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Animals and Autism (January 20, 2006, Two)
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Program Summary
When most people hear the word “autism,” they might think of Raymond, the character played by Dustin Hoffman in the film “Rain Man” who could not interact socially, flew into rages, engaged in repetitive behaviors, and was a mathematical genius. Hoffman portrayed Raymond as an “idiot savant,” a type of autistic with very specialized skills but limited social abilities.
Decades ago some thought that autism was caused by cold, unloving mothers. What is now known is that autism is a neurological disorder with a wide range of severity. Some with the disorder cannot speak, have constant tantrums, and display obsessive, and sometimes harmful, behavior such as rocking or head banging. They will fixate on one subject or task and repeat it over and over. Some autistics are mentally retarded; others are brilliant in one subject area, like music or mathematics.
Temple Grandin exhibited all the classic signs of autism as a child – screaming, inability to communicate, and sensitivity to stimulation. She possessed an amazing intellect and was able not only to identify what her problems where and what caused them, but also to find ways to channel her strengths into a productive career. Through self-training and medication, she was able to finish high school and college and earn a Ph.D. in animal science.
Grandin explains that she thinks in pictures, and can imagine a blueprint as a 3-D object. But she also reports having been anxious and fearful for long periods, and suspects that animals also react similarly in response to environmental stimuli. Her own understanding of fear led her to research cattle behavior. Grandin discovered cattle are afraid of shadows and the dark…but bright light also negatively affects them. She believes that animals process information using senses and pictures as a way to catalog and store information.
Guests
Temple Grandin, author of "Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior," (Scribner, 2004); "Thinking in Pictures: and Other Reports From My Life With Autism" (Vintage, 1996); associate professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado
Related Links and Resources
Autism Society of America
Center for the Study of Autism: An Inside View of Autism
Dr. Temple Grandin's Web Page
GMToday.com, May 19 2005: Autism no obstacle
National Institute of Mental Health: Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pervasive Developmental Disorders)
For Discussion:
- What is autism? What are its typical characteristics?
- Whatdid we used to think caused autism? What do know about its possible causes today?
- Howwas Dr. Grandin able to overcome her challenges? How does a squeeze box work? What inspired her to build one?
- Whyis she interested in working with animals? What sort of work has she done in animal science?
The Kids’ Connection Psychology/Brain section, at http://www.sciencefriday.com/kids/sfkc-brain.html, has great material on sign language, animal communication, how the brain interprets music, and much more. Look for general information on autism, designed for teachers only, at: http://www.sciencefriday.com/kids/sfkc20030124-2.html
Activities
Brain derailment. Learn some basics about autism and Asperger's syndrome, a less severe form of it, at Neuroscience for Kids. At
Neuroscience at the Movies: Autism you’ll find analyses of autistic characters in several movies and questions to consider while viewing them. They are rated by grade level.
Shelling out. Growing Up Different, an episode of PBS “Scientific American Frontiers,” profiles children and adults that have faced the challenges of being “different” due to a physical or neurological disability. Breaking the Shell is specifically about autism and features an autobiographical piece by Dr. Grandin, who describes how she felt and reacted to the problems of being autistic. A Dangerous Choice examines the belief by many mothers and doctors that preservatives in vaccines can cause the disorder and a discussion of the dangers of not vaccinating. Familiar Faces, in the teachers guide, explores how some forms of autism result in the inability to recognize and respond to familiar faces.
Looking inward. The New York Times Learning Network presents Autism 101, a lesson plan that has students investigating autism and autism research and making presentations in small groups at a mini-conference. If possible, invite a therapist or parent of an autistic child to give a classroom presentation.
Cold as ice. Get a feel for what mothers and siblings experience at Refrigerator Mothers from PBS “P.O.V.” This episode traces the history of the theory that unloving mothers caused autism and read their own descriptions of their lives as parents of autistic children. You can also find resources about autism in Spanish.
Use the search box below to perform a Google search within any of the specifc sites or general domains mentioned in this Activities section.
Hear the Program
RealAudio format (courtesy NPR Online)
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mp3 download (Science Friday Podcast)
