1 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to Why Not Me Embracing Autism and Mental Health Worldwide? 2 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: Hosted by Tony Mantor, broadcasting from the heart of Music City, USA, Nashville, Tennessee. 3 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 1: Join us as our guests share their raw, powerful stories. 4 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: Some will spark laughter, others will move you to tears. 5 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: These real life journeys inspire, connect and remind you that 6 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: you're never alone. We're igniting a global movement to empower 7 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 1: everyone to make a lasting difference by fostering deep awareness on, 8 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:52,840 Speaker 1: wavering acceptance, and profound understanding of autism and mental health. 9 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: Tune in, be inspired, and join us in transforming the world, 10 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: one story at a time. Hi, I'm Tony Mantor. Welcome 11 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: to Why Not May Embracing Autism and Mental Health Worldwide. 12 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: Before we jump in, if you haven't already, I invite 13 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: you to tap polow. It only takes a couple of 14 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: seconds and it helps this show reach more families who 15 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,919 Speaker 1: need to hear these conversations. Thanks for being here. Joining 16 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: us today is Lois Brady. She's the publisher of Autism Digest, 17 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: a publication dedicated to sharing knowledge, resources, and real life 18 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: experiences from across the autistic community. Through her work She's 19 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: helped create a platform where information meets real experience, helping 20 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 1: families better understand autism while giving a voice to those 21 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: who are navigating it daily. Her work continues to help 22 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: shape conversation around understanding, inclusion, and support for individuals and 23 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: families worldwide. Today, we're going to talk about the evolving 24 00:01:55,920 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 1: conversation around autism, the importance of sharing real stories, and 25 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: how platforms like Autism Digest help bring those voices to 26 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: the forefront. We've got a great conversation coming, so before 27 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 1: we dive into our episode, we'll be back with an 28 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:14,079 Speaker 1: uninterrupted show right after a word from our sponsors. Thanks 29 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: for joining us. 30 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 2: Today, Yeah, no problem, it'd be fun. 31 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. You published the Autism 32 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 1: Digest for those that may not be aware of it. 33 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: Can you share a little bit about the magazine I do, Tony. 34 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 3: I am the publisher of Autism Digests, which came about 35 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 3: to me in kind of an odd way. I'm a 36 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 3: language pathologist by trade. When technology first came out, specifically 37 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 3: like the iPad, When Steve Jobs stood up on the 38 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 3: stage and announced the iPad, it's almost instant I realized 39 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 3: that that could be. 40 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 2: A great tool for people with autism. 41 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 3: So I got one and I started researching and I 42 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 3: wrote the book Apps for Autism. 43 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 2: So of course, at that moment, you become the expert. 44 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,519 Speaker 3: Now I'm a speech language pathologist and a technology expert, 45 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 3: and I started writing four At that time it was 46 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 3: Autism Assburger's Digests. I've written a book for Future Horizons, 47 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 3: which at that time published also Autism Assburgers Digest. 48 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 2: And they're in Texas. 49 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 3: And they were a family owned company, publishing company, and 50 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 3: I really like them. 51 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 2: So when they were getting ready to. 52 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:23,239 Speaker 3: Sell it, they asked me, and I'm like, oh my gosh, no, 53 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 3: I'm too busy, but oh my gosh, that's so telling. 54 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 2: That's incredibly tempting. I'm gonna go ahead and take it on. 55 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 2: And I did, and I love it. 56 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 3: It's a great way to kind of get all the 57 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 3: experience that I have in my thirty years of being 58 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 3: a speech language pathologist, plus knowing all the experts in 59 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 3: the field and all the parents and just meeting and 60 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 3: working with probably tens of thousands of families, to take 61 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 3: that experience and give people good information. 62 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 2: Not information, because there's a ton out there. Tony. 63 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 3: You know you're in the business and everybody has information, 64 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 3: but I feel that, but I'm in a particular position 65 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 3: where I can actually pick out what's the greatest information 66 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 3: and entertain people as well. I've put in like QR 67 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 3: codes where you can go to movies or go to videos, 68 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 3: and I'm trying to make it more of just absorbing information, 69 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 3: but kind of like submersing yourself into the information multimodality. 70 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 2: That's kind of. 71 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 3: Where we are now, and I'm really proud of it, 72 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 3: had it for almost two years. 73 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: I'm right there with you. You should be proud of it. 74 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: Tell us what inspired your passion for this. 75 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 3: Originally, Tony, I just don't know. I used to go 76 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:38,039 Speaker 3: to Oh my gosh, this is going to age me, 77 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:42,280 Speaker 3: but it was called the Stockton State Hospital, Okay, which 78 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:46,039 Speaker 3: then turned into developmental centers and now have been kind 79 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 3: of dissolved and volunteer and I love, love, love working there. 80 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:53,839 Speaker 3: From that experience, I thought I was going to go 81 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 3: into teaching deaf kids, and I learned sign language, and 82 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 3: then autism became a thing, and it was it's so. 83 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 2: Different. 84 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 3: At the time, this is like thirty years ago, nobody 85 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 3: knew what it was. And then I had a son 86 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 3: who was on the spectrum. And that's when I took 87 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 3: the deep dive. 88 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 2: I'm like, oh my gosh, Okay, time to figure it out. 89 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: Now, you being the mother of an autistic son, how 90 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:20,679 Speaker 1: did that change your perspective on what you had planned 91 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: on doing? And then ultimately, how did it change on 92 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: what you did do moving forward. 93 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 2: As a mom? 94 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, as a career, well, let's do both, but let's 95 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: start out with the mom first. 96 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 3: And the mom well, you know, it completely changes your 97 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 3: whole perspective. Now there's that moment where you've had this 98 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 3: son and it was my first son, and he's you 99 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 3: have all these plans everyone does, and then there's that 100 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:47,279 Speaker 3: second where you look into his eyes and you're like, 101 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 3: something's wrong, something's not right. I gotta figure it out. 102 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 3: And you start digging and working and digging. And then 103 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 3: it was over thirty years ago, Tony, this is thirty 104 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 3: two years ago. 105 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 2: And I took him to his pediatrician. Oh, he's just 106 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 2: a boy, and I'm like, no, he's not just boy. 107 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,799 Speaker 3: There's actually things he's doing. I'm a sleechy language pathologist. 108 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:07,039 Speaker 3: I know what just boys are and what behavior that's 109 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 3: not quite in the norm is too, he's not doing 110 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 3: things typical boys do. 111 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 2: But I got brushed off, brushed off, and I. 112 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 3: Think unfortunately parents still do get brushed off. I mean, 113 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,159 Speaker 3: I was speaking with a mom who had a young 114 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 3: little girl two years old just the other day, Tony, 115 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 3: and she was telling me that one of her providers 116 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 3: from a state organization. I'm not going to say the 117 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 3: one told her not to even get him checked and 118 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 3: tell this little girl's three years old, don't even worry 119 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 3: about it, she'll grow out of it. 120 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 1: Wow. 121 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 2: This was just the other day, Like, oh my gosh, 122 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:42,279 Speaker 2: that's amazing. Yeah. 123 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, And in the middle of California, where you think, 124 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 3: you know, there's a lot of information here, we're very progressive, 125 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 3: cutting edge, and here this is still happening. 126 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:55,599 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, back then, So of course my aim changed. 127 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:57,479 Speaker 3: I was up and I hear this story over and 128 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 3: over again all night long on the computer, figuring out 129 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 3: what to do. 130 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 2: Where what my best choices were right. 131 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 3: And I have to say, unfortunately, as a therapist working 132 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 3: in the school districts, I knew, and this is going 133 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:17,559 Speaker 3: to be controversial, that that was not my option. Giving 134 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 3: him over to the special ed system would make him 135 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 3: worse and just create conflict. And you know, so I didn't. 136 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 3: I did not even have him labeled ever. You know, 137 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 3: it's a parent's choice. I hear people say it's good, 138 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 3: people say not to. Was my personal choice not to 139 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 3: have him labeled in to just send him through school. 140 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: Sure, So, what were some of the things you started 141 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: noticing that didn't quite seem typical compared to the other 142 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: children his age. 143 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 3: Yeah? Yeah, this lining up his little cars, you know, 144 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 3: not able to stay. 145 00:07:56,040 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 2: He was verbal, so that part was, you know, a blessing. 146 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 2: And he was one of. 147 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 3: The hyperverbal kids who would fixate state on his little cars. 148 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 3: And by the time he was I don't know three, 149 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 3: he knew the name of every piece of heavy equipment 150 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 3: where it was going. 151 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 2: So he was on one of those guys. 152 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 3: And just unusual physical movements besides the stemming, sure, kind 153 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 3: of a robotic gate, Unable to make friends, a little 154 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 3: bit of head banging. 155 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 1: Where is he today? 156 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:30,239 Speaker 2: Today? 157 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 3: He's grown up, he's in construction, he has a job, 158 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 3: he has a car, he drives nice you know, he 159 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:41,680 Speaker 3: lives on his own. He still has significant trouble with 160 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:45,680 Speaker 3: the friendship stuff, you know, reading other people, the whole 161 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:51,680 Speaker 3: dating and opposite sex thing is still very mysterious to him. 162 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: That's understanding. 163 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 2: So yeah, but he's functioning, he's out there. I'm telling 164 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:57,200 Speaker 2: you that, Tony. It was a lot of work. 165 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 3: On parents part, sure, And from what I seen through 166 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 3: all my career, if there is that person, that parent, 167 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 3: that one whoever it is, who does not give up 168 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,839 Speaker 3: and stays there, the child usually does very well. 169 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: Building that kind of bond and relationship takes a lot 170 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: of work and understanding. You mentioned earlier that just a 171 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: few days ago someone told you don't do it, which 172 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 1: is pretty surprising when you think back twenty five thirty 173 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:29,320 Speaker 1: years ago. How have you seen the understanding and diagnosis 174 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 1: of autism change compared to what it is today. 175 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, for the most part, that's rare. That I see 176 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 3: and hear that. That's a little scary, a little rare. 177 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 3: But now we have technology. 178 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's so true. 179 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:49,079 Speaker 3: I'm even creating tools for early intervention. That's great, early diagnosis. 180 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 3: Like me, I saw something that was different in my child, 181 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 3: something that was wrong. 182 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, at the time, there was no autism. We didn't 183 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 2: even learn. 184 00:09:57,160 --> 00:09:59,839 Speaker 3: Autism in school. We had one half an hour election 185 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 3: on autism. You know, we all kind of like took 186 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 3: notes and then it was gone. 187 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. So when I saw him, I really guys like, 188 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 2: something's wrong. I'm not sure what it was. 189 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: That's interesting you mentioned that a speech therapist who inspired 190 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: me to start this podcast once told me that during 191 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 1: her four years of college, she only had a small 192 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 1: portion of one semester that focused on autism. Now, fast 193 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 1: forward twenty thirty years, there are entire courses and programs 194 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 1: dedicated to it. With that kind of progress, what innovations 195 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: or research do you think are most important for us 196 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: to focus on moving forward? 197 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 3: You know, and I've written about this several times in 198 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,439 Speaker 3: Autism Digest. I think we have and I don't know 199 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 3: if you you know, the Rosenthal effect. We have that 200 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 3: for our kids with autism, and I think in the 201 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:59,040 Speaker 3: schools it's super pervasive. I think even parents have it 202 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 3: to a certain degree because I'm trying to coach them 203 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 3: and talk to them. 204 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:05,479 Speaker 2: And they, you know, parents are over helpers. 205 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 3: It's like, you know, I have people writing in my 206 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 3: magazine who are non speakers. Teach these kids to type, 207 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 3: teach them how that's their mode of expression. Many of 208 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 3: my people on the autism sectrum, if they're going to 209 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 3: communicate it's going to be typing, talking and gestures and 210 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 3: some kind of what I call idiosyncratic language. But they 211 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:30,720 Speaker 3: can learn to type. Teach them to type, Oh my goodness. 212 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,839 Speaker 3: That is what I found to be a huge key. 213 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 3: But now I run into the Rosenthal effect where people 214 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 3: are assuming already that these. 215 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 2: Kids they can't talk, Well, how in the heck can 216 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 2: they type? 217 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 3: What? And if they're being you know, if they're stemming 218 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 3: or humming or whatever it is they are, people almost 219 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 3: all the time say they're also developmentally disabled, and so 220 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,319 Speaker 3: until they can talk, why in the heck would I 221 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 3: even teach them how to type? Well, that's my you know, 222 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 3: that would be my key. Don't put limits on them. 223 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 3: You know, real life things. You know, you see these kids, 224 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 3: they're they're teenagers, they're already all over YouTube and you know, 225 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 3: managing these things. 226 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 2: And I'm like, did you teach them the type? Well? No, 227 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:13,079 Speaker 2: I didn't think about that. Well, he's all beyond. 228 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 1: Their Yeah, that's such a great point. Is there a 229 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:21,559 Speaker 1: time or a moment in your life, either with autism 230 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 1: digest or being the mother of an autistic child, where 231 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 1: a certain moment or experience with someone on the autism 232 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: spectrum really shifted your perspective and the way you look 233 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 1: at autism. 234 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I have that little guy. He's still here, okay. 235 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 3: And it was the first time I actually took this 236 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 3: very what most people would say profound young man. Okay, 237 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 3: in his afternoon screaming, crying. He lived in a group home. 238 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 3: But there was something about this little guy. I could 239 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:57,360 Speaker 3: see that when the teacher put her starbucks on the table, 240 00:12:57,440 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 3: the second she turned. 241 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 2: Around, he was over there getting So he's. 242 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 3: Watching and if you see those things, you're like, well, 243 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 3: there's a level of intelligence, you know. 244 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, right, And he was I. 245 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 2: Don't know, maybe let's just say eight. 246 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 3: He was still having trouble using the bathroom, so, oh 247 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 3: my god, he's so low. And I realized he would 248 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 3: walk around with these little styrofoam letters in his hands, 249 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 3: and I said, you know, let's just take those letters 250 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 3: and spell your name. And so I spelled it, and 251 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:27,559 Speaker 3: then I picked up my phone and I put it in. 252 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:29,960 Speaker 2: My text to speech. So we spelled it in the 253 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 2: text to. 254 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 3: Speech, and then I put speak and he heard it, 255 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 3: and he turned around and he looked and he's like, 256 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 3: oh my gosh, you know, and I'm my only I 257 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:39,840 Speaker 3: think I just you know, turned on a light here. 258 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 3: So we were doing all kinds of things like spelling 259 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 3: high and my name and come back the next session 260 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 3: and he remembered it nice. 261 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 2: And I'm like, oh my gosh. 262 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 3: So this little child learned to type, and then he 263 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 3: became self taught because he realized that he could do that, 264 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 3: that's something he can do. 265 00:13:57,600 --> 00:13:58,559 Speaker 2: He started typing. 266 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,319 Speaker 3: But then it got heartbreaking because as he got better 267 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 3: and better, we realized that, like I said, he lived. 268 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:04,679 Speaker 2: In a group home. 269 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 3: He was very bitter about that. Yeah, and that's why 270 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 3: he was crying most afternoons because he was very angry 271 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,840 Speaker 3: with his mom because she Anyway, it turns into a sadder, 272 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 3: darker story at that point, and I'm like, oh, there's 273 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 3: this little child and nobody knew what was going on, 274 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:22,440 Speaker 3: and now we can address it. 275 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 1: So yeah, that makes sense. Now, some of the best 276 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: teachers of autism are those who are autistic. Yes, So 277 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: tell me what have you learned over the years from 278 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 1: autistic people that you might not have learned if they 279 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 1: were not autistic. 280 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh. 281 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:46,840 Speaker 3: Probably you know, just in myself how to navigate the 282 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 3: world and realize that my actions really have an effect 283 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 3: on other people, you know, because that's what we try 284 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 3: to teach him, that what you do affects other people, 285 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 3: and just to learn how to do that better myself. 286 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 2: I don't think I would have learned that because we're 287 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 2: all kind. 288 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 3: Of a little bit shut off to other people in 289 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 3: our own world. But when you start like really trying 290 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 3: to get into other people's world and then bring them 291 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,119 Speaker 3: to yours, you just kind of like start feeling everybody 292 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 3: else's like energy and empathy and be aware of it 293 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 3: and really navigate that much better. 294 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 1: Over the years, you've had so many stories that have 295 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 1: come to you through the autism digest. Is there a 296 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 1: special story or moment that has stayed with you all 297 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 1: these years coming from someone this autistic. 298 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 3: Oh, you know, there's so many and they're all similar. Yeah, 299 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 3: there's not one that sticks out. There's just the story. 300 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's my story. 301 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 3: It's the mom with the sun usually the son, and 302 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 3: how her life has changed because she's been struggling to 303 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 3: try to raise this sun with autism. Sure, learn how 304 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 3: to do it, and that's the story. 305 00:15:57,400 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, I say. 306 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 3: Moms typically mom, right, father, It has been daughter, But 307 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,240 Speaker 3: there's just errant who's just their whole life got rearranged 308 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 3: in a second. 309 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 1: Autism has received a lot more media attention, especially in 310 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 1: the last twenty or thirty years, but sometimes the message 311 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 1: is just not always accurate, and that can leave families 312 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:22,640 Speaker 1: feeling very confused. When people hear the word autism, many 313 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 1: still do not understand what it means. With all that confusion, 314 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 1: it can make the journey for an autistic family even 315 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 1: more difficult. What do you think we need to do 316 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:41,960 Speaker 1: to create a clear understanding for the word autism to 317 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 1: the public. 318 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:46,680 Speaker 3: You know, I've been asked that before, Someone asked me, 319 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 3: can you explain autism to me? Like, like, I'm a toddler, Yeah, 320 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 3: And I'm like, I can't. 321 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 2: Right, you have to know those folks, and you have 322 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 2: to know each one is different. And I think like 323 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 2: somebody the main the general. 324 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:04,160 Speaker 3: Public has a perception of maybe Sheldon on the Big 325 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,639 Speaker 3: Bang Theory. Yeah, yeah, someone like that, and that's you, 326 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 3: and that's why they're. 327 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 2: Saying leave them alone, let them live like they want 328 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 2: to live. 329 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 3: But my perception is very, very different because right now, 330 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 3: if you walk into a school, you're gonna find out one, 331 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:22,679 Speaker 3: maybe two classrooms full of very young autistic, very severe kids, 332 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 3: and these kids can't talk. These kids are running out 333 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 3: of the classroom into the street, you know. And there's 334 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 3: this whole movement towards empathy, which I get and just 335 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 3: you know. 336 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 2: Live with them and learn how to embrace them. 337 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,159 Speaker 3: And it's like, but they're running out in the street, 338 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 3: you know, we got to teach them. 339 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 1: Certain things, right, Yeah. 340 00:17:43,359 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 3: So, yeah, those two movements don't get along with each 341 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 3: other because people have different perceptions of what autism is. Yeah, 342 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 3: And I think when they took Aspergers away and moved 343 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:57,360 Speaker 3: it in with autism, it was a huge disservice because 344 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 3: Asperger's is not autism, right, They're very very different kinds 345 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:06,400 Speaker 3: of symptoms in very different ways that we manage those 346 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 3: symptoms communicating wise. Yeah right, I think that was a 347 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 3: huge disservice to clump them together. And I'm not even 348 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:16,440 Speaker 3: sure why that happened. Is probably something financial. 349 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 1: One of the things I heard recently really caught me 350 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:22,600 Speaker 1: off guard. I was talking with a gentleman who had 351 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 1: just gone through the process of being evaluated for autism. 352 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: The reason he started that journey was because his ten 353 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 1: year old daughter had been diagnosed. She actually told him 354 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: she thought he might be autistic too. Here's the fascinating part. 355 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:42,159 Speaker 1: He uses AI specifically chat GPT a lot in his 356 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: work and had about two or three years of conversation 357 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,000 Speaker 1: stored there. When he asked it to look at patterns 358 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:52,679 Speaker 1: in those interactions, it pointed out traits commonly associated with autism. 359 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: So now, even undiagnosed, because of commonalities with his daughter, 360 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:01,120 Speaker 1: he now believes he is autistic as well. So this 361 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 1: raises an interesting question. How do you see AI in 362 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 1: emerging technologies helping people better understand autism and how do 363 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: you see A supporting people that are on the spectrum. 364 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:16,920 Speaker 3: I think, you know, and like I say, I'm using 365 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 3: I'm developing one right now. 366 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:20,959 Speaker 2: But if we can identify. 367 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:25,280 Speaker 3: Kids as early as possible, yeah, and start working with 368 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 3: them as early as possible, we can really suppress a 369 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 3: lot of the characteristics and a lot of the things 370 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:34,520 Speaker 3: that really make it difficult as they grow older. We 371 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 3: can super help parents with strategies. I mean, there's just 372 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 3: maybe ten strategies that are so easy to implement. And 373 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 3: if we taught the parents as your child's growing up, 374 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 3: you know, and he wants something, most parents will say, 375 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 3: oh is it this? 376 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:50,159 Speaker 2: You want is it this? 377 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:52,639 Speaker 3: You know, get them to point, get them to do 378 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:55,919 Speaker 3: a sign, whatever it is, and give them choices and 379 00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 3: just teach those strategies. We could really avoid a lot 380 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,160 Speaker 3: of problems as they're growing up. A I can help 381 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:06,919 Speaker 3: us do that. So I have right now on autism digest. 382 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 3: You could go in and say, hey, I'm cooking pasta tonight. 383 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:13,120 Speaker 3: I have a non speaking let's see a five year old. 384 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 3: How can I use this little dinner cooking event to 385 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:20,399 Speaker 3: help my non speaking five year old learn going to tension. 386 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 3: You can even go that detailed and it'll tell you. 387 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 3: I'll give you all these wonderful strategies. And I love 388 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:27,439 Speaker 3: that about the LMS. 389 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 2: It doesn't have to be chat GPT, right, chat GPT 390 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:33,240 Speaker 2: is just one of them. There's a lot of them 391 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:33,920 Speaker 2: out there now. 392 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, and there's so supportive that a diagnosis where are 393 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 3: actually there. 394 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:42,640 Speaker 2: Is vocal characteristics. So we can get a little sample of. 395 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 3: A voice, whether it's a word or not, and run 396 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 3: it through our system and we can tag certain characteristics. 397 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 2: We can say that's for diagnostic purposes. So if you have. 398 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,159 Speaker 3: Any suspicions that all something's wrong, just go ahead and 399 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:57,159 Speaker 3: start the strategies. 400 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 2: They're super easy. 401 00:20:58,280 --> 00:20:59,959 Speaker 3: It doesn't mean you don't love your child, doesn't mean 402 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 3: you're not being a great parent. 403 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:04,640 Speaker 2: These are very easy strategies that you can start. 404 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:06,159 Speaker 3: Now you have to is go to a chat GPT. 405 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 3: What are some strategies for early intervention for autism? 406 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 2: Boom up there. 407 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:12,720 Speaker 1: We've come a long way since the fifties and the 408 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:16,959 Speaker 1: sixties when autism really wasn't understood at all. When I 409 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:21,119 Speaker 1: talk with families today, I still hear stories where someone 410 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 1: shares their diagnosis and people around them think it's something 411 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:27,120 Speaker 1: that can be cured or fixed. 412 00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:28,399 Speaker 2: Yeah, I know. 413 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 1: The truth is it's not about fixing anything. It's just 414 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 1: a different way the brain processes and receives information. You 415 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:38,359 Speaker 1: can explain that to people, but sometimes it fully doesn't 416 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,919 Speaker 1: register with them. Now, how do we shift the conversation 417 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,919 Speaker 1: on how to fix autism to helping people understand it 418 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:49,560 Speaker 1: so that individuals on the spectrum have the tools and 419 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:53,400 Speaker 1: support they need to navigate a world that wasn't originally 420 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:54,359 Speaker 1: designed for them. 421 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, give them their best life possible. Absolutely, that's 422 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:00,600 Speaker 2: what we want to do. It is a brain difference. 423 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 2: There is no fixing it. 424 00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 3: And I think a lot of the early messaging was 425 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 3: it is a condition that we're looking for the cure, right, 426 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 3: you know. 427 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:10,240 Speaker 2: And I think the. 428 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 3: Early messaging is still there, and you know, maybe there 429 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:14,800 Speaker 3: are things we can do. 430 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 2: I don't know yet. 431 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:19,440 Speaker 3: You know, I have my personal biases about what can 432 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:22,199 Speaker 3: make it worse trigger it. I know what triggered my 433 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 3: own sons. And you know, it's very controversial. And if 434 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:29,800 Speaker 3: you say anything, either you're on this side or that side. 435 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:31,560 Speaker 3: And it's like, I'm not on two sides. This is 436 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:34,560 Speaker 3: what triggered my son. And I know it as a fact, but. 437 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 2: I've heard other parents say it. 438 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:39,399 Speaker 3: You know, the waters are muddy, They're really muddy, and 439 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 3: you know, the true voices come out, like like Temple 440 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:43,280 Speaker 3: Brand And I look at Temple Grand and she's still. 441 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:46,640 Speaker 2: Tumble Brandon in her what eighties. According to her, there's 442 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:47,120 Speaker 2: no cure. 443 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 3: Okay, she's learned to live within her own self and 444 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 3: she's happy. Yeah. 445 00:22:51,840 --> 00:22:53,919 Speaker 1: And you bring up Temple Grand and I had her 446 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:55,400 Speaker 1: on my podcast twice. 447 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 2: Didn't she great? 448 00:22:56,920 --> 00:22:59,760 Speaker 1: Yeah? She is. She had a consistent thing she would say, 449 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 1: and that was, give me a pilot's checklist. I can 450 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:04,919 Speaker 1: check it off and I'll get it done. That's the 451 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 1: best way for me to understand what you want to 452 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:11,119 Speaker 1: get done. The interesting thing that I found about Temple 453 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: Granted is that some people seem to view her in 454 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,560 Speaker 1: two very different ways. Some see her as having one 455 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: of the most important voices and platforms in the autism community. Yeah, 456 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: while others feel her perspective reflects an earlier era. Yet 457 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: many of the things she talks about are common sense, practical, 458 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:34,440 Speaker 1: and rooted in real world experience. How do we help 459 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 1: people appreciate that age or experience does not necessarily make 460 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:40,919 Speaker 1: someone's insight outdated. 461 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:44,439 Speaker 3: You know, she's a scientist and she loves technology, and 462 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 3: when I first got into the autism world, she was 463 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:52,200 Speaker 3: my go too. Yeah, understandably, even in my speech therapy 464 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:57,400 Speaker 3: sessions she published I think it was twenty eight teaching tips. 465 00:23:57,480 --> 00:23:59,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, I still use today. 466 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:02,400 Speaker 3: They're fantastic, Right, give them to. 467 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 2: My parents and I say, use these. It doesn't change. 468 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 2: Autism has not changed, right. Autism is autism. 469 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 3: So whether you're in your eighties or you're ten years old, 470 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:17,399 Speaker 3: you're still going to have the same kinds of symptoms 471 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:19,160 Speaker 3: and the same things are going to help you. 472 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:24,160 Speaker 1: In many ways. Autism hasn't changed. The way individuals experience 473 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:27,960 Speaker 1: the world is the same. What's evolving is how society 474 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: responds to it. But there's still a lot of misunderstanding. 475 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:35,720 Speaker 1: I recently spoke with parents supporting their child through a meltdown, 476 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:38,720 Speaker 1: trying to give them the space they needed to regulate. 477 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:42,879 Speaker 1: People around them assumed it was poor parenting, when in reality, 478 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:46,720 Speaker 1: it was exactly what the child needed. Yeah, I know, 479 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 1: how do we shift people's awareness so situations like that 480 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:56,000 Speaker 1: are met with empathy and understanding rather than criticism. There 481 00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 1: is a difference between a meltdown and a temper tantrum. 482 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:03,639 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, the huge difference. And Tony, I don't know. 483 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:06,040 Speaker 3: It's I look at it and if I can hit 484 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:09,240 Speaker 3: one parent at a time, and even even if I 485 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 3: tell them and explain to them the differences, it takes 486 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 3: so long for the parent to understand that themselves. Get 487 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:18,200 Speaker 3: to go to someone who doesn't even know what autism 488 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:19,960 Speaker 3: is and try to explain that. 489 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:22,440 Speaker 2: Like, oh my gosh, it's so hard. 490 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:25,280 Speaker 3: So I think you know things like autism, digest things 491 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:29,359 Speaker 3: like what you're doing just continuing pushing the information out there. 492 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 3: If you look at things like we all know it's 493 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 3: bad to eat at McDonald's and oh my god, don't 494 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 3: feed your kids that stuff. 495 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:38,119 Speaker 2: But how lobby meals do they serve a day? People 496 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 2: don't want to know things, They just want to live 497 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:40,919 Speaker 2: their life. 498 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:44,720 Speaker 1: When I first started exploring autism podcasts, many of them 499 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:49,280 Speaker 1: were incredibly knowledgeable, but they were also very clinical. There 500 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:53,160 Speaker 1: were acronyms and terminology that someone new to autism might 501 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 1: not understand. I kept thinking about parents who had just 502 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,680 Speaker 1: heard their children's diagnosis. If that's the first thing they hear, 503 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:03,879 Speaker 1: could feel so overwhelming. That's why I wanted this podcast 504 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 1: to be different, to focus on the human stories, because 505 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:10,199 Speaker 1: when people hear real experiences, they tend to begin to 506 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:14,639 Speaker 1: understand autism in a way that clinical language alone can't provide. 507 00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 1: I think the stories are very important for people to 508 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:19,719 Speaker 1: hear because it's very relatable. 509 00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 2: Yes, Yes, more stories. 510 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 3: And you know, I know that we're having a debate 511 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:27,639 Speaker 3: on the explosion of autism. What's really causing it is 512 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:30,639 Speaker 3: that identification. Are they really more kids with autism? Bottom 513 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 3: line is yes, there are there's a lot more. I mean, 514 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:36,040 Speaker 3: I again, I've been here thirty thirty five years and 515 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:39,400 Speaker 3: where I used to have only one non speaking now I. 516 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:40,440 Speaker 2: Got a whole caseload. 517 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:44,280 Speaker 3: It's like, okay, so they weren't hiding anywhere. These are 518 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 3: non speaking, very severe little kids. 519 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 2: So what helped me. I actually picked up a couple 520 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:55,240 Speaker 2: of books written by non speaking people. There's Ido Kadar Penya, 521 00:26:55,359 --> 00:27:00,240 Speaker 2: Daniel Penya, Carly Fleischmann. So pick up those books. They 522 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 2: tell great stories about their lives. What does it feel 523 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 2: like to try to talk? Why do you slam your 524 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:09,600 Speaker 2: hands sometime? Now? Why are you going like this? There's reasons. 525 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:11,720 Speaker 2: Carly told this great story. 526 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:14,119 Speaker 3: She went to school and the teacher said she just 527 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 3: kept flicking her head and was wondering did she have 528 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:16,840 Speaker 3: a headache? 529 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:18,080 Speaker 2: Did you check with the dentist? 530 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 3: And essentially, when Carly was able to type and learn 531 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 3: to communicate, she said no, it was a cute boy 532 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:28,159 Speaker 3: in class and she was flicking her hair. It's like, 533 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:32,040 Speaker 3: those are great stories from the people themselves. 534 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 2: So pick up those books. They're inspirational. 535 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:37,960 Speaker 3: They are when I go around and talk about technology, 536 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:39,960 Speaker 3: those are the first books I bring up. Look at 537 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 3: These are non speaking individuals who actually sat there and 538 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 3: typed these things out. And again I understand there's a 539 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:47,160 Speaker 3: controversy there too. 540 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:51,160 Speaker 1: I hate to say this, I think they can create 541 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 1: a controversy on anything they want to create. Yes, what 542 00:27:56,359 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 1: I think it comes down to, as common says, yes, 543 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:03,359 Speaker 1: beautiful things about what you do with Autism Digest and 544 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:06,480 Speaker 1: what I try to do with this podcast is storytelling. 545 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:08,880 Speaker 1: Some of the stories people have shared with me are 546 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:12,159 Speaker 1: ones I'll never forget, and I think that's a huge 547 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:16,200 Speaker 1: reason Autism Digest has been so successful, because you're telling 548 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:19,400 Speaker 1: real stories that people can connect with. When people don't 549 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:23,199 Speaker 1: understand something, stories help them begin to see in a 550 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:27,480 Speaker 1: way facts alone sometimes can't. The reality is, unless someone 551 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: is living that experience every day, they will probably never 552 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:34,440 Speaker 1: fully understand autism the way an autistic person or their 553 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:37,720 Speaker 1: family does. I know, I don't have that lived experience. 554 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 1: What I have is a basic understanding. But through conversations 555 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:45,120 Speaker 1: like this and through people sharing their stories, we can 556 00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 1: at least help others gain insight and understanding, even if 557 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 1: they haven't walked that path themselves. 558 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. 559 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 3: And I've started really putting some success stories in there. 560 00:28:56,400 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 2: Oh nice, I got entrepreneurs. 561 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:03,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's not a lifetime of being locked in a room. 562 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 2: Know these people are doing things, even. 563 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 3: If they're not what I want to say, like the 564 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:12,600 Speaker 3: Aspergers guys, there's some people who have trouble communicating. Yeah, 565 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 3: they're going to college, they're doing all kinds of things. 566 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:15,720 Speaker 2: You know. 567 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:19,880 Speaker 3: Again, I come back to the Rosenthal syndrome. Don't put 568 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 3: limitations on them. And that's what Temple says too. Her 569 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 3: mom pushed her to go to college, Her mom pushed 570 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:27,520 Speaker 3: her to go to her aunt's farm, and. 571 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 2: The best things she could have done. 572 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:32,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, don't protect them, don't hover over them, 573 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:34,920 Speaker 3: and just keep pushing them forward. 574 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 1: Yes, give them the same opportunity that you would give 575 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 1: to a neurotypical child. Right, there will be certain limitations 576 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 1: that both of them will have. Absolutely, like the old saying, 577 00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: you've seen one autistic person, you've seen one autistic person. 578 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:54,239 Speaker 1: Everyone's different and they all have different things that they 579 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:55,600 Speaker 1: can do throughout their life. 580 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 2: Right right, And here's another. 581 00:29:58,040 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 3: I'm going to throw this out here because I think 582 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:03,000 Speaker 3: this is super important. Okay, you know they have the 583 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 3: transitions are huge for people with autism. And if you 584 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:09,480 Speaker 3: have a youngster, they don't like to go anywhere. They'd 585 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 3: like to sit in front of the TV. And if 586 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 3: you leave them, that's where they're going to be right. 587 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 3: And I remember taking my son and going to the 588 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 3: park at least twice a day, and the second he 589 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:20,240 Speaker 3: thought I was going to go to the park, he'd 590 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:22,800 Speaker 3: start crying and then there was a tantrum. And at 591 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:25,280 Speaker 3: that point I almost just said forget it, but I 592 00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:28,040 Speaker 3: picked him up and I took him crying, screaming, sat 593 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:29,640 Speaker 3: them into the car. We're going to the park. 594 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 2: You're gonna sit there with the other kids. I don't 595 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:33,560 Speaker 2: care what you do. You're just gonna sit there. And 596 00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 2: then brought them home. 597 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 3: And you know, for the first few months, that's what 598 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 3: we did, and then and then it started getting less 599 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 3: and less and less, and then he liked the park. 600 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 2: So it's like, you'll got to like get out there 601 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:43,440 Speaker 2: and expose him. 602 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 3: And it's hard because you get the looks, you get 603 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:48,360 Speaker 3: the oh my god, why is this mom bringing her 604 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 3: screaming kids? So you just have to be confident, just 605 00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:53,400 Speaker 3: get out there and if a mom wants to know, 606 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 3: you explain it to her. These sensory these transitions are hard. 607 00:30:57,280 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 3: But he's still got to learn how to come out 608 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 3: enjoy the outdoors. And you know, I'm going to get 609 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:03,120 Speaker 3: him off of his videos for a while. 610 00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:04,960 Speaker 2: Because it was like the video. 611 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:08,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, as we wrap up, what message would you most 612 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 1: like families and listeners to remember about autism and the 613 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:16,360 Speaker 1: work you're doing with autism Digest especially from your perspective 614 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 1: as an autistic mom. 615 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, you know, there's a whole bunch of things. 616 00:31:21,880 --> 00:31:24,479 Speaker 3: You know, just just ask the person, walk up to 617 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:27,120 Speaker 3: him and ask him what's it like. I've noticed that 618 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 3: most folks with autism don't mind telling you, most families 619 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:32,280 Speaker 3: don't mind telling you. 620 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 2: If you really want to know, just go ask. 621 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:36,960 Speaker 3: You know, I've read so many lists, Tony where people 622 00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 3: say never say this to an autistic person or never 623 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:40,800 Speaker 3: say this to an autism mom. 624 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:43,840 Speaker 2: And what you're doing is you're making people afraid to 625 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 2: talk to you. Yeah, oh my god, Okay, I can't. 626 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:48,120 Speaker 2: I forget what I can't say. I'm just not going 627 00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:49,040 Speaker 2: to go say anything. 628 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:49,280 Speaker 1: Right. 629 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:51,600 Speaker 2: We need to stop putting those lists out there. Just 630 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 2: stop that. 631 00:31:53,040 --> 00:31:57,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, right, And because it's taking the opposite effect, just 632 00:31:57,240 --> 00:32:00,360 Speaker 3: go talk to them. Volunteer somewhere, get in there and 633 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 3: figure it out. And you know, someone's acting a little 634 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:05,840 Speaker 3: bit out of the norm, it's okay, Yeah, may or 635 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:07,080 Speaker 3: may not be autism, whatever. 636 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:09,720 Speaker 2: It is It's okay, right, let them go. Yeah, learn 637 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:12,120 Speaker 2: with them. You know, we're all I have our little 638 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:13,400 Speaker 2: quirks and things. 639 00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:14,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, we all do. 640 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:17,000 Speaker 2: And then just search out more knowledge, more and more. 641 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:17,520 Speaker 2: It's better. 642 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:18,960 Speaker 1: Yeah. Now, how do they find you? 643 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:23,520 Speaker 3: Well, I'm on the website autismdijist dot com. Okay, yeah, 644 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:26,960 Speaker 3: all the informations there. They can contact me. Anyone's interested 645 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:30,760 Speaker 3: in any of the research, Yeah, contact me and see 646 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:31,440 Speaker 3: what's going on. 647 00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:32,480 Speaker 2: Happy to share. 648 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:37,280 Speaker 1: This has been a fantastic conversation and incredibly informative. I 649 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:40,320 Speaker 1: really appreciate you taking the time to join us and 650 00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:41,600 Speaker 1: share your perspectives. 651 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:43,320 Speaker 2: Yes, thank you, Tomy, Thanks for having me. 652 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:52,880 Speaker 1: It's been my pleasure. Thanks again. Thanks for taking time 653 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:55,800 Speaker 1: out of your busy schedule to listen to our show today. 654 00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:59,520 Speaker 1: We hope you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed 655 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:03,360 Speaker 1: bringing it to you. If you know someone who has 656 00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:07,480 Speaker 1: a story to share, tell them to contact us at 657 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:12,480 Speaker 1: why notmt World. One last thing, spread the word about 658 00:33:12,520 --> 00:33:18,320 Speaker 1: why Not Me, our conversations, our inspiring guests that show 659 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:21,560 Speaker 1: you are not alone in this world.