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>> THIS ORIGINAL WSRE
PRESENTATION IS MADE POSSIBLE BY
VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
THANK YOU.
>> ACROSS THE AUTISM SPECTRUM,
DR. TEMPLE GRANDIN AND AAA--
ANITA LESKO ON THIS EDITION OF
CONVERSATIONS.
>> AUTISM HAS INCREASED GATELY
IN THE NUMBER OF YEARS BUT HOW
MANY UNDERSTAND AUTISM?
ON THIS EDITION WE'LL DISCUSS
THE AUTISM SPECTRUM WITH TWO
EXPERTS.
TEMPLE GRANDIN AND ANITA HE IS
-- LESKO.
SHE'S AUTHOR OF NUMEROUS BOOKS
AND IS A SOUGHT AFTER SPEAKER.
HER LIFE STORY IS TOLD IN
TELEVISION MOVIE ENTITLED
THINKING IN PICTURES STARRING
CLAIRE DANES.
SHE'S FEATURED ON NUMEROUS MEDIA
PLATFORMS INCLUDING 60 MINUTES.
HER LATEST BOOK IS THE AUTISTIC
BRAIN, THINKING ACROSS THE
SPECTRUM.
IN ADDITION TO HER WORK WITH
AUTISM SHE IS AN INTERNATIONAL
EXPERT ON THE HUMANE TREATMENT
OF LIVESTOCK.
ANITA LESKO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH
ASPERGERS SYNDROME AT 50.
SHE'S AUTHOR OF THE BOOK
ASPERGERS SYNDROME, WHEN LIFE
HANDS YOU LEMONS MAKE LEMON
FADE.
SHE'S FEATURED IN TEMPLE'S BOOK
DIFFERENT, NOT LESS.
ALSO SHE'S CO-AUTHOR OF UPCOMING
BOOK ENTITLED BEEN THIS, DONE
THAT, TRY THIS.
AN ASPERNAUT'S GUIDE TO LIVING
ON PLANET EARTH.
SHE WAS A SPEAKER AT THE FLYING
HIGH WITH AUTISM IN PENSACOLA,
FLORIDA.
IT ATTRACTED PERSONALITIES SUCH
AS DR. TEMPLE GRANDIN AND ROBERT
F. KENNEDY JR..
WELCOME YOU BOTH TO
CONVERSATIONS.
>> PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
>> LET ME ASK YOU TO EXPLAIN
WHAT IS AUTISM?
>> IT'S A BIG SPECTRUM.
WHEN I WAS TWO AND A HALF YEARS
OLD I HAD THE SYMPTOMS, NO
SPEECH, ROCKING, I WAS PUT IN A
GOOD INTERVENTION PROGRAM.
YOU WORK ON KIDS HARD WHEN
THEY'RE LITTLE THEY GO OFF INTO
TWO GROUPS YOU GOT ONE ON HIGHER
END SPECTRUM AND SOME HAVE NO
SPEECH DELAY BUT SOCIALLY
AWKWARD, LIKE HALF A SILICON
VALLEY THEN YOU HAVE THE OTHER
END OF THE SPECTRUM WHERE THEY
DON'T LEARN TO TALK AND WILL
HAVE MORE SEVERE HANDICAPS.
A BIG SPECTRUM FROM HANDICAPPED
TO PEOPLE WHO INVENT THINGS LIKE
TELEVISION CAMERAS.
>> HOW DOES ASPERGERS FIT?
>> IT'S IN THE HIGHER END OF THE
AUTISM SPECTRUM AND DIFFICULTY
SOCIAL INTERACTIONS IS THE
BIGGEST ISSUE ASSOCIATED WITH
THAT AND SENSORY ISSUES LIKE
LIVING LIFE IN DOLL BY SURROUND
SOUND IS ONE WAY TO TRY TO
EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHAT IT'S LIKE
LIVING WITH ASPERGERS.
>> TELL ME WHAT YOUR CHILDHOOD
BUT LIKE, TEMPLE.
>> I CAN REMEMBER FRUSTRATION OF
NOT BEING ABLE TO TALK.
AND I PITCH A TANTRUM.
I WAS FORTUNATELY MY MOTHER
FOUND A REALLY GOOD SPEECH
THERAPY SCHOOL, TWO TEACHERS
TAUGHT IN THE BASEMENT OF THEIR
HOUSE AND THEY DID A LOT OF ABA
TYPE OF O THINGS AND SHE HOLD A
CUP AND SHE SAID SAY CUP.
AND SHE WOULD ENUNCIATE THE
WORDS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SLOW
DOWN, GROWN UPS TALK FAST, I
DIDN'T HEAR THE HARD CONSONANT
SOUNDS, YOU GET TO SLOW DOWN
WHEN YOU TALK TO THE KIDS AND BY
THE TIME I WAS FOUR I WAS FULLY
VERBAL AND SOCIALLY AWKWARD.
IN THE 50s WHEN I WAS BROUGHT
UP KIDS WERE TAUGHT MANNERS,
KIDS WERE TAUGHT TO SHAKE HANDS.
KIDS WERE TAUGHT THESE THINGS IN
A MORE SYSTEMATIC TYPE OF WAY.
I SEE SMART KIDS ON THE AUTISM
SPECTRUM THAT AREN'T LEARNING
SKILLS CH SHAKE HANDS, ORDERING
FOOD, HOW TO SHOP, SOME BASIC
THINGS.
>> WHAT WILL YOUR ADVICE BE TO
TEACHERS AND PARENTS HOW TO
CHANGE THAT?
>> WELL, DEVELOP A KID STRENGTH.
I WAS GOOD IN ART.
MY MOTHER AN TEACHERS ENCOURAGED
MY ABLE IN ART AND I WAS
ENCOURAGEED TO DO LOTS OF
THINGS.
MYIBILITY IN ART BECAME THE
BASIS OF MY CAREER,.
WHAT I DID WAS LIVESTOCK
INDUSTRY INDUSTRIAL CITY DE
SIGNER.
WE DO THE VISUAL THINKING.
ANOTHER KID MIGHT BE GOOD AT
MATH.
BUT HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH
READING.
THERE'S A TENNESSEE IS TO HAVE
UNEVEN SKILLS GOOD AT ONE THING,
BAD AT SOMETHING ELSE.
ANOTHER MIND IS THE WORD
THINKER.
THE WORD THINKING.
AND IN MY BOOK THE AUTISTIC
BRAIN TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT
THINKING AND PRESENT SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH TO SHOW THESE DIFFERENT
KINDS OF THINKING DO EXIST.
>> I READ WHERE YOU SAID YOU
THINK IN PICTURES, IS THAT TRUE
FOR BOTH OF YOU?
>> YES.
>> ELABORATE ON THAT.
>> WELL MY MIND WORKS LIKE
GOOGLE FOR IMAGES.
I THINK VERY SPECIFIC PICTURES.
PRETEND ON GOOGLE IMAGES GIVE ME
A KEY WORD NOT ORDINARY LIKE
HOUSE, A LITTLE MORE CREATIVE
AND I'LL TELL YOU HOW MY MIND
ACCESSES INFORMATION.
>> TECHNOLOGY.
>> E SAW THE COVER OF A
MAGAZINE, I GET TECHNOLOGY
REVIEW, ANNOUNCING A
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY, I'M NOW SEEING MY
GRANDFATHER BECAUSE P HE WAS THE
INVENTER OF THE AUTOMATIC PILOT
FOR AIRPLANE AND HE WENT TO
SCHOOL AT MIT.
SEE HOW I GOT FROM TECHNOLOGY TO
MY GRANDFATHER?
IT'S A ASSOCIATIVE THINKING, NOT
LINEAR.
>> WHAT WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD LIKE?
>> WHEN YOU THINK IN PICTURES
WHEN I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
I WAS SPEND MOST OF THE DAY
LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AT THE
BIG GREEN PASTURE OUT THERE AN I
WOULD ENVISION ON MY MOVIE
SCREEN BRAIN I WAS ON A BIG
WHITE HOURS GALLUPING ACROSS THE
FIELD WITH THE HOURSES MANE
BLOWENING MY FACE AND I COULD
FEEL THAT SENSATION OF THE WIND
AND SEE -- SENSATION OF THE WIND
BLOWING ON ME AND SEE THIS
BEAUTIFUL IMAGE ON THE SCREEN
AND THEN THE TEACHER WOULD CALL
MY NAME SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE I
WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION AND
FINALLY I LOOK AT HER WITH A
BLANK LOOK ON MY FACE THEY WOULD
THINK IT WAS PART OF THE CHILD
IN THAT ROOM BECAUSE I SINLIKE I
DIDN'T KNOW THE ANSWER BUT I WAS
LOOKING AT THAT TIME BEAUTIFUL
MOVIE GOING ON OUT THERE.
>> ON THE SURFACE YOU TELL ME
THAT, I WOULD THINK OF YOU BEING
VERY CREATIVE TYPE FOLKS,
ARTISTIC, MAYBE ACTORS OR
ARTISTS OR WHATEVER BUT BOTH OF
YOU ARE IN VERY SCIENTIFIC
FIELDS IN YOUR REAL LIFE.
>> IN THE AUTISTIC BRAIN I
EXPLAIN IN TERMS OF THINKING I
HAVE THE MIND OF AN ARTIST BUT I
HAVE THE TEMPERMENT OF AN
ENGINEER.
BECAUSE I USE MY ART ABILITY TO
DO MORE ENGINEERING KINDS OF
THINGS.
AND WHEN YOU DO ENGINEERING
PROJECTS AND TECHNICAL THINGS
YOU NEED SOMEBODY ON THE PROJECT
VISUAL THINKER, NOT ABLE TO DO
MATH.
BUT YOU NEED ME BECAUSE I WOULD
HAVE NEVER PUT REASON RAYTORS
FOR EMERGENCY BACK UP POWER IN
THE FUKASHIMA POWER PLANT IN A
NON-WATER PROOF BASE..
THEY DIDN'T VISUALIZE WATER
COMING OVER THE WALL AND
WRECKING THE GENERATORS.
I CAN'T DESIGN A NUCLEAR REACTOR
THAT'S UP TO THE MATHEMATICIANS
BUT YOU NEED VISUAL THINKERS ON
THE TECH TEAM TOY A VOID MESSES
LIKE FUKUSHIMA.
>> ANITA, YOU'RE IN THE
HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY SO HOW DOES
THAT,IT'S OBVIOUSLY SCIENTIFIC.
>> YOU HAVE TO LEARN ALL THE
PHARMACOLOGY OF DIFFERENT DRUGS
AND THERE'S A LOT OF TECHNICAL
SKILLS OF INSERTION OF
INTRAVENOUS LINES AND ALL
DIFFERENT MONITORING AND THE
KNOWLEDGE OF ALL DIFFERENT
DISEASE PROCESSES AND ILLNESSES
AND EVERYTHING TO TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT.
WHEN YOU'RE DOING ANESTHESIA.
AND THAT IS LIKE A VERY
SCIENTIFIC THING BUT THERE'S
ALSO AN ART TO IT AS WELL.
SO MY AUTISTIC PART OF MY BRAIN
I JUST RECENTLY TAKEN A PAINING
WITH ACRYLICS WHICH I'M MADLY IN
LOVE WITH AND REALLY ENVISIONING
PICTURES IN MY MIND THAT ARE
ALREADY PAINTED.
>> I GOT TO INTERRUPT HERE.
YOU'RE DOING THE BRAIN
SURGERIES, YOU'RE DOING THE MOST
IMPORTANT REALLY CRITICAL
ANESTHESIA BECAUSE YOU'RE REALLY
GOOD AT IT.
>> I LOVE PART HAVING ASPERGERS
YOU LOVE DETAIL.
I LIKE CASES THAT INVOLVE A LOT
OF DETAIL CASES LIKE BRAIN
SURGERY, NEUROANESTHESIA KIND OF
THINGS ALL ASPECTS FOR
ANESTHESIA WISE BUFF TO DO
SPECIAL TO ACCOMMODATE THE
NEUROSURGEONS HOW THEY NEED THE
BRAIN SHRUNK DOWN, DIFFERENT
THINGS WE CAN DO WITH DRUGS AN
TECHNIQUES TO DO THAT AND I
THRIVE ON THAT, THAT'S MY CUP OF
TEA, ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO KEEP
IN MIND AND KEEP YOU BUSY,
THINGS THAT ARE VERY EXCITING.
>> I WANT TO JUMP BACK TALKING
MATH FOR A SECOND.
YOU SAID BY THE WAY YOU HAD A
TREMENDOUS TED TALK, FOLKS GET
AN OPPORTUNITY TO GOOGLE TED
TALK, EVERY TEACHER SHOULD HEAR
THE TED TALK BUT YOU WERE
TALKING ABOUT THAT YOU'VE
FLUNKED OUT OF ALGEBRA AND THAT
YOU COULDN'T GO ON TO GEOMETRY
OR TRIG BUT YOU THOUGHT YOU
WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD.
>> THIS IS A MISTAKE MADE.
VISUAL THINKERS HAVE DIFFICULTY
WITH ALGEBRA, YOU NEED TO JUMP
THESE KIDS RIGHT INTO GEOMETRY.
HOW THEY GET TO COLLEGE?
MY MOTHER WORKED AT A LOCAL
COLLEGE TO GET ME IN ON BRO BIG
BUT WHAT SAVES ME IS IN '66 WHEN
I WAS IN COLLEGE ALGEBRA WAS NOT
REQUIRED.
NATIONWIDE IT WAS FINITE MATH
WHICH IS PROBABILITIES, MATRICES
AND STATISTICS.
I TOOK TWO SEMESTERS TON OF
TUTORING, GOT THROUGH IT WITH B
AS IN BRAVO AND IF I HAD TO TAKE
TWO SEMESTERS OF COLLEGE
ALGEBRA, I WOULD HAVE BEEN SUNK.
I CAN THANK THE NIGH NIGHT MATH
FAD OF THE 60s.
>> MATHEMATICS IS ANY WORSE
SUBJECT BUT I GOT THROUGH ENOUGH
TO GET THROUGH BUT NOW I'M NOT
ANY -- I TOOKIER OF PHYSICS,
THAT WAS JUST NOT MY THING.
>> BRINGS ME BACK TO CURIOUS
BOTH OF YOUR THOUGHTS ON OUR
EDGE CASE SYSTEM AND IN MY VIEW
SO MANY WAYS OUR EDUCATION
SYSTEM IS BROKEN BECAUSE IF YOU
DON'T FIT IN A BOX IT'S LIKE YOU
GET TOSSED IN THIS DIRECTION OR
THAT DIRECTION.
HOW DO WE CHANGE THAT?
>> THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF KIDS
WHERE TWO YEAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DEGREE IN AUTOMECHANICS IS WHERE
THEY OUGHT TO BE.
TAKING A HANDS ON OUT OF CLASSES
IS THE WORSE THING THEY DID.
IF I HADN'T HAD ART AND SEWING
AND WOOD SHOP, THOSE WERE MY
FAVORITE CLASSES.
AND WE NEED PEOPLE THAT DO THOSE
HANDS-ON THINGS.
WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF THINGS
LIKE ELECTRICIANS, WELDERS,
PLUMMERS, AUTOSHOP, DIESEL
MECHANIC, HUGE SHORTAGE OF
HIGHLY SKILLED TRADES.
IN THE WORK ON LIVESTOCK
HANDLING IS STEEL AND CONCRETE
DESIGN, SEE I LOVE CONSTRUCTION
AND SEEING MY THINGS BUILT.
WHEN YOU'RE A WEIRD GEEK, I LOVE
TO SHOW MY DRAWINGS AND THEN
THEY GO WOW YOU DID THAT.
THE AUTISTIC BRAIN HAS TWO
BEAUTIFUL DRAWINGS IN IT.
>> TWO BEAUTIFUL DRAWINGS?
>> YES.
WHEN YOU'RE A WEIRD GEEK YOU
HAVE TO SELL YOUR SKILLSES AND
YOUR ABILITY RATHER THAN SELLING
YOURSELF.
>> INTERESTING.
AND WHAT ABOUT YOU ANITA, AS YOU
LAUNCH YOUR CAREER, HOW DO YOU
CHOOSE YOUR CAREER IN MED ANYONE
>> IT'S KIND OF A LONG STORY HOW
I ENDED UP BECOMING A NURSE
ANESTHETIST BUT I ACTUALLY I WAS
IN COLLEGE GETTING BACHELOR OF
SCIENCE IN NURSING, I WAS ALSO
DOING ICE DANCING AT THE TIME.
I FELL AND BROKE MY ARM AND
ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL,
ANESTHESIOLOGIST GAVE ME
SEDATION WHILE THEY SET MY ARM,
ASKED ME MY LEARNING AND SCHOOL
-- GET MY BACHELORS IN NURSING
AND THEY SAID WHY NOT NURSE
ANESTHETIST?
I SAID WHAT'S THAT?
I FOUND OUT WHAT IT WAS AND THEN
I FOUND OUT HOW ALL THINGS
INVOLVED IN IT, THIS SOUNDS P
EXCITING AND THEN I LEARN MORE
ABOUT IT AND I APPLIED FOR THAT,
I WENT TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN
NEW YORK CITY.
I GRADUATED IN 1988 AND WORKING
FULL TIME THE PAST 25 YEARS TO
D&OING ANESTHESIA, I HAVE DONE
OVER 40,000 CASES TO DATE.
AND WHAT TEMPLE SAYING YOU HAVE
TO SELL YOURSELF, WHEN YOU HAVE
ASPERGERS I GIVE THE ADVICE TO
PARENTS TELL YOUR CHILD WHATEVER
THEY CHOOSE TO DO THEY HAVE TO
BE THE BEST AT WHAT THEY DO.
BECAUSE YOU ARE DIFFERENT,
SOMETIMES YOU'RE A TARGET OF
BULLYING IN WORK PLACE AND
DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT SO IF
YOU DO AN EXCELLENT JOB AT YOUR
JOB, YOU CAN'T GO WRONG.
>> THE THING IS THE
NEUROSURGEONS WANTED YOU.
>> YOU TALK ABOUT THE BULLYING
ISSUES.
HOW DO PARENTS AND TEACHERS DEAL
WITH THAT?
>> ONE THING THAT WAS DONE,
MOTHER AND TEACHERS IN MY LITTLE
SCHOOL GOT TOGETHER AND THEY
EXPLAINED TO THE KIDS WHEN I
WASN'T THERE THAT I DIDN'T HAVE
A HANDICAP THAT YOU COULD SEE
LIKE BRACES OR A WHEELCHAIR,
THEY NEEDED TO HELP ME WITH SOME
OF THE SOCIAL THINGS.
THAT CAN HELP.
WHEN IT COMES TO BULLYING ONLINE
THIS IS WHERE PARENTS NEED TO
GET TOGETHER AND STOP AND SOME
PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE KIDS
FACEBOOK ACCOUNT SHUT DOWN.
I WAS TEASE AD LOT IN HIGH
SCHOOL, THE THING THAT SAVED ME
WAS THE SHARED INTEREST THINGS.
WE GOT TO GET THESE KIDS INTO
THINGS LIKE 4H, FSA, FANNED,
SCHOOL PLAY, ART, COMPUTER CLUB,
THINGS LIKE HACKER SPACE, THINGS
LIKE MAKER IMMUNITY GROUPS WHERE
THEY MAKE COOL STUFF WITH
TECHNOLOGY.
WHERE YOU GET THOSE SHARED
INTERESTS BECAUSE WHEN I WAS OUT
RIDING HORSES AND I WAS IN MODEL
ROCKET CLUB THERE WAS NO
TEASING, WE GOT TO GET THEM INTO
THE SHARED INTEREST GROUPS.
>> DO YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT,
ANITA?
>> WHEN I WAS YOUNG WHEN YOU
HAVE ASPERGERS YOU CANNOT
ENTERACT WITH YOUR PEERS YOUR
AGE GROUP ESPECIALLY HAD BEEN
YOU'RE YOUNGER.
I COULDN'T INTERACT AT ALL WITH
CLASS MATES, I HAD NOTHING IN
COMMON.
WHEN I GOT INVOLVED WITH HORSES
WHICH I AM STILL INTO TODAY,
OTHER -- THE OTHER PEERS THAT
WERE MY AGE THEY'RE ALSO
INVOLVED IN THE HORSES AND P
THEY LOVED HORSES SO WE COULD
TALK ABOUT HORSES AND WE GOT TO
INTERACT LIKE THAT AND IT WAS
THAT SHARED INTEREST.
AGAIN, PARENTS NEED TO ENCOURAGE
THEIR CHILDREN TO GET INVOLVED
IN SOMETHING THEY'RE INTERESTED
IN AND THEN HAVE OTHER KIDS
THEIR OWN AGE, SO INTERESTED IN
THAT, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS,
WHATEVER IT IS, FOCUS ON THAT
AND NOT BE WITH ALL THE OTHER
BULLYING ISSUES.
>> ANITA TOLD US WHO SHE GOT
INTO MEDICINE BUT HOW DID YOU
GET INTO THE BUSINESS --
>> I START OUT ORIGINALLY AS A
PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR, I WANTED TO BE
AN EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGIST.
IN MY COLLEGE I TOOK TWO
SEMESTERS OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOR.
I'M A RETIRED -- FROM A RETIRED
HARVARD PROFESSOR.
THAT PLANTED A SEED AND TRY TO
GET A MASTERS IN PSYCHOLOGY AND
THAT'S -- THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT
SO GOOD.
I SQUEAKED BY STATISTICS WITH A
C AND P THEN I DISCOVERED FEED
LOTS AND ANIMAL SCIENCE.
I HADN'T GONE TO MY AUNT'S RANCH
WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL I
WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN
INTRODUCED TO THE CATTLE
INDUSTRY.
WE WITH THE TO GET KIDS
INTERESTED IN THINGS YOU GOT TO
GET THEM OUT DOING THINGS.
THERE'S TOO MANY KIDS SITTING AT
HOME PLAYING VIDEO GAMES AND THE
OTHER THING P I WANT TO
EMPHASIZE IS LEARNING WORK
SKILLS.
THIS NEEDS TO START IN MIDDLE
SCHOOL.
WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL
MOTHER SAT UP A LITTLE SEWING
JOB WITH A FREELANCE SEEM STRESS
AND I HEMMED DRESSES TWO
AFTERNOONS A WEEK.
WHEN I WAS 15 I WAS CLEANING
HORSE STALLS.
SET UP HAVING ME GO OUT TO
ARIZONA TO DO WORK ON MY AUNT'S
RANCH, I WAS DOING CARPETRY
PROJECT, SHINGLING THE BARN ROOF
INTERNSHIPS LOOK WORKING IN
RESEARCH LAB IN COLLEGE AN
RENTING MY OWN HOUSE BUT MOTHER
AND PROFUSES SET THIS STUFF UP.
PARENTS GOT TO GREASE THE SKIN.
LIKE TALK TO THE GUY WHO OWNS
THE COMPUTER SHOP, BRING THIS
ASPERGERS 14-YEAR-OLD IN AND
HAVE HIM WORK IN THAT COMPUTER
SHOP.
I TALKED TO ONE MOM AND OH, SHE
WAS LIKE WORKING LIKE THIS WITH
THE MAN CURE T THE LOCAL
MCDONALDS AND HER DAUGHTER
DIDN'T BEHAVE SHE HAD EXTRA ICE
CREAM MACHINE DUTY, WORKING
TOGETHER ON THIS.
THAT'S THE SORT OF STUFF THAT WE
GOT TO SET UP.
>> DO YOU WANT TO PIGGY BACK ON
THIS?
>> MY YOUTH AS A WORKING STUDENT
AT A BIG HORSE STABLE IN NEW
JERSEY WHERE I LIVED, MUCKING
OUT STALLS WAS THE BIGGEST PART
BUT YOU MUCKED THAT STALLS YOU
GET X AMOUNT OF RIDING TIME AND
I WANTED TO LEARN TO RIDE, TO
JUMP IN COMPETITION, REALLY HIGH
FENCES LIKE SIX FOOT HIGH FENCES
SO THE MOTIVATION TO DO THAT WAS
ASTRONOMICAL SO I MUCKED LOTS OF
STALLS, PAINTED FENCES, PICKED
ROCKS OUT OF PASTURES, WHATEVER
NEEDED TO BE DONE I DID IT.
AND THAT'S THE KIND OF THING
THAT PEOPLE NEED TO ENCOURAGE
THEIR CHILDREN, THEY HAVE TO,
HOW ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE WORK
ETHIC LATER IN LIFE AS AN ADULT
AND WORK?
>> WE NEED TO START TRAINING
THAT EARLY.
I WISH PAPER ROUTES WERE STILL
AROUND BUT I THOUGHT UP SOME
THINGS FOR NEW PAPER ROUTE.
HOW ABOUT WORK OUT WITH A COUPLE
OF NEIGHBORS THAT THE KIDS GOING
TO HAVE TO WALK A COUPLE OF DOGS
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
HERE IN FLORIDA, HOW ABOUT
CLEANING SWIMMING POOLS?
SOMETHING WHERE YOU HAVE GOT TO
DO IT EVERY DAY OR YOU DO IT
EVERY WEEK.
THAT'S CLEANING SWIMMING POOLS.
LEARNING FROM A DISCIPLINE OF
WORK SKILLS.
>> YOU MAY HAVE SAID A COUPLE OF
PLACE BUT I SAW WITH LESLIE
STALL ON CBS 60 MINUTES, SHE
ASKED YOU IF YOU CAN BE CURED OF
ASPERGERS WOULD YOU IN
>> I LIKE THE WAY I THINK SO I
DON'T WANT TO BE CURED OF
AUTISM, I LIKE MY LOGICAL
THINKING BUT ON THE OTHER HAND I
SEE TOO MANY PEOPLE ON HIGH END
WHERE AUTISM IS THEIR TOTAL
INTEREST AND THEY'RE NOT
INTERESTED IN OTHER THINGS.
I WOULD RATHER HAVE KIDS COME UP
AND TELL ME THEY LOVE ASTRONOMY
OR LOVE TRAINING DOGS.
BECAUSE AUTISTIC KIDS GET FIXATE
TON FAVORITE THINGS, YOU GOT TO
BROADEN OUT THOSE IF I IF I
CANNIZATIONS.
IF HE LIKES READING WITH WITH
TRAINS CH LET'S READ A PLACE
WHERE THE TRAIN GOES.
THE LINK BACK TO THE FAVORITE
THING TRAINS.
>> BUT YOU SAID TOO THAT WITHOUT
THE AUTISTIC BRAIN WE MIGHT NOT
HAVE THE WONDERFUL THINGS WEAPON
IN TODAY'S SOCIETY.
>> WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT BACK
IN THE CAVE MAN DAYS, THE MEN
AROUND THE CAMPFIRE DIDN'T MAKE
THE FIRST STONE SPEAR.
BRAIN CAN BE MORE THINKING OR IT
CAN BE MORE SOCIAL.
AND THERE'S A CERTAIN POINT
WHERE A LITTLE BIT OF AUTISM OR
ASPERGERS TRAIT IS NORMAL
VARIATION.
WHEN GEEKS AND NERDS TURN TO
AUTISM, THERE'S NO DIVIDING
LINE.
HALF OF SILICON VALLEY HAS A
TOUCH OF AUTISM.
I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE IN
ENGINEERING, I KNOW THEY HAVE A
TOUCH OF AUTISM.
>> THIS STATION WOULD FALL APART
IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE ONE.
>> TELL YOUR STORY, YOU WERE
OFFICIALLY DIAGNOSED WITH
ASPERGERS AT 50?
>> AT 50.
>> WHAT LED UP TO THAT?
SO YOU HAD NO IDEA.
HOW DID HA COME ABOUT?
I ALWAYS KNEW THAT I WAS
DIFFERENT AND I DIDN'T FIT IN
BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME.
I NEVER REALLY GAVE IT MUCH
THOUGHT.
ACTUALLY I JUST FORGED AHEAD AND
DID WHAT MY SPECIAL INTEREST LED
ME TO NEXT.
AND ONE DAY A COWORKER, HER SON,
SHE WAS WITH HIM TOOK HIM TO ANY
PSYCHOLOGIST AND SHE SAID MY SON
AS ASPERGERS SYNDROME.
I HAD NEVER HEARD OF THAT WORD.
I SAID WHAT IS THAT?
SO SHE HANDS ME THE PAPERS AND
I'M LIKE LISA, WHAT DOES THIS
SOUND LIKE ME?
THIS WOMAN HAD KNOWN ME TEN
YEARS AND SHE SAYS YOU'RE RIGHT.
IT DOES.
SO I STOPPED AT THE BOOKSTORE
AND GOT EVERY BOOK ABOUT
ASPERGERS SYNDROME AND BY THE
NEXT MORNING I KNEW I HAD
ASPERGERS SYNDROME AND THEN I
WHEN TO THE NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST
AND HE WENT OVER A COUPLE OF
DAYS OF TEN HOURS WORTH ORISKANY
TESTING WITH IQ TESTS AND THE
TESTS THEY MAKE YOU GO THROUGH
TO GET THE OFFICIAL DIAGNOSIS SO
THEY HAND ME A PIECE OF PAPER
AND THEY SAID YOU DO HAVE
ASPERGERS SYNDROME.
I'M GLAD I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL I
WAS 50 BECAUSE I WORRY WHEN I
SEE YOUNG PEEP THEY WOULD FOCUS
ON THAT LABEL AND IT'S LIKE THEY
BECOME FIXATEED THAT THEY HAVE A
LABEL, THEY HAVE ASPERGERS AND I
WOULD RATHER -- I'M GLAD I
DIDN'T KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S A
LOT OF EXCITING THINGS LIKE
FLIENING AN F-15 FIGHT JET.
THAT BECAME A FIXATION.
NAVAL AVIATION, PHOTO
JOURNALISM, AND IF I KNEW I HAD
AS P PER GUESS I MIGHT HAVE
SPENT TOO MUCH TIME AT HOME SIT
OPTION A COMPUTER AND JUST DOING
WASTEFUL TIME THINGS AND
FOCUSING ON MY GOSH, I HAVE GOT
ASPERGERS INSTEAD OF OUT THERE
DOING THINGS.
>> WHAT IS AMAZING IS THE FACT
THAT YOU WERE DIAGNOSED AT 50.
YOU'RE NOT TOO MUCH OLDER THAN
50 RIGHT NOW.
YOU HAVE WRITTEN ONE BOOK,
JUSTIFYISHED ANOTHER.
YOU HAVE ORGANIZED A CONFERENCE
OR CERTAINLY BEEN PART OF THE
ORGANIZATION OF A CONFERENCE.
SO YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO FOCUS
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY TEMPLE, YOU
HAVE DONE AMAZING THINGS ON A
GLOBAL BASIS WITH ANIMALS.
>> I HAVE ALSO WORKED ON
IMPLEMENTING THE MCDONALD'S
ANIMAL WELFARE PROGRAM BECAUSE
YOU CAN GET PEOPLE THE BUY THE
EQUIPMENT PUT IN THE EQUIPMENT,
HALF ARE ON EQUIPMENT I DESEEN
SIGN BUD YOU GOT TO GET PEOPLE
TO RUN IT RIGHT.
SO TEN YEARS AGO I WORKED WITH
PEOPLE AT MCDONALDS TO AUDIT THE
APPLIANCE TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE
DOING THINGS RIGHT.
YOU CAN GO ON MY WEBSITE
GRANDIN.COM, LOTS OF STUFF ON
LIVESTOCK IN THAT.
>> INTERESTING.
INTERESTING.
>> WHAT DO YOU GUYS MAKE OF THE
FACT THAT APPARENTLY THE NUMBER
OF AUTISM CASES ARE RISE
SOMETHING IN OTHER WORDS,
STATISTICS SAY THERE ARE MORE
PEOPLE --
>> I THINK ON A MILD END OF
SPECTRUM JUST INCREASED
DETECTION.
BECAUSE I KNOW LOTS OF PEOPLE
GRAY HAIRS LIKE ME UNDIAGNOSED
ON THE SPECTRUM.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, AUTISM IS
NOT PRECISE.
IN MY BOOK THE AUTISTIC BRAIN
THAT GO OVER HISTORY OF THE DSM,
THE DIAGNOSTIC STATISTICAL
MANUAL USED BY PSYCHIATRISTS,
EVERY DECADE THEY CHANGE THE
DIAGNOSIS, THEY ARE GOING TO
TAKE THAT WORD OUT AND SAY
SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS DISORDER.
NOBODY IS CHANGING THE DINNING
ZEST TO HAVE TUBERCULOSIS, IT'S
BASED ON BEHAVIORAL PROFILES OF
CLUSTERS OF SYMPTOMS.
THE MAIN THING THAT DETERMINES
SOMEONE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM
MILD END IS REAL SOCIALLY
AWKWARD AND TENDING TO HAVE
FIXATED INTERESTS OR REPETITIVE
BEHAVIOR.
IT'S A BEHAVIORAL PROFILE AND
IT'S NOT PRECISE.
IT'S NOT LIKE HAVING
TUBERCULOSIS WHERE YOU GET A
PRECISE DIAGNOSIS.
P
>> WOULD THE TALK OF VACCINES,
YOUR THOUGHTSEN THAT?
>> I DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS THAT
SUBJECT BECAUSE EVERYONE GETS
HUNG UP ON THAT AND WE DONE TUCK
ABOUT THE STUFF I'M REALLY
INTERESTED IN LIKE JOBS.
>> TALK TO ME ABOUT JOBS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
OBVIOUSLY OF COURSE AUTISM IS A
VERY BIG SPECTRUM.
YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE SEVERE,
MAYBE CAPABLE OF DOING SHOULDER
TYPE OF JOB THEN YOU HAVE THE
OTHER HALF OF THE SPECTRUM FULLY
VERBAL.
WE NEED TO TEACH WORK SKILLS
AROUND AGE 12, WALKING DOGS FOR
THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS AND YOU
DO IT EVERY DAY AND GET PAID TO
DO IT.
NEEDS TO BE WORK OUTSIDE THE
HOME, WE HAVE TO SET THINGS UP
IN THE INFORMAL ECONOMY AND WHEN
THEY'RE 16 THEY GO INTO THE
INFORMAL ECONOMY WHEN THEY'RE
YOUNG, FORMAL WHEN OLDER.
I WAS SHINGLING THE HORSE BARN
ROOF AT 16.
I WAS PAINTING SIGNS FOR WINTER
CARNIVAL.
THAT MORPHED TO A FREELANCE SIGN
PAINTING BUSINESS.
SO THE VERY FIRST FREELANCE WORK
I DID WAS PAINTING SIGNS FOR THE
CARNIVAL, THAT WAS A LOT OF
SILLY THINGS LIKE THE HIM LAYIAN
SIZE MONSTER, REAL SILLY STUFF
BUT I WAS LEARNING THESE WORK
SKILLS.
LEARNING HOW TO SELL YOURSELF.
FREELANCE WORK IS A GOOD THING.
THEN I STARTED WRITING TO THE
MAGAZINE.
I WENT TO THE EDITOR AND TOLD
HIM I HAD DONE THESIS WORK ON
CATTLE HANDLING AND WOULD THEY
BE INTERESTED.
HOW DID YOU GET THE GUT TO DO
THAT?
BACK TO WHEN I WAS 8, MOTHER
WOULD HAVE ME PUT ON MY SUNDAY
BEST DRESS, SHE HAD DINNER
GUESTS OVER, I SHAKE HANDS, GOOD
EVENING, MR. WOOD.
IT WASN'T -- IT WAS MR. WOOD AND
I WOULD SHAKE HANDS WITH HIM AND
THEN I SERVED HORS DOERVES TO
THE GUESTS.
THEY HAVE TO GET OUT AND DO
WORK.
I HAD TERRIBLE PROBLEMS WITH
ANXIETY.
THAT'S CONTROLLED NOW WITH
ANTIDEPRESSANTS SO I'M CAREFUL,
A LITTLE DAB OF PROZAC STOPS
SOME OF THAT ANXIETY, CAN REALLY
MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE, BUT YOU
WANT TO USE MEDICINE CAREFULLY
AND CONSERVATIVELY, WAY TOO MANY
DRUGS GIVEN OUT TO LITTLE KIDS.
>> ANITA, PIGGY BACKING ON THAT
A LITTLE BIT?
>> THERE'S A HUGE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE -- THE NUMBERS I HAVE
LOOKED UP RECENTLY AND STILL
APPEARS THE SAME NUMBER, ONLY
10% OF PEOPLE WITH ASPERGERS ARE
WORKING.
>> ONLY 10?
>> ONLY 10, THE REST ARE
COLLECTING DISABILITY.
YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE
PHYSICALLY HEALTHY AND I HAVE
SEEN PEOPLE THE SUPPORT GROUP
AND SIT THERE -- PEOPLE IN THEIR
30s, 40s 50s TALK ABOUT
BEING ON A COMPUTER GOOGLING
WHATEVER THAT STRIKES THEIR
FANCY WHILE COLLECTING
DISABILITY.
SITTING THERE LOOKING AT THEM
LIKE PEOPLE FIND THERAPISTS AND
COUNSEL ALREADIES WHERE THEY CAN
GO PEOPLE WHO WILL FILL OUT THE
PAPERWORK, ENABLE THEM TO GET
THAT DISABILITY, WE NEED TO GET
THE PEOPLE OUT THERE WORKING.
SOONER OR LATER THE GOVERNMENT
IS GOING TO RUN OUT OF
DISABILITY FUNDING TO BE GIVEN
OUT FOR THAT.
>> AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE YOU
GOT PEOPLE ON THE SEVERE END OF
THE SPECTRUM, NON-VERBAL, CANNOT
LIVE INDEPENDENT THEY NEED THE
SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK.
THIS IS THE POINT.
YOU HAVE A VERY BIG SPECTRUM BUT
WHERE ARE ALL THE GRAY HAIR?
THERE'S TONS OF GRAY HAIRS OUT
THERE ON THE MILDER END OF THE
AUTISM SPECTRUM AND ABLE TO KEEP
EMPLOYMENT.
AND ITCH WORKED WITH THEM IN THE
INDUSTRY, MAINTENANCE SHOP THEY
RAISE CATTLE, THEY DO WELDING,
METAL FABRICATION WORK.
THEY FIX COMPUTERS, DO THE
ACCOUNTING.
>> FASCINATING.
WHAT A FASCINATING DO
DISCUSSION.
WEAVER OUT OF TIME.
-- WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
YOUR WEBSITE IS --
>> MY WEBSITE FOR AUTISM IS
TEMPLEGRANDIN.COM.
AND MY LIFE LIVESTOCK IS
GRANDIN.COM.
>> ANITA?
>> BORNWITH AT LEAST
ASPERGERS.COM.
>> THANK YOU FOR TALKING TO US.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
>> ANITA LESKO, TEMPLE GRANDIN
JOINING US TO DISCUSS ASPERGERS
AND AUTISM.
AND YOU CAN CHECK OUT THEIR
WEBSITES, GOOGLE THEIR NAMES AND
BOTH WILL POP UP.
YOU CAN SEE MORE OF OUR
CONVERSATIONS ONLINE AT
WSRE.ORG/CONVERSATIONS.
I'M JEFF WEEKS, THANK YOU SO
VERY MUCH FOR WATCHING.
HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE BROADCAST.
TAKE GREAT CARE OF YOURSELF AND
WE'LL SEE YOU SOON.
♪♪
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