Author and animal science professor at CSU, Temple Grandin, seen here with one of her study subjects, will be in Durango next week for a free lecture, among other events. Grandin, who is on the autism spectrum, is internationally known for her approach to humane animal treatment and advocacy for people with autism./Photo by Rosalie Winard

Autism is her super power

Noted author, advocate Temple Grandin visits Durango

by Jaime Becktel

How do we solve the world’s problems? According to Temple Grandin, the answer lies in the unique forms of genius locked inside each of us. An award-winning author and professor of animal science at Colorado State University, Grandin, 67, believes the world needs all kinds of thinkers. And as a person with autism, she has become a champion for people on the autism/Asperger’s spectrum, celebrating the valuable contributions they make to society. In addition, she has been instrumental in transforming the livestock industry with her insight into animal behavior and humane livestock handling.

Her book, Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism, was selected as the Fort Lewis College Common Reading Experience for 2015-16. In connection with that, on Wed., Sept. 30, she will give a free public lecture entitled “Helping Different Kinds of Minds Solve Problems” at Whalen Gymnasium.

Born in Boston in 1947, Grandin was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2, at a time when the disorder was associated with brain damage, infant schizophrenia and institutionalization. Nonverbal until the age of 4, she learned to speak, read, write and function in society with the tireless support and dedication of her mother, Eustacia. Throughout her life, she maneuvered a gauntlet of hardships, including constant ridicule from classmates and an inability to decode the complex social and emotional cues of “normal” society. For years, fear and anxiety were her constant companions, and life revolved primarily around avoiding situations that would trigger severe panic attacks and the overstimulation of her senses. Using what she refers to as “successful adaptation,” she taught herself the language of social conduct, etiquette and many other subtle exchanges that non-autistic people take for granted, such as shaking hands or making eye contact.

Her day-to-day existence, like most autistic people, was governed by the hyper-arousal of her nervous system. As a child, she could not tolerate the sensation of being hugged, which she said “flipped her circuit breaker.” For people with autism, problems with processing touch, vision, sound, smell and taste are common. In extreme cases, the neurological channels become scrambled, causing immense disorientation and discomfort. Fluorescent lights become harsh strobes; the texture of certain foods intolerable. Loud sounds register as painful, while subtle noises that most people effortlessly tune out can drive an autistic person into a panic. According to Grandin, with her overly sensitive skin, something as simple as a new article of clothing can feel like “a scratchy horror.”

Despite being isolated within a world of sensorial overstimulation, she persevered. Writes Grandin in her aforementioned book, “It came as a kind of revelation, as well as a blessed relief, when I realized that my sensory problems weren’t the result of my weakness or lack of character.” Her high school science teacher recognized her unique mind and was influential in her decision to pursue higher education, eventually earning a Ph.D in animal science.

Today, Grandin is a reputable authority on the handling of animals within the livestock industry. Her autism, which allows her to think in pictures, has proved to be a huge asset in designing more humane and efficient cattle facilities.

She once believed all people thought in the same way. “I used to think everyone was a visual thinker like me, but I’ve learned over the years that most people think in a mixture of ways.” People on the autism spectrum tend to think in detail, however they exhibit different types of specialized brains. They may be visual thinkers, processing the world through pictures as she does; pattern thinkers, such as people with a heightened understanding of mathematics and music, like Mozart or Einstein; and verbal logic thinkers, who make sense of the world through words, language and the retention of facts.

As a visual thinker, Grandin is constantly adding new

information to her extensive database of images. To illustrate, during a recent interview, we play a game over the phone.

“Ask me something,” she says, “and I’ll tell you what comes to mind.”

I choose the word “cowgirl.”

“Well, I see all of the Western shirts I’ve ever owned – I own a zillion Western shirts,” she says. “Now I’m seeing myself being inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame.”

I give her the word “Trigger,” envisioning Roy Rogers’ iconic palomino horse.

“Well, I’m seeing the cap pistol I used to have as a kid – Mattel’s Metal Fanner 50, a silver Annie Oakley pistol at my aunt’s ranch. And now I’m getting out of the gun file and into the horse file – I’ve got quite an extensive horse file.”

Her ability to think in pictures allows her to notice things other minds might miss. While designing cattle facilities, she experiences the world as a cow does,  seeing small, yet important details, such as reflections on puddles, swinging chains and flapping fabric that may cause the cattle distress. Her unique ability allows her to envision the design of an entire facility, simulating it in her imagination and anticipating potential problems before it’s even been built.

I tell her about a little boy I recently met at the airport, wearing a T-shirt that read, “Autism is My Super Power.” She responds cheerfully, “That’s good. That’s positive. I want to see kids like that getting out and being successful. Everybody encouraged my abilities in art as a kid. It’s important to build on a person’s strengths – to build on the thing a kid is good at so they can create a career out of it. We need to stretch these kids. My mother wasn’t going to let me NOT do new things, like spending the summer at my aunt’s ranch. She gave me choices, but not going wasn’t an option.”

In Grandin’s opinion, autistic children need the social training found in the old-fashioned parenting style of the 1950s, “where little Tommy had to learn how to order his own hamburger … he had to get a job. I look around and see too many kids addicted to video games, not learning how to work.”

A proponent of teaching skilled, hands-on trades, she believes their removal from public schools is a mistake. “When I was 13, I was sewing. At 15, I was cleaning horse stalls. These kids have to learn working skills outside the home, through scheduled, consistent work experiences.”

She attributes her success in life to having strong mentors, early intervention, discipline, encouragement and high expectations placed on her. “Autistic people can lead productive, satisfying lives, and some individuals who appear to be low-functioning have good brains hidden inside. Parents and teachers need to think creatively about finding mentors and jobs for their autistic children. Talents should be developed into skills that can turn into careers.”

Some scientists view autism as a disorder that if possible, should be eliminated through genetic testing. Grandin, along with other people on the autism spectrum, are concerned that such efforts would eliminate their unique minds and problem-solving abilities from society. “That would be a terrible price to pay. Many gifted and talented people could be wiped out,” she says. A number of high-functioning autistic, as well as non-autistic, people believe that autism is a natural part of human diversity, and that the valuable contributions and potential of autistic individuals should be celebrated and encouraged.

In 2013, all autism disorder subtypes – autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder and Asperger syndrome – were merged onto one continuous spectrum. However, people now grossly overgeneralize autism, she says. “The spectrum has gotten too wide. When people ask me for advice about a particular child, I need more information. Are they verbal? Can they dress themselves? I need a behavioral profile. There’s no black-and-white dividing line.”

She says there’s a point where being “geeky and smart” is just a personality variant. Little bits of the autism trait give you extraordinary creativity and intelligence; too much, though, and you can have a person with severe disabilities. She said there are mild autistics almost anywhere you look, from NASA to Silicon Valley. “They’re everywhere!” And, according to Grandin, the world needs them and their minds to help solve its problems.

Since Grandin began speaking on behalf of individuals on the autism spectrum, she has changed the lives of millions. She has illustrated the autistic life and continues to educate society on the unique challenges people on the spectrum face. “I hope my work gives people an understanding of different kinds of minds and different types of problem solving. It makes me happy to hear, ‘My son went to college because of you and your story.’”

For additional events associated with Grandin’s visit, go to: www.fortlewis.edu/cre.