in the livestock industry.

💡Asymmetry

Asymmetry refers to a lack of symmetry or balance, often in reference to physical structures. In the context of the video, Temple Grandin discusses an MRI showing an asymmetry in her brain, which she links to her difficulties with math.

💡Cerebral Spinal Fluid

Cerebral spinal fluid is the clear fluid that circulates around the brain and spinal cord. Temple Grandin mentions in the script that her left parietal area is filled with cerebrospinal fluid, which she believes contributes to her challenges with mathematical thinking.

Highlights

Autism is a widely misunderstood disorder with an estimated one in 88 children diagnosed.

Temple Grandin was one of the first people diagnosed with autism, born in 1947.

Early diagnosis of autism was challenging, with Temple initially misdiagnosed with brain damage.

The importance of early educational intervention and speech therapy for children with autism.

Temple's parents played a crucial role in seeking her diagnosis and supporting her development.

The significance of engaging children with autism through hands-on activities and play.

Temple's childhood experiences, including her love for kites, airplanes, and craft projects.

High school was difficult for Temple due to bullying and teasing, highlighting the need for supportive environments.

Temple's unique way of thinking in pictures, which she initially believed was common.

The HBO movie 'Temple Grandin' illustrates her visual thinking process.

Diversity in autistic thinking, with some individuals excelling in math or verbal skills.

The importance of nurturing and building on the strengths of children with autism.

Temple's success in turning her artistic skills into a career in livestock design.

Invention of the center track restrainer system by Temple to improve livestock handling.

Temple's visual memory and how it works like a search engine, bringing up images of past experiences.

The impact of uneven skills in individuals with autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and the importance of focusing on their strengths.

Advice for parents on recognizing autistic behavior and the importance of early intervention.

Transcripts

autism is one of the most misunderstood

disorders in the world of mental health

an estimated one in 88 children born

will be diagnosed with autism here today

to talk with us about her experience

living with autism and discuss her new

book which is called the autistic brain

thinking across the spectrum is Temple

Grandin welcome to the show it's great

great so you were one of the first

people diagnosed with autism well I was

born in 47 and that was just a few years

before the first autism paper came out

and I went to a neurologist to actually

know anything about autism but I had no

speech all a classic autistic symptoms

when I was two and a half and I was

diagnosed with some kind of brain damage

because they just didn't know and then a

few years later I got the autism

diagnosis but I got into really good

early educational intervention great

speech therapists that worked with kids

in the basement of our house that was as

good as any program today

well how instrumental were your parents

and helping you find the diagnosis well

they were just interested in getting me

to talk and the neurologist put me it

had me go to speech therapy school and

then mother hired a nanny when I was

three who just played constant

turn-taking games got to teach these

kids turn-taking you got a two year old

or three oldest not talking I don't care

what is diagnosed you got to do a lot of

therapy a lot of hours hours now no one

no one's to engage that kid so tell what

was your childhood like well I was

thoroughly verbal by four and actually

had quite a good childhood I loved to

fly kites and airplanes and and and do

craft projects with other kids I think

it's horrible how so many schools have

taken out the hands-on classes goes over

great activities that I did with other

children high school was a nightmare of

bullying and teasing and yeah only it

places where I was away from that was a

specialized interest like horseback

riding an electronics lab so when you

were a child though did any of the other

children ask like or play with you or

ask is there something wrong or what

well the thing is I was very good at art

and very good at crafts and making

things and other kids wanted to go make

stuff with me like we go make a model

gas station or some well that's right

spot that was son

that was one of my projects all the kids

thought that was some that was pretty

cool because I was very good at building

things and making things and was high

school where everything went wrong or

kids were no longer interested in

projects how would you describe your way

of thinking temple and how is it differ

from anybody else well I'm a total

visual thinker and if you saw the HBO

movie it shows how my mind thinks in

pictures and which HBO movie did well

that temple grandin AGL move either way

and I thought everybody thought in

pictures it wasn't till I wrote one of

my earlier books thinking of pictures I

thought everybody thought in pictures

and then in my book the autistic brain I

explained how I discovered how some

other people on the autism spectrum have

other types specialized thinking such as

what mathematical thinking this is the

kind of kid where in fourth grade he's

super good and math needs help in

reading so you need to advance them

forward in math don't make them do baby

math and then you got the little word

thinkers I know all effects about their

favorite stuff we've got to work on

building the kids area of strength and

my area of strength was art and I turned

that into my livestock design business

using my art skills now it's a life like

a life stock like livest I've stocked

with kale that steak probably was

handled a piece of equipment I designed

when that thief was on the whole

fighters I invented a piece of equipment

called the center track restrainer

system if you want to see how my

livestock stuff works you can look up

beef plant video tour with Temple

Grandin but when you went to a live

stockyard one day and yo I just started

out you know my aunt's ranch my high

school heads dairy cattle and I took

care of the horse barn when I was in

high school that started you know my

interest there in animals and then I

started designing facilities for feed

yards out in Arizona and then just build

up my freelance business one little

project at a time can I jump back to

something you said temple you talked

about you thinking images yeah in

pictures I feel like I do I remember

things more visually when I see things

can you elaborate on what you mean by

you thinking well let's probably why are

in TV and you're not in radio a lot of

radio a lot of people don't think in

images let's uh every thought I have is

a picture my mind kind of works

like a you know visual search engine why

don't you just give to ask me to think

about something and not something not

something ordinary like house a car

something kind of different something I

can't see here and I'll tell you how my

mind accesses it a red light a red

traffic light I'll I am seeing this

rootless traffic light they have in

Mexican customs where if it turns green

they don't search your bags and if it

turns red they search your bags Wow then

there's another traffic light that on we

have this one the big pig slaughter

plant they don't want the pigs squealing

because they're stressed and if they

squeal too much then the light turns red

oh these are all experiences you've had

yeah that's right

and and they come up as a series of

pictures okay now I'm seeing getting a

ticket from policeman one time and I did

not run a red light well but things are

coming up as a series of still pictures

okay okay I'm now saying okay traffic

lights at various intersections in Fort

Collins where I live there's two of them

they have speed cameras on them so boy

you better stop see them are you seeing

several images at once or is it one at a

time one at a time they come up like

slides now if I if I hold the image

there then it can start to turn into

video but they come up as a series of

still pictures and then I can get off

the subject okay I'm on now I'm seeing

the King Soopers market where a grocery

shop that's near the intersection with

the speed camera Wow see that's coming

up as a picture whichever we have a

picture of an MRI that was done at the

University of Utah in 2010 yep and can

you explain what it is that we're seeing

here you got the black and white version

of that because you get the color

version of at that part in the middle is

bright blue and I have an asymmetry of

the ventricles and basically what's

happened in my left parietal area is

full of water full of cerebral spinal

fluid that's why I'm so terrible in math

but if you go on the USA Today website

and type Temple Grandin and you're going

to find a huge visual on circuit there

but the right size of the right side is

that a volume is that your brain is

that's me Ocala one is to control and

then that you know kind of a v-shaped

thing that's a ventricles fulfilled with

cerebral spinal fluid and I'm kind of my

math departments kind of trashed I

absolutely couldn't do algebra but I've

got some other circuits in my brain that

really good for visual thinking see kids

who get diagnosed with different kinds

of you know autism dyslexia ADHD and all

these different kinds of labels learning

problems and often have uneven skills to

be good at one thing and bad at

something else

and we got a bill balance build on the

thing they're good at they can turn that

thing they're good at into a career well

what we want to talk about when we come

back is some advice you may have for

parents who suspect their child is

dealing with the autistic behavior when

you should be alerted to this and what

happens is they get older too so don't

go away we're back with Temple Grandin

in a moment