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BUT, YOU KNOW, NOT THIS TIME. IT'S CANDY.
YEAH, I'M LIKE, "WHAT?"
AND THERE'S SIX FEET OF CANDY ROLLED UP IN HERE.
OH YEAH, THAT'S A LOT OF SOUR, YOU KNOW.
I KNOW YOU KNOW.
♪ IT'S NEW, IT'S CANDY, IT'S HUBBA BUBBA SOUR GUMMI TAPE ♪
THAT IS SO HUBBA BUBBA.
LET'S PLAY. 12 DIVIDED BY 3.
INCORRECT.
WE NEED HELP.
ANOTHER NAME FOR A SMALL STREAM.
BROOK IS CORRECT.
DELAWARE.
81!
THE NILE!
YOU'VE DESTROYED ME WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE...
Announcer: GOLDFISH. THE FUN LITTLE CRACKERS
ALWAYS BAKED AND MADE WITH REAL CHEESE.
HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW? WHOA!
♪♪♪
GOLDFISH.
[♪...]
>> Announcer: THIS IS "NICK NEWS
WITH LINDA ELLERBEE."
"PRIVATE WORLDS:
KIDS AND AUTISM."
AND NOW, HERE IS LINDA ELLERBEE.
>> IMAGINE BEING DISCONNECTED
FROM THE WORLD AROUND YOU.
NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE SENSE
OF SOME THINGS YOU SEE, HEAR,
SMELL AND TOUCH.
NEEDING SOMETHING AND NOT BEING
ABLE TO EXPRESS YOURSELF.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF
THE CHALLENGES THAT MAY BE FACED
BY KIDS WITH AUTISM.
AUTISM IS NOT A MENTAL ILLNESS,
IT'S NOT A CHOICE,
AND IT'S NOT CONTAGIOUS.
IT'S A BRAIN DISORDER THAT
AFFECTS YOUR ABILITY TO TAKE IN
THE WORLD AROUND YOU, PROCESS IT
AND COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS.
KIDS WITH AUTISM HAVE BEEN
DESCRIBED AS "LIVING IN THEIR
OWN PRIVATE WORLD."
BUT THEY'RE ALSO LIVING IN
OUR WORLD, AND THEREIN LIES
THE CHALLENGE.
FOR ALL OF US.
>> Child: IT'S HARD TO KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE MINDS
OF PEOPLE WITH AUTISM.
>> BUT, WELL, WITH MY AUTISTIC
SISTER, YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN
THEY'RE GONNA GET A TANTRUM,
WHEN THEY'RE GONNA BE ANGRY,
WHEN THEY'RE GONNA BE SAD
AND WHEN THEY'RE GONNA BE HAPPY.
>> MY BROTHER CAN'T TALK, WELL,
NOT VERY WELL.
ALSO, HE USES A BOARD TO
SPELL OUT WORDS.
"L-I-T-T..."
>> MY SISTER DOESN'T TALK LIKE
YOU AND I TALK.
SHE JUST MAKES SOUNDS.
>> [SPEAKS INCOMPREHENSIBLY]
>> "AUTISM" MEANS FROM
THE GREEK, "TURN INWARD."
BASICALLY, NOT NECESSARILY
NEEDING OTHER PEOPLE.
I'M DR. AMI KLIN AND I DIRECT
THE AUTISM PROGRAM AT THE YALE
CHILD STUDY CENTER.
>> SOMETIMES AUTISTIC KIDS,
THEY FLAIL THEIR ARMS LIKE THIS
OR FLAIL THEM LIKE THAT
OR MOVE THEIR HEAD, JUST MOVE
THEIR BODY, SHAKE IT.
>> MY BROTHER, HE'LL SPIN
THINGS, LIKE, ANYTHING, A BOOK,
A DVD, A BALL, LIKE, ANYTHING,
HE JUST LOVES TO SPIN IT.
>> Dr. Klin: FOR MANY CHILDREN
WITH AUTISM, THE WORLD OUT THERE
IS TOO CONFUSING,
AND THEY CAN LOOK AT THEIR HANDS
OR THEY CAN FLAP THEIR HANDS.
IT'S ALMOST A WAY OF CALMING
ONESELF DOWN, MAKING THEIR WORLD
IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN COPE
WITH IT.
>> I DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE
REALLY KNOWS WHAT CAUSES AUTISM.
>> [SPEAKS INCOMPREHENSIBLY]
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE I MEET
THINK THAT AUTISM IS LIKE
MENTALLY RETARDED AND THINGS
LIKE THAT, AND IT'S NOT AT ALL.
[GENERAL CONVERSATION]
>> Girl: THERE'S DIFFERENT
LEVELS OF AUTISM.
THERE'S HIGH-FUNCTIONING AUTISM,
MODERATE AUTISM, SEVERE AUTISM.
MY BROTHER, CHRIS, HAS
HIGH-FUNCTIONING, WHICH MEANS
HE CAN CONTROL HIS AUTISM.
>> THE MORE INTELLECTUALLY
DISABLED THE CHILD IS, THE MORE
LIKELY IS THAT CHILD TO NEED
MORE HELP THROUGHOUT
THEIR LIVES.
>> [SPEAKS INCOMPREHENSIBLY]
>> SOME OF THE THINGS MY SISTER
NEEDS HELP WITH IS GETTING
DRESSED, LIKE TYING HER SHOES
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I DO BELIEVE THAT MORE AND MORE
CHILDREN ARE BEING DIAGNOSED
WITH AUTISM.
>> Ellerbee: THE LATEST STUDY
SAYS THAT ONE IN 150 KIDS IS
AUTISTIC, BUT NOBODY IS QUITE
SURE WHETHER THAT MEANS THERE
ARE MORE KIDS WITH AUTISM TODAY,
OR WE'RE JUST BETTER AT
DIAGNOSING IT.
>> [SPEAKS INCOMPREHENSIBLY]
[LAUGHS]
>> I LOVE MY SISTER, AND, UM,
IT GETS HARD SOMETIMES, BECAUSE
YOU WISH THAT SHE COULD BE LIKE
EVERYONE ELSE.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE,
SOMETIMES THEY SAY THINGS LIKE,
UM, "I LOVE THAT PERSON THE WAY
THEY ARE, I WOULD NEVER CHANGE
THEM," BUT HONESTLY, IF I COULD
CHANGE MY SISTER, I WOULD.
JUST SO THINGS WOULD BE EASIER
ON HER.
>> IT'S HARD TO COMPREHEND
WHAT LIFE IS LIKE FOR A KID
WITH SEVERE AUTISM, BECAUSE
THAT KID CAN'T TELL US.
ANDREW CAN'T TELL US.
BUT MAYBE HIS FAMILY CAN HELP US
UNDERSTAND ANDREW'S WORLD.
>> ♪ A, B, C, D, E, F, G ♪
♪ H, I, J, K... ♪
HEY, KNOCK IT OFF...
ANDREW DOES HAVE A MORE SEVERE
FORM OF AUTISM.
THE DEAL WITH ANDREW IS
EVERYTHING IN HIS BRAIN
IS KIND OF MIXED-UP.
MY NAME IS ARIANNA AND I'M
ANDREW'S SISTER.
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
>> BOBBY EAT, I DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S...
>> Arianna: ARE YOU O.K.?
>> MM-MM, O.K.
>> Arianna: HEY, COME HERE.
YOU'RE O.K.
HE STRUGGLES EVERY DAY WITH
HIS LIFE, THINGS ARE SO MUCH
HARDER FOR HIM.
THE THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED,
LIKE WALKING, PLAYING WITH
OTHER KIDS, HAVING
CONVERSATIONS, EATING LUNCH,
ALL OF THIS STUFF IS A CHALLENGE
FOR HIM.
>> WHERE'S MY NAPKIN?
>> Arianna: WELL, CHECK IT OUT,
CHECK IN THE MIDDLE.
>> ANDREW, LOOK ON THE TABLE.
ON TOP OF THE TABLE.
LOOK ON TOP OF THE TABLE AND SEE
IF YOU CAN FIND THE NAPKIN.
>> Arianna: ANDREW, LOOK.
AROUND HERE, IN THE MIDDLE,
THERE YOU GO.
>> THIS WORLD IS CHAOTIC
FOR ANDREW.
HIS SENSES GET MIXED-UP
SOMETIMES.
MY NAME IS JASON, AND I'M
ANDREW'S BROTHER.
>> ALL OF ANDREW'S SENSES
ARE CONSTANTLY BOMBARDED.
HE FEELS, SEES, HEARS AND SMELLS
EVERYTHING AT THE SAME TIME,
HE CAN'T TUNE ANY OF IT OUT.
WE'RE POITA AND BILL AND WE'RE
ANDREW'S PARENTS.
>> WHEN YOU'RE SITTING IN
A CHAIR AS A NORMAL PERSON,
YOU CAN ENGAGE THE PERSON YOU'RE
TALKING TO WITHOUT REALIZING
THAT YOU'RE SITTING IN A CHAIR.
YOU KNOW YOU ARE, BUT YOU DON'T
ACTUALLY FEEL YOURSELF
IN THE CHAIR.
ANDREW DOES.
WHILE HE'S ENGAGED WITH YOU
IN THE CONVERSATION, HE'S
FEELING HIMSELF IN THE CHAIR
AND HE'S NOTICING THAT THERE IS
A BREEZE GOING THROUGH HIS HAIR,
AND HE CAN HEAR THE VIDEO IN
THE OTHER ROOM.
HE DOESN'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY
OF FILTERING THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING HE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON,
WHICH IS WHAT NORMAL PEOPLE DO.
>> YOU WANT TO GO LOOK AT
THE VIDEOS?
YOU WANT TO GO LOOK AT
THE VIDEOS, ANDREW?
>> [HUMS]
>> Arianna: WELL, IT'S KIND OF
HARD WHEN WE GO OUT IN PUBLIC
PLACES, BECAUSE ANDREW WILL GET
REALLY AGITATED, MAYBE START
SPRINTING DOWN THE AISLE OF,
LIKE, SHOPPING CENTER OR
ANYTHING.
UM, JUST SCREAMING, GRABBING
STUFF OFF THE AISLES.
>> PEOPLE LOOK AT US, AND AT
THE BEGINNING, IT WAS REALLY
UNCOMFORTABLE JUST BEING
STARED AT, IT WAS ACTUALLY
A LITTLE BIT EMBARRASSING,
BUT NOW I'VE GOTTEN USED TO IT.
>> [SPEAKS AND SINGS
INCOMPREHENSIBLY]
>> Poita: WELL, I REMEMBER WHEN
MY TWO OLDER CHILDREN WERE
MAYBE SIX AND FOUR.
THEY ASKED ME, "MOM, WHEN IS
ANDREW GONNA GET BETTER?"
[CRIES] THAT WAS THE DAY
THAT I HAD TO TELL THEM THAT
ANDREW'S NEVER GONNA GET BETTER,
HE'S NEVER GONNA GET COMPLETELY
BETTER, HE WON'T RECOVER FROM
AUTISM, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE HIM
THE BEST THAT HE CAN BE.
>> Arianna: HE'LL NEVER HAVE
A NORMAL LIFE AND HE IS IN
HIS OWN LITTLE WORLD,
BUT WITH THERAPY, WE'RE TRYING
TO BRING HIM INTO OUR WORLD.
>> WE WORK TO HELP ANDREW'S
BRAIN GET BETTER.
AND WE DO THAT BY TAKING
EVERYTHING THAT A NORMAL CHILD
HIS AGE DOES, AND TRY TO HELP
HIM DO THE SAME TYPE OF STUFF.
>> ...NINE, 10, GOOD JOB!
>> MY NAME IS JULISA AND I'M
ONE OF ANDREW'S HOME THERAPISTS.
I HAVE SOME MATH WORK FOR YOU.
>> I NEED TO GET A PENCIL.
>> Julisa: IN SOME THINGS,
ANDREW IS VERY SMART.
I MEAN, WHEN HE SITS DOWN TO DO
MATH, HE CAN FIGURE IT OUT.
>> I FINISHED MY WORK.
>> YOU DID?
LET ME CHECK THAT OUT.
THERE ARE PIECES OF HIS BRAIN
THAT WEREN'T HURT BY AUTISM.
96 IS...
>> MORE THAN 33.
>> THAT'S RIGHT!
HIGH-FIVE.
GOOD JOB.
OUR JOB IS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
PIECES NEED TO BE WORKED ON, AND
HELP HIM PUT IT ALL TOGETHER.
>> [SQUEALS/HUMS]
>> ANDREW, HE DOES SOMETHING
CALLED STIMMING, WHICH IS
BASICALLY SELF-STIMULATION.
HE FLOPS HIS HANDS, HE SPINS
IN CIRCLES.
>> HE STARTS SAYING THINGS
WITH HIS MOUTH THAT DON'T
MAKE SENSE TO ANYBODY ELSE.
>> [SPEAKS INCOMPREHENSIBLY]
>> Julisa: AND HE STARTS
DOING THINGS WITH HIS BODY
THAT SEEM A LITTLE WEIRD.
>> LIKE BLINKING YOUR EYES
REALLY FAST, SHAKING YOUR HEAD.
>> AND IT'S JUST HIS WAY OF
SAYING, "I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO
TO DO, IT'S TOO MUCH FOR ME."
>> Woman: SQUISH!
SQUISH!
>> Julisa: SOMETIMES, THE WAY
WE CALM HIM DOWN IS BY GETTING
A PILLOW AND PUTTING IT OVER
HIS BODY AND JUST SQUEEZING DOWN
ON HIM, AND FOR HIM, IT KIND OF
HAS A CALMING EFFECT.
>> Arianna: ANDREW LOVES
PUZZLES, AND THAT'S KIND OF
IRONIC, BECAUSE AUTISM
IS DEFINITELY LIKE A PUZZLE,
IN TERMS OF HOW ANDREW PERCEIVES
THE WORLD.
I'M DEFINITELY SEEING PROGRESS
WITH ANDREW EVERY DAY.
THERE'S NO CURE, BUT WE'RE DOING
EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN, HELPING
HIM HAVE FUN AND JUST ENJOY LIFE
AS HE HAS IT.
>> Julisa: WE HAVE HAD SUCH HOPE
FOR HIM AND SUCH EXPECTATIONS,
AND WE NEVER GIVE UP.
HE'S NEVER GIVEN UP, SO IT WOULD
JUST BE SO UNFAIR FOR THE REST
OF US TO GIVE UP ON HIM.
>> HAVING AN AUTISTIC BROTHER
HAS BEEN BOTH INTERESTING
AND CHALLENGING, BUT WHEN LIFE
HANDS YOU LEMONS, YOU MAKE
LEMONADE, THAT'S WHAT OUR FAMILY
HAS BEEN TRYING TO DO.
>> ASPERGER'S SYNDROME IS
GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE
A MILDER FORM OF AUTISM.
SOME KIDS WITH ASPERGER'S MAY
HAVE A HIGHER-THAN-AVERAGE I.Q.,
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO
SOCIALIZING, THEY STILL HAVE
TROUBLE FITTING IN.
>> Boy: MY NAME IS BOND AND I
HAVE ASPERGER'S SYNDROME.
MY BRAIN IS WIRED DIFFERENTLY
THAN A PERSON WITHOUT ASPERGER'S
SYNDROME.
MOST OTHER KIDS ALREADY KNOW
HOW TO SOCIALIZE WELL WITH OTHER
PEOPLE, BUT PEOPLE WITH
ASPERGER'S SYNDROME, IT TAKES
TIME TO LEARN HOW TO INTERACT
WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN TERMS OF
CONVERSATIONS.
I CARE MORE ABOUT MY SCHOOLWORK
THAN TYPICAL PEOPLE CARE,
TYPICAL PEOPLE CARE ABOUT
OTHER THINGS, LIKE BEING ABLE TO
SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FRIENDS.
NORMALLY AT LUNCH, I JUST EAT MY
LUNCH, AND, UH, AFTER I'M DONE
EATING MY LUNCH, I LIKE TO
WORK ON MY HOMEWORK.
I'VE NEVER REALLY BEEN
INTERESTED IN RIDING A BIKE OR
PLAYING SPORTS, AND SOMETIMES
I LIKE TO ZONE OUT A LOT, LIKE,
BE IN MY OWN WORLD, THINK ABOUT
MY OWN STUFF, WHICH CAN BE
A PROBLEM WHEN I'M OUT IN PUBLIC
OR WHEN I'M WALKING ACROSS
THE STREET.
>> BOND WILL SPACE OUT AND NOT
REALIZE THAT THERE MAY BE A CAR
COMING BACK AND FORTH, SO EVERY
DAY, AFTER SCHOOL, I ALWAYS
WALK HOME WITH HIM.
I'M BLAZE, I'M BOND'S BROTHER.
HE HAS A REALLY HARD TIME
GETTING ALONG WITH PEOPLE
HE DOESN'T KNOW, STARTING
CONVERSATIONS AND STUFF LIKE
THAT, BUT HE GETS BETTER GRADES
THAN I DO.
>> [HUMS]
>> Ellerbee: BUT TO GET THOSE
GOOD GRADES, BOND NEEDS HELP
FOCUSING AND INTERACTING WITH
HIS TEACHERS AND OTHER KIDS,
SO HE HAS AN AIDE WHO WORKS WITH
HIM THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE TO
WORK WITH WITH BOND IS PATIENCE
AND WAITING AND WAITING HIS TURN
AND LETTING PEOPLE FINISH THEIR
THOUGHTS BEFORE JUMPING IN.
MY NAME IS HEATHER AND I WORK
WITH BOND AT SCHOOL.
>> ONE DOMINANT-RECESSIVE,
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M
SAYING?
SHE'S DONE A LOT TO HELP ME
OVER THE YEARS, AS WE'VE
BEEN TOGETHER.
FOR NUMBER THREE, DID YOU...
>> Heather: YOU'RE REALLY
TAKING OVER THE GROUP,
DON'T YOU THINK?
>> Bond: LIKE WHEN I'M IN
A GROUP, I NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT I'M NOT BEING BOSSY WITH
EVERYONE AND JUST TELLING THEM
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD OF DISCUSSING
IT WITH THEM, YOU KNOW WHAT
I MEAN?
>> A LOT OF KIDS ARE BOSSY,
BUT KIDS WITH ASPERGER'S,
FOR BOND, AT LEAST, HE DOESN'T
UNDERSTAND THAT HE'S BEING
BOSSY.
>> I THOUGHT ALL WE NEEDED TO GO
OVER WAS THE GENOME AND...
>> HE DOESN'T WANT TO HURT YOUR
FEELINGS.
>> Bond: ASPERGER'S CAUSES ME
TO OVERREACT TO THINGS THAT
SHOULDN'T BE THAT BIG OF
A PROBLEM.
THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I WAS
FRUSTRATED, I'D, LIKE, HIT
MYSELF ON THE HEAD OR BUMP INTO
PEOPLE AND RUN INTO PEOPLE IN
THE HALLWAYS, JUST SLAM DOORS.
MAY I GO TO THE WATER FOUNTAIN
TO GET A DRINK?
AS THE YEARS WENT ON, I'VE BEEN
LEARNING TO DEAL WITH ANGER
AND FRUSTRATION BY DOING THINGS
SUCH AS TAKING DEEP BREATHS
OR GOING TO THE WATER FOUNTAIN
TO GET A DRINK.
[INHALES DEEPLY]
[EXHALES]
>> Heather: LAST YEAR, I SAW
A LOT OF FRUSTRATION AND
A LOT OF ANGER AND A LOT OF
CALLING OUT AND NOT WAITING.
UH, THIS YEAR, THE ONLY THING
THAT WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF
PROBLEMS WITH IS SELF-TALK
AND NOT REALIZING THAT PEOPLE
ARE AROUND HIM WHEN HE'S
TALKING TO HIMSELF.
>> [SINGS INCOMPREHENSIBLY]
[SPEAKS INCOMPREHENSIBLY]
>> Heather: HE JUST TALKS TO
HIMSELF, MOVES HIS MOUTH,
SMILES, LAUGHS, AND HE NEEDS
SOMEBODY TO SAY, "BOND, YOU'RE
TALKING TO YOURSELF."
HE CAN'T GET OUT OF THAT
SELF-TALK.
>> [SPEAKS INCOMPREHENSIBLY]
WHEN YOU HAVE ASPERGER'S
SYNDROME, THERE ARE THINGS YOU
CAN DO IN THE PRIVACY OF
YOUR HOME, BUT THINGS THAT YOU
CAN'T DO IN PUBLIC.
[LAUGHS]
>> Blaze: YOU HAVE TO REALIZE
IT IS A DISABILITY, LIKE ANY
OTHER DISABILITY OUT THERE.
HE MIGHT DO SOMETHING KIND OF
WEIRD OR SILLY, AND THEY'LL
JUST BE LIKE, "WHOA, THAT KID'S
WEIRD," AND THEN MAKE FUN OF HIM
AND NOT EVEN REALIZE THAT HE HAS
A DISABILITY.
BUT, LIKE, THAT'S THE WHOLE
REASON THAT PEOPLE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT ASPERGER'S IS.
>> HOW HAVE YOU BEEN DOING
THIS WEEK?
>> IT'S BEEN VERY BUSY
THIS WEEK.
>> Bond: ONE OF THE THINGS
I'M DOING TO HELP ME LEARN
HOW TO SOCIALIZE IS VOLUNTEERING
AT A LOCAL LIBRARY.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO LEARN
THE SKILLS I WOULD NEED TO BE
ABLE TO INTERACT WITH OTHER
PEOPLE IN THE WORKPLACE.
SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
>> BYE.
>> Bond: GOOD-BYE.
I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND
THAT A PERSON WITH ASPERGER
SYNDROME, UH, SAYS ANYTHING
IN A HARSH TONE OF VOICE, THAT
THEY DON'T MEAN IT TO SOUND
LIKE, SOUND THAT WAY, AND I WANT
PEOPLE TO RESPECT THE FACT
THAT I MIGHT BE DIFFERENT
FROM THEM IN SOME WAYS,
AND THAT'S O.K.
>> SOME AUTISTIC KIDS POSSESS
EXTRAORDINARY GIFTS, SOMETIMES
IN ART OR MATH.
THIS IS CALLED SAVANT SYNDROME.
IT'S RARE, BUT IT HAPPENS.
[PLAYING JAZZ...]
>> I STARTED PLAYING PIANO AT
THE AGE OF SIX-AND-A-HALF.
AND I STARTED JAZZ A YEAR LATER.
MY NAME IS MATT AND I'M
14 YEARS OLD.
>> Man: THE AUTISM GIVES HIM
AN ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND
THE STRUCTURE OF MUSIC.
HE DOESN'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT
WHAT NOTE COMES NEXT.
HIS AUTISM ALLOWS HIM TO DO
THAT.
MY NAME'S LARRY AND I'M MATT'S
FATHER.
THE MUSIC HAS HELPED HIM
BASICALLY COME OUT OF HIS SHELL.
AND HE LEARNED TO RELATE TO
PEOPLE THROUGH MUSIC, AND PEOPLE
RELATE TO HIM THROUGH HIS MUSIC.
MATT STILL STRUGGLES WITH SOME
OF HIS AUTISM SYMPTOMS, LIKE
WHEN HE'S SIGNING CDs AFTER
A SHOW, OFTENTIMES, MANY PEOPLE
WILL BE TALKING TO HIM AT ONCE,
BUT HE CAN REALLY ONLY FOCUS
ON ONE PERSON AT A TIME.
MATT'S MUSIC ABILITIES ARE
REALLY QUITE AMAZING.
IT'S NOT TYPICAL IN CHILDREN
WITH AUTISM.
IT'S JUST A SPECIAL CASE.
>> WELL, I KNOW THAT THERE'S
A GIFT INSIDE ME, AND I THINK
IT SORT OF, IT COMES FROM
THE BRAIN AND GOES RIGHT TO
MY HANDS, I DON'T REALLY EVEN
THINK ABOUT IT MUCH, WHEN
I PLAY.
I DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT
ANYTHING, REALLY, MUCH, WHEN I
PLAY MUSIC.
IT'S JUST WHAT COME FROM ME.
[APPLAUSE]
>> Ellerbee: OUR UNDERSTANDING
OF AUTISM HAS COME A LONG WAY
IN A SHORT TIME.
WHEN TEMPLE GRANDIN WAS
A LITTLE GIRL, THERE WASN'T EVEN
A WORD FOR AUTISM, BUT IT
EXISTED.
>> Woman: WHEN I WAS
TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS OLD,
I HAD THE FULL-BLOWN AUTISTIC
SYMPTOMS.
I HAD NO LANGUAGE, I WOULD ROCK,
I HAD CONSTANT TANTRUMS, I WOULD
JUST SIT AND DRIBBLE SAND
THROUGH MY HANDS, AND I HAD
NO SOCIAL CONTACT WITH
OTHER PEOPLE.
IT WAS 1949, AND THE DOCTORS
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT AUTISM WAS
IN 1949, SO I WAS JUST LABELED
AS "BRAIN-DAMAGED."
MY NAME IS TEMPLE GRANDIN,
I'M PROFESSOR OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY.
I'VE DEVOTED A GREAT AMOUNT
OF MY TIME TO, UM, EXPLAINING
TO PEOPLE HOW THE AUTISTIC MIND
WORKS.
I'VE WRITTEN BOOKS, I'VE WRITTEN
MAGAZINE ARTICLES, I DO
AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, 25
CONFERENCES A YEAR.
FORTUNATELY, MY MOTHER GOT
SOME VERY GOOD MEDICAL ADVICE
FROM A DOCTOR IN BOSTON, WHO
RECOMMENDED A SPEECH THERAPY
SCHOOL, AND MY MOTHER ALSO HIRED
A NANNY, WHO SPENT HOURS PLAYING
TURN-TAKING GAMES WITH ME
AND MY SISTER.
SO THE THERAPY I GOT AS
A YOUNG CHILD WAS AS GOOD AS
THERAPIES THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
I STARTED IMPROVING, AND I GOT
MY LANGUAGE BY THE TIME I WAS
FOUR, I WAS MAINSTREAMED INTO
A NORMAL SCHOOL WITH SMALL
CLASSES.
HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL,
THE WORST PART OF MY LIFE.
I WAS THE NERD KIND OF KID
THAT THE OTHER KIDS JUST
TORTURED AND TEASED.
I'D WALK ACROSS THE PARKING LOT
WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL,
KIDS WOULD GO, "TAPE RECORDER!"
AND THEY SAID THAT BECAUSE
I ALWAYS WOULD JUST TALK ABOUT
THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER
AGAIN, AND I WOULD SAY CERTAIN
PHRASES, JUST LIKE COMING OUT
FROM A TAPE RECORDER.
AND I CAN LAUGH ABOUT IT NOW,
BUT AT THE TIME, IT REALLY HURT.
ONE THING I'M REALLY CONCERNED
ABOUT ARE KIDS LIKE ME.
THE SMART KIDS, KIND OF THE
NERDY, ODD KIDS GETTING TEASED
IN SCHOOL.
DON'T TEASE THESE PEOPLE,
HELP 'EM.
[GENERAL CONVERSATION]
>> AUTISTIC KIDS NEED A FRIEND.
I'M STEPHANIE AND I'M A JUNIOR
COACH FOR SPECIAL HOCKEY
INTERNATIONAL.
SPECIAL HOCKEY INTERNATIONAL
IS A GROUP OF SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS
WHO JUST GET TOGETHER AND PLAY
HOCKEY.
A BIG MAJORITY OF THE KIDS
ARE AUTISTIC.
NICE AND EASY, O.K., YOU JUST
GOTTA PUSH NICE AND EASY, SEE?
I AM A COACH, AND I WORK WITH
THE KIDS ONE-ON-ONE.
O.K., JUST LIKE THAT, GOOD JOB.
I DO THIS BECAUSE I'VE SEEN
HOW HARD IT IS FOR MY BROTHER
MICHAEL, WHO IS AUTISTIC.
MICHAEL HAS HAD IT VERY ROUGH
BECAUSE THE TEASING WAS SO
HORRIBLE.
THEY WOULD SAY, "OH, MIKE,
COME HERE, LOOK AT THIS,"
SO HE WOULD SIT UP AT LUNCHTIME,
AND THEN THEY WOULD STICK PIZZA
UNDER HIS SEAT SO HE WOULD SIT
DOWN IN THE PIZZA.
AND THERE WAS ONE POINT WHERE
HE JUST GOT UP AND CRIED AND
SAID, "MOMMY, DON'T MAKE ME
GO TO SCHOOL."
HEY, CHANDLER.
I WANTED TO DO THIS SO
THE AUTISTIC KIDS CAN COME
AND HAVE A PLACE WHERE
THEY DON'T GET TEASED AND WHERE
THEY CAN HAVE FRIENDS.
>> HERE IN SPECIAL HOCKEY,
THEY NEVER EVEN TEASE ME AT ALL.
MY NAME IS CHANDLER, I'VE BEEN
IN SPECIAL HOCKEY FOR FOUR
YEARS.
SPECIAL HOCKEY IS ONE OF
THE GREATEST PLACES, ALLOW ME TO
MAKE NEW FRIENDS OUT THERE.
>> CHANDLER, HE'S A GREAT KID.
CHANDLER'S AUTISTIC.
HE CAN'T REALLY FOCUS FOR
LONG AMOUNTS OF TIME, BUT HE,
YOU KNOW, CAN TALK IN COMPLETE
SENTENCES, HE CAN FUNCTION,
MORE OR LESS, LIKE A
NEUROTYPICAL PERSON.
WHEN HE FIRST CAME TO THE TEAM,
I THINK HE WAS A LITTLE BIT SHY.
NOW HE'S OUTGOING AND LOVES TO
GO FAST.
>> Chandler: WHEN I'M SKATING,
I FEEL LIKE I'M FLYING LIKE
A BIRD.
>> I THINK THAT HOCKEY SHOULD BE
FOR EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS BEN AND I'M A JUNIOR
COACH FOR SPECIAL HOCKEY.
AUTISTIC KIDS IN THIS PROGRAM
GET A LOT OUT OF IT.
THEY GET FRIENDS, RELATIONSHIPS,
THEY GET EXPERIENCES WHEN
THEY CAN HAVE FUN.
>> THE PROGRAM IS DEFINITELY
A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM.
THEY COME HERE AND THEY SKATE
AND THEY'RE PART OF A TEAM.
>> [CHEERING]: RED DEVILS!
>> Ben: PEOPLE WITHOUT AUTISM
AND PEOPLE WITH AUTISM CAN BE
FRIENDS AND THEY CAN BE
THE SAME.
IT'S JUST THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO
ADAPT THE WAY THAT YOU THINK
TO BE FRIENDS WITH THEM.
>> Stephanie: HOCKEY IS
DEFINITELY A WAY THAT TYPICAL
KIDS AND SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS
CAN INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER
AND CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER,
AND IT'S A GREAT THING.
>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AUTISTIC
TO BE DIFFERENT.
EACH OF US IS DIFFERENT, VISIBLY
AND IN OTHER WAYS.
I MEAN, NO TWO FACES ARE
THE SAME, SO WHY SHOULD ANY TWO
BRAINS BE THE SAME?
THE TRICK IS LEARNING HOW TO BE
DIFFERENT TOGETHER.
BY THE WAY, HOW ARE YOU
DIFFERENT?
I'M LINDA ELLERBEE.
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