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May 3, 2012

Grandin Talks Autism Negativity

Temple Grandin is a well-known autism activist having the condition herself.  However, she recently stated there are negative consequences to be such a recognizable activist.  These comments are a result of an interview with Salon.
  
"I visit people in (autism) meetings, and a 9-year-old will come up and want to talk about his autism. I’d rather talk about his science project. You get fixated on your favorite thing as a kid, and now kids are getting fixated on autism instead of dogs or medieval knights. I’d rather get them to fixate on that something that could give them a career,” Grandin said.  “To a certain extent it’s a good thing.”

Grandin has traveled cross country writing books and sharing her life about living with autism.  She is considered to be one of the US’ greatest experts on the condition.  Her life was made into an HBO film in 2010.

Earlier in 2012, it was reported that one in eighty-eight children have autism.  These numbers document the autism ratio quickly growing.  Grandin is concerned that children with the condition may not have the desire to achieve as much if the able-bodied community focuses heavily on the diagnosis aspect of autism.
 

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