It was interesting to hear Amanda discuss why eye contact makes her feel threatened. One of the main focuses of therapy for children with autism is making eye contact. Perhaps forcing autistic children to make eye contact is doing more harm than good. There is nothing like hearing what it is like to be autistic than hearing the words from a person who has autism.

Showcasing a story like this does not open our eyes to Autism, Dr. Gupta. It does exactly what Amanda Baggs said- makes people thing she's weird or retarded.

I've seen that video on YouTube. It was passed to my by my friend who has an autistic child. I have a son with Asperger's. My best friend has two sons with Asperger's, and a husband with full blown Tourette's (complete with Coprolalia, Echolalia, Palilalia, and all the motor tics you can think of) . All of us did not like her video.

Why? Because it gives the mistaken impression that all autistics are like that. My friend's son has Kanner's Autism. He supposedly cannot speak, will not look you in the eye, flaps his hands, and generally, looks like Amanda Baggs. But Isaac is in there, somewhere. My friend was told to put him in an institution. She instead homeschools him and he can dress himself, make his own sandwiches, and can use sign language along with saying a few phrases. He has astounded his doctors.

I'd say my biggest problem with these sorts of segments is that the average person hasn't a clue about autism or the spectrum it is on (the PDD scale). All autistics are different. They have similarities, yes, but not one of them is alike. It is highly frustrating that if you think you understand autism, you understand MY child.

Hidden? Unreachable? Yes, Dr. Gupta, you've got something there. If we just tried harder... however, so many people don't want to look beyond what they see right on the surface to find the person underneath.

Sanjay---

The world is full of people entrapped in some kind of cage yet brilliant in their own right. Never judge a book by it's cover! We are all so busy with the hectic schedules of daily routine that we often tend to forget that no matter how much alike we are there is still always a difference in every human being. We exist on different levels and our opportunities to experience the world comes to us all uniquely. Never underestimate the wonderful power of being unique. The universe is full of color, personality and diversity. Let us all find the ability to enjoy the various flavors we bring to the world's table.

My daughter has autism and is non-verbal as well. However, she is one of the sweetest kids ever. I know that she is smart, but she cannot convey her intelligence in the traditional methods. Although I can sometimes "interpret" what she's doing or what she wants and why, sometimes, I am at a loss as well. I hope that someday the veil of autism is lifted, and my beautiful daughter can really shine!

As a parent with a child with autism, we truely need to educate people on this subject. There seem to be no tolerance for differences. They may not be able to look you in the eye, but that does not mean they are not taking in every single word you are speaking, and they probably have the answer and cannot find the way to communicate it back to you.
We need to get information out there. If what I read recently (1 in 155 births on the spectrum)is correct, we are looking at a large group of people coming into adulthood over the next decade, and very few people understanding.

My daughter was 4 when she was formally diagnosed as Autistic. She is now 7 and the journey has been both difficult and rewarding. On the very broad spectrum, she is high-functioning but that does not mean she does not have challenges to face daily. If my daughter were to get lost, she could not tell you her address or telephone number. Her sense of pain is high and it is scary for others to see her hurt herself with no crying or words of pain. She is affectionate with people she is comfortable with but has difficulty socializing with children outside of her comfort zones. She refuses to eat new foods so we are forced to feed her weight gain supplements and she has difficulty in transitioning from one activity to the next. But if people took the time to speak with her they would see a very loving and extremely intelligent child. She may have difficulty in communicating with the outside world but you can see in her eyes she has so much to share, if only she could get it out. We are fortunate that she is high functioning because her speech is improving almost everyday and her behaviors are slowly improving. She is extremely social with her classmates and is affectionate with everyone. She is in a special education class but spends half the day with the General Ed. students and loves to participate in dance and singing. Lastly, I have to say I am a better person for having been blessed with this child. She has taught me so much and although I wish she didn't have to struggle so hard, I know she and other autistic children were put on this Earth for a special reason. We have high hopes for our daughter and only wish others wouldn't write her off as "retarted".

Lets see its been a while so I guess I should update this site. Things seem to be moving along rather well for the most part. I took our house off the market. It was up for sale for two years and the market is just so soft that nothing is moving. The city and area is in such bad economic straights that there is a huge amount of foreclosures making this a buyers market. So now, I�m in the process of putting the house back together and unpack all the stuff I packed up so the house would be uncluttered for showing the house. I have decided to do some home improvements on the house, adding a new kitchen and master suite on to the back of the house. I�m hoping to get it done for under 30,000 but doubt that will happen. I figure I will get back almost all I put in, in resale value since kitchens and baths sell houses these days and will increase the square footage by 400 square feet. I�m still waiting for the last bid to come in to decide who to go with and to see how much I will need to beg the bank for.

RJ is doing pretty good. I don�t know if its being aspergian or just being him but he is always so negative. Mike can bitch about something on the tv and RJ auto assumes Mike is bitching at him. I ask him to shovel the snow and you would of thought I just asked him to move Mt. Everest or something. His shrink as part of his treatment said he is to go outside everyday no matter how cold or over cast it is for 20 minutes to get sun and some exercise, again you would think we just asked him to cut his left arm off. The only time he is happy is when he is talking about computer games or eating junk food. School wise he is doing ok� but it is taking him forever to get through his lessons. He complains if he has to work passed 5pm because he needs his free time�I tell him the quicker you get through this the more free time you can have. It�s like talking to a brick wall. He just stares at me as if I�m speaking in a foreign language. Oh, a positive note with him doing the homebound schooling I no longer have to fight with the schools or run up there to get him because of a meltdown. He has gone from a melt down a day to maybe one every 3 months when I start getting on him to get his work done because the semester is almost over and he is falling behind.

He is getting so tall he is almost 5�11� now and about 178 pounds. He gets annoyed at me because I keep asking him to get things down for me or put things back because I can�t reach. Next Monday RJ will be 17 years old�time really flies. He has a pencil mustache and is getting a beard, I keep telling him the mustache is fine but the beard has to go�its very patchy and just makes his face look dirty. With luck in June, he will get his braces off and we will be almost done with the orthodontist. It will be very nice not to have to drive to Battle Creek every 8 weeks.

With RJ not needing as much attention or time do to meltdowns and school issues I�ve started job hunting. I figured since he can do his schoolwork 24/7 that he can start his work when I get home or before I leave for work depending on what my work schedule will be. That way I know he is doing his work instead of hoping he does it while I�m gone, which I know kids well enough aspergian or otherwise, as soon as the parent leaves they do what they want and to hell with school.

It seems my family has started to fall apart�my dad had a heart attack a week ago, this after having the quad bypass surgery about a year ago. My brother was diagnosed with prostrate cancer and diabetes. He goes in for surgery the middle of next month. I guess we are all getting old but stuff like this just a wake up call that people won�t be around forever and this too shall pass.

House work is calling and time to put Mikes coffee on so its hot for when he comes home for lunch. I will try to update a bit more often than I have been. Remember to try and run between the raindrops you will not get as wet that way. :D


Every time I see an article or posting on autism, I read it. My son was diagnosed with aspergers syndrome about 6 years ago. Aspergers is a high functioning autistic which is quite often misdiagnosed because they don�t rock they are usually verbal, they are usually the target of bullying in schools because they are considered odd. The cannot read social situations, facial features so when someone teases them they think the other child is being truthful and takes offense. A lot of these kids are considered �bad� kids and end up in the EI (Emotionally Impaired) classes or kicked out of school for fighting. Children with AS are usually highly intelligent and suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorders, they are stuck on a subject and have a hard time disconnecting from it.
Teachers make their school experience even worse because the teacher refuses to adapt and work around the child�s defects. If they were blind, no teacher in their right mind would expect the child to read a black board, yet kids with AS have a hard time understanding the importance of turning papers in on time and neatly. They have the mentality of if Johnny can do it so can Billy�well Johnny does not have AS. I wish their was more information out their about AS and more teachers were required to study this disorder before getting their teachers certificates. It is so frustrating as a mom to watch my happy baby become withdrawn and suicidal because of the way he is treated in the school system.
My son is now 17 and is homebound school it took him being forced into the EI room with a diagnoses of AI (Autisticly Impaired) to finally get him into a school that understood his condition. Unfortunately, from the years of abuse through the public and private school system we had to resort to homebound schooling.

Autism is at epidemic rates. I believe the CDC now states that 1 in 150 will be diagnosed. This is now a national crisis. Thanks for staying on top of such an important topic. Keep up the good work, I look forward to Wednesday's broadcast.

My 24 yr old son has Asperger's, a form of autism, and has taught me many things as well. He doesn't make eye contact well, and he doesn't feel the "normal" emotions and responses to emotional stimuli that most of us feel. He laughs at inappropriate times and makes some people feel uncomfortable. He has a difficult time finding employment and works at a minimum wage job, but has high normal intelligence and a near photographic memory. He has been turned down for SSI Supplemental income twice, and it's scary for me as a 52 yr old single mom when I think of what's to become of him when I can no longer provide a home for him. America must address the issue of Autism in adults. Nearly all of the existing programs are for very young children and are geared to identifying those who has this disorder. Well, once you have been diagnosed and are out of the school system, then what? These are wonderful, intelligent, and skilled people whom no one will hire and who can't make enough to support themselves. They fall between the cracks. I would love for you to address this issue. Thanks!

Thank you for bringing us Amanda's story. As I'm reading, I am somewhat disappointed not to see a bit of her story in her own words. She seems to be a very determined, articulate, and resourceful woman.

As an adult female with an autistic spectrum disorder I also empathize with her desire to connect with others, and to meet the world on her own terms, despite society's misgivings and value judgements about her struggles and the unusual ways in which she solves these problems.

All too often we as a society focus on the remarkable gifts of some autistic people, but the truth is, most of us do not have a "savant" talent and yet still need considerable assistance and accommodation in the communications, multitasking, and social realms. The public perception of adults with Asperger's and autism remains skeptical, and we are still often accused of all variety of malingering or antisocial behavior at work because we do not multitask well, have problems communicating, or become distracted by the dull buzz of a faulty fluorescent light.

I tell you this because I also have full medical training but cannot practice, because the ordinary Herculean struggle of adequate clinical communications and multitasking in internal medicine residency became absolutely impossible after even a single sleepless night on-call. No training program in the country will accept an applicant who cannot take overnight call.

This is a very nice blog. = ]

Well, with my work at Autism Speaks, I have seen similar stories of people dealing with this disease. I think that medical reserach has a great task ahead of it as the current theories are wide and sometimes conflicting. However as I have learned, early diagnosis and special intervention may help some learn to adapt to new ways of learning. My experience also brings up the fact Autism is now on the rise as my own nephew in Pakistan has been diagnosed. However, it took forever for the medical community of a thrird world country to diagnose the disorder. It is good that organizations like Autism Speaks will branch out on the international level to increase awareness.

I HAVE A DAUGHTER WITH AUTISIM STACIE IS 35 YEARS OLD. SHE ALSO HAS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. SHE IS NON VERBAL AND CANOT WALK BECAUSE OF M S. I HAVE BEEN TOLD SHE IS MENTALY RETARDED AS WELL. I KNOW SHE ISN'T. I PRAY THAT SOME DAY THEY WILL FIND A CURE.SHE ATTENDS A DAY PROGRAM AT RACHAM FOUNDATION;

Thank you Sanjay. I'm looking forward to watching this very interesting segment. I am a Special Education teacher who has worked with several autistic children over the past few years. The questions surrounding the true ability levels and self-awareness of persons on the Autism spectrum; what doesn't show behind their apparent difficulties in communicating is something that continually tugs at me and many other educators and therapists. There is so much we still need to learn about the condition of autism and how people on the spectrum cope and manage.

Excellent choice for an interviewee.

I've known Amanda through the Internet for about three years. I think she is one the most generous and kind (not to mention intelligent) people out there, other autistic people have been very generous with her, too, as she will tell you. She and the other autistic advocates challenge and disprove many stereotypes in a very compelling way. Are autistics cold hearted and empty? No. Not at all. They give of themselves. I hope more people will listen to the autistic adult advocates the way you did, Dr. Gupta. Fortunately, the words of autistic advocates are quite available on the Internet.

A site that Amanda helps to maintain, autistics.org is an excellent place to start. gettingthetruthout.org is another one. Amanda's blog is called "Ballastexistenz" and her blog and other interesting and helpful blogs are easily found through the Autism Hub, autism-hub.cu.uk

Other than websites and blogs operated by autistic self advocates, or their allies, other autism websites (usually run by organizations or shady salespeople) are rarely worth reading. They tend to be full of, or badly peppered with, BAD information about autism.

Before anyone jumps on Amanda for not being a parent and not understanding the feelings of parents, (lets just make it clear that that's a lousy argument), it's good to remember that many autism spectrum self advocates ARE parents of autism spectrum (and typical) children and so they can speak about autism as parents, too.

Thank you for sharing this story. My son is non-verbal Autistic and he is so smart. I wonder how many children we have brushed aside and not helped them reach their full potential just because they can't communicate? It is apparent that Amanda had someone believe in her. Someone in her life sweated blood/tears to give Amanda a voice.

I wrote a book called "Learning to Live with High Functioning Autism." If I was writing it today I think I would change the title. If you are seen as high functioning you do not get the services you need. If you are seen as low functioning you do not get the respect you deserve. The problem with 'high functioning' and 'low functioning' is that they do not capture the complexity of being autistic. And if you say that someone is not low functioning because of their ability to communicate intelligently, is there a danger that you might use that label on people who were less accomplished communicators, implying that they are less worthy of respect?

My 5 year old son has been diagnosed on separate occasions with PDD, apraxia, or developmental aphasia. The only thing the medical experts have agreed upon is that he requires speech therapy as his expressive speech is at about a 2 1/2 to 3 year old level. He receptive speech level is higher but not to his age group.
We have placed our son in a school for autistic children and he has made progress. To date, we have received no insurance help as his condition is considered developmental, therefore it is not covered. The financial burden is slowly destroying us and we are trying to figure out what options we have.

In my opinion, there needs to be action at the Federal level requiring states and companies to cover insurance claims that relate to developmental issues (speech therapy, occupational therapy, ABA, etc.). Having my health care insurance company cover my son's speech therapy sessions would dramatically improve our family's financial situation.

Could you tell me which states require insurance companies by law to cover the therapy (speech, physical, etc.) needed to help a child with autism and/or apraxia? I know New Jersey is one and I believe there are 8 states within the USA that require insurance to cover developmental issues.

As a substitute teacher in my town here in Connecticut, I have had the chance to interact with many children that have been diagnosed as autistic. I am amazed at the spectrum of the disorder - these children are so different. I see the extreme intelligence, and the social component lacking, as is typical with many autistic children.
I also see that the program we have in place in our school system really does help these children develop to the best of their ability (I work mainly in the K-2 grades).
What distresses me most, however,(and the school staff that I've discussed this topic with), is that we have a much higher incidence than even the revised NIH/CDC numbers indicate. They say about 1:150, which would translate to one autistic child for every 7 classes (we have roughly 20 children per classroom). I see us having about one in 30, possibly more. I see about one child per classroom, sometimes more than one, dependent on the teacher's abilities.
I don't know if it's because we're known for having a good program, or what, but I do believe that the Federal Gov't should request numbers from all the school systems nationwide to get an accurate handle on the number of diagnosed cases. I think we would be shocked to know that we have an even greater problem than even the new numbers suggest.
With proper intervention these children can be productive citizens, like Amanda, but it requires knowledge, which means research dollars spent. And only once the Government understands the actual numbers involved can the appropriate amount of money can be spent on research.

I'm currently a third year Pharm D. Candidate at the University of Georgia and this article caught my eye because in 2 weeks I will be giving a 30 min. seminar on Risperidone's recently approved indication for treating Autism symptoms. =)

Dr. Gupta, you wondered how many other people like Amanda are out there. Autism is prevalent in children and 1 in every 500 children are affected. Currently 1 in every 150 children in the U.S. has autism. Surprisingly, this disease can be accurately detected as early as the age of 1; unfortunately, only 50% are diagnosed before kindergarten. As you stated, these individuals are hidden and I agree that they can be reached easily. If diagnostic procedures improve and are performed at earlier ages then I think the progression of Autism can be greatly reduced because treatment can be initiated at an earlier age.

Unfortunately, Risperidone is not the perfect solution either because it has shown to be only effective in treating 3 of the 5 main symptoms of Autism which does not include language skills and social relationships/interaction; however it has been shown to be beneficial long-term!

Thank you for sharing Amanda's story! It was very touching. =)

I have a 6-year old son with autism who is non-verbal. He was diagnosed at 18 mos when he lost his language skills. Although he was immediately enrolled in Early Intervention services and is now in a private school for the autistic he does not speak a word, but there is no doubt that he is intelligent. He gets very frustrated and beats himself in the head when he cannot communicate his needs/wants, which is heartbreaking. Reading Amanda's story gave me hope that one day he will be able to communicate with us and that there is a reason for some of his �quirky� actions.

Thank you for sharing Amanda�s story about the issues around low functioning autism. Most stories I read and see are about the higher functioning "miracle" children that have been able to overcome their issues enough to function in society. This is not the case for many, including our son. I look forward to seeing tonight�s segment on AC 360.

Thank you.

I have a 3 year old boy with autism. We learned about his condition when he was 2. Initially, I fought his symptoms with every fiber of my being. Then, I learned to redirect. Now, I'm learning to accept. With therapies and other methods, he's learning to communicate. Watching this video gives me MORE hope.

I'm excited to have adult autistics sharing the way they look at the world with us. I have a 12 year old son with autism, he has some spoken language. I know he sees the world different than I. I have been saying for years that technology will permit our autistic kids to communicate in ways that they cannot today, it looks like we are getting there. I also feel blessed and honored to be the mother of such a unique child. He has some challenging behaviors and we work through them on a daily basis. His Dad and I are in awe of the simplicity he brings to our lives. Thank you for
the story on Amanda.

Sanjay - This reminds me of a very touching story about autism that I read called "A Child of Eternity" by Adriana Rocha and Kristi Jorde. It will really open your eyes.

I am a speech/language pathologist working with autistic children, and they have this in common: they are each unique. I believe that their range of intelligence is just as wide as that of the neurotypical population. There are five modes of communication--sign/bodylanguage, speaking, listening, reading, and writing. You need at least one receptive and one expressive mode of communication to work in order to be able to reach the outside world. Amanda can hear and read, and she can write. She is a successful communicator. However, there are individuals who may have difficulty with all the modalities. And there are individuals in betweeen. That is why there is no one size fits all therapy or magic bullet "cure" for autism. The parents who are working with their kids as individuals are on the right track. The corporations who allow their insurance coverage to deny these children services are shortsided and cruel.

I recommend a book by Temple Grandin and Sean Barron "The Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships" for other perspectives from autistic adults.

I have a 9 year old son with autism. He is almost totally non-verbal, socially very shy but also very well behaved. He was judged mentally retarded by his former school in Morton Grove IL just about one year ago even when we were insisting that he does many more things at home. The school did not want to accept the fact that what we did at home was any good and like were were told "we are also professionals"

We bought a new home to move to Glenview IL; another shcool district and here he has thrived and does classwork at his grade level and 3-4-5 grade levels above him. He needs help with communication and communicates with writing and is now begining to do some assisted typing and using voice synthesizing. During weekends he ice-skates, swims and goes for gymnastics

From a label of autistic and mentally retarded to autistic and smart was a big struggle for us as parents. I am glad that socially more of us have started undestanding and accepting autism

As a parent of an autistic child who was diagnosed PDD/NOS and is mild to moderate on the scale of functioning I am having a hard time digesting the fact that doctors refer to her as 'low functioning'. Maybe because she's female, but my son has nowhere near the skills that she displayed in this article. "It's like being bilingual," she types. "A lot of the way I naturally communicate is just through direct response to what is around me in a very physical sort of way. It's dealing with patterns and colors rather than with symbolic words."
That's a pretty in depth way to explain what she's thinking, even if she can't verbalize it. The kids I know with severe autism couldn't sit still long enough to type that out. Interesting. I wonder when her diagnosis was made?

I like the fact that more and more people are coming to understand Autism. As a mother of 2 children with Autism, it has been a long, hard road very much complicated by people who do not understand. Maybe with more understanding there will be more tolerance for others that are different.

All of a sudden, stories about the high autism rate among children have been popping up, but it is important to note that autism is NOT a new disorder that is only affecting the "next generation." Autism is just as prevalent among adults, especially if it is genetic--the gene didn't just magically appear in the children of this generation. The only reason the rate seems to be increasing in children is because we only now have a good working definition to use in diagnosis. After all, Amanda herself is 26, and there are plenty of other adults out there with autism (of varying degrees of severity) who have never been diagnosed. It is great to focus on children because early intervention currently seems to be the most effective treatment, but we also need to come up with ways to treat adults... not only will kids with autism grow up to be adults with autism, but there are ALREADY probably about 1 in 150 ADULTS suffering from some type of autism. These adults are probably suffering alone, watching on the sidelines as the world slowly wakes up to the "new" crisis of autism in children. At least, I know that's what I am doing, as a grown woman with Asperger's who happened to be born before autism was a recognized disorder and missed out on all forms of early treatment. Is it too late for autistic adults to get help and attention? I hope not.

AJ IN HOUSTON: I know you asked for info on what states make insurance companies cover speech therapy ect for apraxia and the like and I wanted to tell you, Texas (I live in Dallas) covers it at the county level. Here in Dallas they call it ECI for Early Childhood Intervention but all counties have to provide services for developmental and/or physical delays... when you have insurance alot of times people assume it is covered so they don't think to tell you about the county funded programs. You do have to apply and it is sliding scale but then also, once they start school there are other 'free to the child' therapies if you know to ask and keep bugging people. I have apraxia, dyslexia and aphasia and my mom had to fight every step we took to get me the speech and developmental therapy that tax dollars pay for, but it is out there. One suggestion on the apraxia, learning sign language helped me a great deal... I could think of the word but just not get my brain to vocalize it and when I could spell it out in sign language it triggered me being able to speak it with (after many years of practice- I am 35 yrs old) with no noticable pauses. Both our children are in speech therapy and the school says if our daughters letters don't turn around on a consistant basis by next school year they will be placing her in the dyslexia program. There are no charges for services provided through the public school system and even if you homeschool or send your child to a private school, your child is still entitled to recieve services from the public school system.

Autistic is the new Gay

I find it apt that you use the word "veil" while describing autism. Veils speak volumes, and are often misunderstood by people who are not familiar with them, see them as a wall, a mark of separateness taken on by choice. Whether you are wearing one or looking at one on someone else can make all the difference.

My son Nicholas is autistic -- as one of the "bright ones" many people assume that if he tried hard, really wanted to -- he could choose to leave autism behind, they don't see what doing that would cost him if not "looking autistic" was even possible. He describes autism as "the new gay" -- something people are asked not to flaunt, to hide, to try not to be.

I hope for a world for him -- and for the people who come afterwards -- where Spectrumphobia will be seen as just as unenlightened as homophobia, outside of the behavior of the everyday society.

JulieB

I have a seven year old grandson with Asperger's Syndrome.
He is one of the brightest children I have ever seen goes to a regular school, but he is continually demeaned by his teachers. He's not unintelligent, just the reverse, he has a remarkable use of the English language and an extaordinary imagination.
His only faults are that he won't look you in the eye for more than a few seconds, and his social skills are lacking due to his Asperger's. Also, sadly, he doesn't give tight hugs and will only oblige when asked. My first words to him when entering the house are "Hunter, give Gramma a squeezer!" He smilingly grabs me around the middle and squeezes the heck out of me. Amanda Baggs is a remarkable young woman. Thank you for bringing an understanding, if there can be one, of Autism to the people.

Dr. Gupta,

As a professional (nurse) and a parent of a young daughter with Autism Spectrum Disorder, thank you for doing this story.

Our daugher was though, and we were told, she was severely mentally retarded, a fact my husband and I having clinical expertise in the field of developmental disabilities, knew was false.

We fought for years and finally, at the age of 19, our daughter found her voice through use of assistive technology.

Instead of doing one didgit math and spelling cat and dog over and over, she proved how gifted she was. Having never taking any meaningful courses in any year of school, she took two college semesters of Philosophy and then went on the take English Comp (a prolific writer we discovered) and Public Speaking and then Media Criticism. She hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in communication and has spoken (via assistive technology)to groups of educators, phychologist, speech theapist, etc. and an several conferenced. She now actively participates in all her life decision, including health care.

You may want to visit the web site of a group of indiviudals in Pennsylvania called the Lonesome Doves, a group of individuals who were diagnosed with all levels of autism and mentally retardation.

There are sooooo many wonderful life altering stories out there - you just have to keep looking.

Thank you again.

I'm surprised someone with a child on the spectrum would be so harsh in criticizing this story.

Autism is a SPECTRUM disorder. There are so many different aspects to it. Should we focus only on cute children who make for good TV?

While my child is considered high-functioning, I think it's important to be aware of and learn about as much of the spectrum as possible. There is so much to learn from everyone who is generous enough to share their story.

I understand the concern that seeing people like Amanda will make them think "Rain Man" all over again, but does that mean her story shouldn't be told? I don't think so.

I believe ANY story about autism these days provides some sort of education for the general public. Whether it's about a child with Asperger's or a teen with PDD-NOS or a more severely affected adult -- the current information is nearly always included. 1 in 150. People are finding out. Either through stories like these or from people they know who have loved ones with autism.

No, not all people with autism are affected like Amanda. But they're not all like a child with Asperger's either. Every story that's out there tells people about autism. Hopefully, it'll get them to ask questions! Or get us to start the discussion with people who don't know.

People need to become more tolerant. Period. It concerns me that this apparent attitude of "don't make it look bad" exists within the autism community itself.

I personally, grew up with Asperger's Syndrome, and while I was in middle school, I had educational support, and it helped greatly to overcome the behavioral problems I could have developed. Something that truly helped me throughout school, and in college is memory and pictures. Though I don't use it a lot now, memorization is one of the tests that I had, and this also was part of my persona. I am now a Digital Media Major, with a focus on photographic manipulation in college. This article is very inspiring, and truly brings out the quality that Autistics can bring to this world if we let them. I myself, as an artist, have attempted to work with visual images as well as words to communicate, however, I'm not a writer or novelist. I'm simply highly artistic, and helping people is one of my inspirations and aspirations.

I am struck by the posting by Kelli Anne from Maryland. She notes that not all people afflicted with Autism is a "Savant", I believe she counts herself among that group. She obviously doesn't recognize the intellectual she has that allowed her to attend and pass medical school despite all of her special challenges is far beyond those of "normal" people. It is so frustrating to me that our society can't find a way to harness the talents, and special abilities of autistics like Kelli and so many others. They all see the world is such a different way that the normal, but so did people like Albert Einstein. Who knows what astounding accomplishments, the cures for Aids or Cancer, the solution to unified field theory, who knows lies trapped within their minds. Unfortunately in our society if you are a round peg and can't fit into the square peg hole you are considered "disabled" or worse. What kind of fortune awaits the entrepeneur who finds a way to tap into this talent pool?

I have a daughter with autism. She is now 6 years old. We started treating her biomedically at 18-months. I have seen Amanda's videos on Youtube, and I am very impressed with her. However, I am very frustrated with the fact that I NEVER hear anything about biomedical treatments for autism on TRADITIONAL television and media. My daughter has made such strides through biomedical, that she is now in kindergarten, and only spending 2-hours a day in resource. She speaks all needs and wants and socializes as well. All of this happened with biomedical intervention, and to such an extent, that I was asked to speak to the county Early Intervention Program about my daughter's amazing changes. You are doing the autism segment a HUGE disservice to not mention these interventions, and the problems that may have caused the need for these interventions.

As the father of a six year old son with autism, I wanted to thank you and the rest of media for drawing more attention to this national epidemic. Autism dignosis continue to increase and no one seems to know why. For years the medical community was very quick to say that it was not a medical issue, but we are slowly realizing that is just not the case. I hope and pray for a day when a cure can be found for this terrible condition.

Hmmm...I think alot of what is classified as mild Autism is damage from a culture that forces you to be marketed to and to market yourself. And it starts from birth!

This marketing is 99% negative. We're always not good enough and always in peril according to what they tell us.

I'm sorry this is NOT normal: it is abusive, elitist, treacherous and full of hate. It's a wonder things are not much worse given these circumstances.

It's time the abusers of our tolerance were taken to task.

I would like to see more companies hiring and making accommodations for people with disabilities.

There is no reason that someone who can type should be denied job opportunities in today's world.

I also would like to see more companies think aobut implementing flexible schedules for more employees and offering more part time work. Sometimes endurance is the biggest prohibitive to working.

There is nothing worse than being trapped in a location without access to any kind of communication with the outside world. I know people who refuse to get their children communication devices (or attempt teaching them sign language) because they figure their children will just end up in Nursing Homes anyways.

By forcing Autistics to not have working as an option we are eliminating a vital part of our potential work force.

We are still working to improve both the environment (society) and our sons (PDD NOS) ability to live within this space we call life. Amanda is one who can help us all understand how it is to think and feel differently. She and many other individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders can help us understand better how we all interact with and fit into this world. I have huge respect for anyone who continuously contributes to the real voice of Autism, and it had helped our family by giving us the encouragement to continue to help our son be the best that he can be. Amanda Keep on keeping on!

In response to Sharla Jones who posted "Showcasing a story like this does not open our eyes to Autism, Dr. Gupta. It does exactly what Amanda Baggs said- makes people thing she's weird or retarded."
I really think you missed Dr. Gupta's point. I think his point was that in the past (and present) people mistakingly wrote off anyone with any type of Autism as being unreachable and therefore different and therefore "not like us". However, Dr. Gupta first had the opportunity to meet Amanda in a world in which she has found the ability to communicate, via the computer. This relatively new medium of communication opened a new world for Amanda, and for those that are blessed to ineract with her. Imagine all good that can come out of Amanda's story being nationally broadcast, if even just one MORE person living with Autism figures out how to have their own voice heard. Even though not all people are the same, imagin all the good ideas that can be born from this segment. Imagine all the good that will come out of Amanda's story because of all the Doctors, and Social Workers, and Nurses and Teachers, and Neighbors, and Social Security officials, etc... who can gain a better understanding of what it is like to live with Autism (even if it is just one form of the disorder).

I cannot begin to understand the frustration you must feel. Please remember you DO know much more than the general public about the spectrum of Autistic Disorders. You've had to take a crash course in order to be the best parent you can be. Segments like this let the general public, including neurosurgeons, pick it up piece by piece.

Good Afternoon,

I have a 19 year old son with Autism. He is what you would call high fuctioning. (This would not have been possible without the help of some very caring people in his school system, see my son was a novelty. When he was young Autism was not really heard of where we lived.) This was not always the case. When he was very young he would not speak, he would make noises and point for what he wanted. There would be no eye contact. He would close down and go into his own world. Human contact was something he did not what. I would try to make eye contact with him, but this was not going to happen.

Then as every cloud lifts and the sun shines through things began to change. He did not change we did! We decided it was more important to have him speak to us than make eye contact, this made a difference. He had many years of speach. Though he still did not like to speak, he would.
We allowed him to take us in his world. One big change we made was not to say bad or good, we change it to apporite and not apporite. these small changes open up a world to my son.

He has graduated from High School (life skills program). He is now attending a program called ACE which is teaching him social skills and how to get a job and live on his own. He will always need some help.

I still long to hear the words every mother wants to hear I LOVE YOU.

I am going to go against the grain here, as I think there is nothing unhealthy about autistics disagreeing in public.

As a media studies graduate, who is also autistic, and who does not subscribe to notions of high and low function which are manifestly absurd, I can say that the severity of ones autism is not necessarily what one wears on ones sleeve.

As a long time disability activist and subscriber to the social model I will say that this is an appallingly bad piece of journalism.

I have known Amanda as a fellow blogger for some time, but what I see here in the blog is a focus on the unnecessary not the message of autistic rights.

What the heck does it matter if you don't get eye contact in an interview. I have been interviewed behind my dark glasses, have even lectured behind them and made a video of much greater sophistication than you see on the average blog where I take apart these media manipulations and cliches. http;//www.shiningcityvisions.com

Make no mistake CNN have done a job here they have devalued the message by making too much of the inessential.

In many respects I might appear as "wierd" as Amanda but I don't think people notice anymore because what is important is the message not the medium.

My mother was a disabled campaigner too, she resented anything that focused on the impedimenta or surface appearance of disability because that was not what mattered, each person has a different appearance of disability but the common experience of being exploited by the media, or being tokenised and not taken seriously is what she spoke about.

This is not a piece about the ordinariness of difference, I do not see Stephen Hawking portrayed in such a way, what he says demonstrates his intellect not how he says it.

It matters not whether Amanda is typing or speaking, what matters is what she is saying, but this article is far to interested in the freak show element of autism, the performing dog element as Dr Johnson put it famously.

I am a 2e (twice exceptional) student - I am considered "gifted" but also autistic. I am 10 and in Junior High. I liked Amanda's story because she is more like me than not.

Of course, most people are more like me than they admit. If you want to know more about my world - check out my blog which is www.GiftedGearReview. blogspot.com.

I think that it is important to recognize the full spectrum of people with autism spectrum disorders. Some advocates will try to argue that all people with autism are "train-wrecks" and a drain on society. Yet, all people with ASD have many things to offer society, and many have special gifts that set them apart from average people. One of my favorite quotes about autism comes from Temple Grandin, who said, "What would happen if the autism gene was eliminated from the gene pool? You would have a bunch of people standing around in a cave, chatting and socializing and not getting anything done."

I think that in this age of genetic screening, we ought to be careful about who we want to eliminate from the diverse gene pool that makes human life so full and diversified.

This is groundbreaking insight into autism. Amanda's statements are truly profound and have helped me understand the nuances of how those with autism experience the world.

Thank you to Dr. Gupta and Amanda for giving me a personal and eye-opening perspective. Thank you Amanda for reaching out.

I am looking forward to your show, Sanjay. I posted her video on my blog weeks ago and have used in my presentations about autism.

I hope this begins to change views, (do you remember writing to you about The Autism Acceptance Project)? I have an autistic son and want autistics to participate in every aspect of decisions and policies made about them. In Canada, this does not happen yet at all. We are dealing with prejudice, plain and simple. Prejudice that autistic people, and all dis-abled people for that matter, that they are less worthy. We have to talk about this attitude, and what actually makes humans, human. In our quest to control the "knowing," the science, what is our collective responsibility to protect and cherish all human life and thus, human spirit.

This is missing in all discussions about autism. Autism is portrayed as the worst possible disability ever. Yet we have autistics on our board of directors. I have an autistic son. I've met so many autistic people over the past three years and I think I am better for it. It has taught me more about what it means to be human.

WE have to put the Personhood and dignity back in representing and talking about autism. Autistic people do not wish to be not autistic. They wish to be accomodated and educated and be viewed as whole, not broken people.

I'm crossing my fingers for a fair show.

Estee Klar-Wolfond, Founder and Executive Director
The Autism Acceptance Project
www.joyofautism.blogspot.com
www.taaproject.com (The Autism Acceptance Project

Amanda is a remarkable person and i'm happy that modern technology makes it possible for her to communicate.

I wonder if Amanda could better help us to understand the vastness of the human mind.
We are to quick to make all conform to what we consider to be the "normal" view of the world and force an appropriate response.
It would be good to know how Amanda sees values, philosphy, her perspective on wisdom literature and how she preceives herself in her world.
This might offer insight into the workings of the human mind and greatly add to our knowledge of human behavior.

I wonder if Amanda has been tested for Prader Willi Syndrome.

Dr, Gupta, I can't express how touched i was by not only Amanda's story and of your thoughts of her, but also of the many comments of others. It is especially touching to read the comments of people who are living with spectrum disorders and of the family of those as well. What a blessing to hear, as the parent of a childre who wants to help him have the best life possible. Perhaps God put Amanda and her work on Youtube to reach sand unite so many of us who feel we are struggling with this misunderstood syndrome alone. It was also interesting to read the comment about autism as the new "gay". perhaps now with the miracles of thechnology our family members don't have to be subject to this kind of fear and prejudice as they have in the past. Bless you and keep up the great work!

I have a friend here in my hometown of Colorado Springs, CO. He is the same age as my husband, 33 years old, and has autism. He is tall, smart and very sweet. When he speaks, it is with a rather shaky sound to his soft voice. He also has obsessive-compulsive disorder, in his case, with names.

He gravitated to me because my middle name is Angela. He loves anything to do with angels, or God, or Christ. So we became friends because of my middle name (it also didn't hurt that my father's name was Angelo and one of my children is Angela). But if a name has "hell" somewhere in it (e.g., Michelle), he won't have anything to do with that person.

Although one day I pointed out to him that "Michelle" is the French feminine version of "Michael," who is the Archangel. That surprised him! He actually sat down and talked with a woman named Michelle on the strength of this!

The one area where he excels is with music. He has his own mixing board, lots of different recording machines and tapes, and hundreds of vinyl albums. If you get him to talk about music, his voice changes. It smoothes out, it won't have that "scratchy" tone to it at all. I think music is his greatest expression of who he is, because it is what he loves best. He's also wonderful with computers, which knowing his love of music, didn't surprise me.

He lives in his own apartment, is involved with Special Olympics (basketball is one of his favorite sports), and simply enjoys his life. He's a great guy, very sweet, and I am better for knowing him.

It is interesting to me to see that no one who commented on this story mentioned what it is like to actually raise a child with autism. My son has high-functioning autism and we sought every treatment available for him that we could afford starting at age 2. He is very intelligent and has a photographic memory. His lanugage skills are very good compared to many autistic children. However, his behavior is extremely difficult to deal with. He used to throw everything in sight at the walls and at people. He would destroy toys, books, furniture, etc.. He would keep us up all night several nights a week. We were at our wits' end and couldn't get any help from the school district or the various psychiatrists we had taken him to. The last straw came when he seriously beat his toddler brother (he had a knot on his head and bruises on his back and arms) with a toy block, then the next day shook and hit our infant son. We decided that for the safety of our other children, the best thing was to turn him over to the state. He is now living with a wonderful foster family (the mother is a special ed. teacher) and his behavior is much better. I have to live with the pain of knowing that I no longer have my oldest child every day, and I don't think I'll ever get past that. My two younger sons are doing well though (neither has autism), so I just try to enjoy every moment with them and be thankful that all of my children are now safe and happy. The federal and state governments definitely need to develop more programs for children with autism, particularly programs to help with serious behavior issues. Scientists also need to do everything in their power to find the causes of autism so that we can find so way to prevent this. With the rate of autism increasing every year, we may be facing the end of our society as we know it within a few decades if we can't stop this epidemic.

I'm very glad I saw the post at The Gimp Parade (thegimpparade.blogspot.com) mentioning this, so I'd know to go check it out!

I'm also an Autistic, though I speak only part-time. I was extremely lucky that I was born with physical disabilities to highly accepting parents; as firmly directed by the doctors from day one, they knew that it would be best if they encouraged *my* developmental path as it unfolded, because I wasn't "other kids" and never would be. (I think having the big physical aspect helped them really grasp that, as well as to be happy with what they had rather than miserable about what I wasn't!)

I was also very lucky to meet other pro-acceptance Autistics online in my mid-twenties, then more specifically Amanda. At first, they helped repair the horrible self-esteem damage done by a NT I had dated, then even more as the Autistic I started dating began echoing very similar things said to him as a boy. While I also got support from my NT female friends online, the Autie ones were able to truly empathize. (As I have said to newbies, you can't tell what *any* of us are like based on our language skills.)

What is very disturbing is that the way I see most people speak to Autie kids is exactly how I was talked to by my exes... That how I felt was wrong, how I reacted was wrong, how I showed love was wrong, how I needed to do or tolerate various things that made me miserable but would please them. Even if that is all well-meaning -- both ex supposedly loved me at the time, they both thought they were saving our relationship or helping me "grow" -- it still does catastrophic damage.

So now, a few years after my second relationship crashed, I'm finally regaining my self-worth.. But it's not because I've tried to appear more NT, as that would have really destroyed me. It's because people like Amanda were there to show me firsthand that it's OK to not be NT, parents that agree, NT friends that agree, and even a lot of NTs I've met in person that verified it. I feel deeply sorry for the Auties growing up without that, and worry about all the ones that never find their way to the Autistic community.

Sanjay,
I was stunned to learn when I got into the workforce to learn that not everyone thinks in images. I was having trouble understanding a simple concept about something, even though I have a PhD in astrophysics (the career field with the highest percentage of lefties). My manager laughed and asked if I was left handed. I said I was but that I had been forced to switch to my right hand in the 3rd grade by a teacher. He then told me that generally left handed people think in images and right handed people think in words and I wasn't getting it because I wasn't seeing it in front of me. I also have balance problems that I'm told people who are forced to switch which side of their brain is dominant have... Something about your inteview with Amanda resonates with the way I experience reality- that makes me wonder, has anyone tried taking autistic children and forcing them to switch to their right hand to force them to be more verbal? (I'm assuming they are left handed- if not, if autistic people are right handed, are they kids that were shamed very early on into not using their left hands (maybe even just unconciously by looking around them?) but don't have an many connections between the hemispheres of the brain that most lefties do and so are the small percentage of people who have severe impacts from doing so?) Call me crazy but I think there is something to this, I was surprised to see info on autism on hyper-sensitivity to the environment and I have some of the same symptoms but much less than someone who is autistic, but I don't remember having them before switching hands....

Dr Gupta, I am truly fascinated by Amanda and her remarkable way of being able to communicate to the world. She has opened my eyes to the wonder of Autism .Thank you.

As the mother of a special 9 year old son, who just happens to be on the Autism Spectrum, I often find myself somewhat envious of the mother whose autisic child is non-verbal. Why you may ask, would I wish to never hear my childs sweet voice? My answer is always the same. Just because my son is verbal does not mean he understands and processes language appropriately. I find that many times I have to interpret for my very "normal" appearing son. Conversations are usually one sided, and often times they are very frustrating for him.

I for one am tired of the lack of concern from family members, school personnel and neighbors in our community. Yes my son looks like a normal 9 year old, and yes the tone of his voice is for the most normal sounding he is anything but normal. I feel just horrible for saying that, but please tell me what part of normal is smearing feceses on the wall because you have difficulty sequencing the steps of bathroom hygeine? Or what part of normal is soiling your pants because to leave recess would mean certain doom? I have been told by another mother from our support group whose son is considered "low-functioning" that she feels that having a "high-functioning" child would be much more difficult. She said at least they know what the future has in store for her son. Not so with the higher functioning. We don't know what the future holds for my son. I recently heard from an Autism consultant for our state that those individuals with Asperger's and "high-functioning" Autism are the most un-employed and under-employed. To me that is a very sad reality. I am afraid that this reality will continue on if those individuals are not taken seriously and allowed the much needed supportive services that will help them, even if they don't look Autistic.

Thank you Dr. Gupta for introducing us to Amanda and thanks to her for sharing her story.

Dr. Gupta-
I am one of a group of parents to whom Amanda is no surprise...my son is so called low functioning- is 6 years old and learning to spell on a letterboard-hundreds of students are learning this with the help of a mother originally from India-Soma Mukhopadyay...who has pioneered RPM...an academic teaching method which encourages cognitive growth, based upon the unique way each autistic persons brain is wired, and the sensory challenges they deal with everyday...thru her clinic in Austin, Texas parents from all over the world and the country,like us, are being given the opportunity to help our children learn and communicate...children who have been called "low functioning," and all but given up on by therapists, educators, and other service providers.
This is a term- low functioning- which is used by people who can only see the "behaviors" and not the individual. The outward functioning of the human body is not an indicator of cognitive ability.
Sincerely, Shazia Dahar and Irfan Dahar,MD

My soon to be, 26 year old son was diagnosed with autism at around four years of age. As with many non-verbal
autistics he spoke early and gradually
lost his speech entirely at around 18 -
22 months of age. Unfortunately, early on, he was misdiagnosed as hearing impaired or possibly esophagal or vocal chord damaged resulting from earlier,
nearly constant, vomitting after most every feeding, which many Drs. thought was probable cause for his delayed speech. Everything from acid reflux disease and allergies to being lactose intolerant (which he was). I feel the sudden increase in autistic diagnosis is due to the fact that as with many other diseases or illnesses, healthcare workers are becoming better informed do to stories such as Amandas'. Whether high or low functioning, mentally retarded, or whatever label is used to describe the many spectrums of autism. Amandas' story can only help others as it draws attention to the total problem which not only causes laymen to respond, but also keeps professionals in the field discussing the story with parents or with others in the field. Unfortunately, the old adage about the "squeaky wheel getting the grease" is usually the case. So whether you agree or disagree with the story of Amanda it is making people talk about autism which can only be a positive thing.

Has anyone ever done a study on how population density affects sociability ? I've been living a decade in a country that has a population significantly over 1 billion people, and it APPEARS that the AVERAGE person here has well defined social skills while interacting in groups,but these tacitly understood social skills seem to be less robust when interacting one-on-one. This observation, among others, makes me wonder if population density is a significant environmental factor...?

We should stop trying to worry so much about the so called deficiencies or challenges that an autistic person has, and try to comprehend the way they try to communicate with us. It is not about accepting them, or teaching kids with autism how to be accepted, it is about learning to communicate in their language. It�s about loving them for who they are. If we wake up in a strange country, where people speak a different language, and have different mannerisms we would make an effort to learn to communicate. Well, let�s concentrate in learning how to communicate with our autistic love ones instead of trying to make them fit our definition of �normal�.

Amanda is amazing. I am American but living in Japan. My Japanese is not very good and many of my cultural and social preconceptions do not fully adapt here. I've had to learn to adjust to differences in communication, point of view and outlook. In doing so I've learned that normal is relative and preception specific to each individual. I am grateful to Amanda for sharing her world with us. I hope the lessons in her video are taken to heart by all who view it.

My daughter is now 31 years old, multi-developmentally disabled, as well as a few physical issues.

When she was not quite two years old, her doctor said to put her in an instution as she would never walk, talk, or function anywhere near normal. Basicly, she would be a vegetable.

She graduated high school and was on the honor roll her last quarter.

She belongs to a self-advocacy panel and represents a five-county area. She is also part of a council she calls a "council of councils".

She has one published book and writes a lot of "fanfics" online.
Pretty good and a long ways from "never......function"!

Yes, it was, still is, and will always be a long, hard road for everyone.

I feel blessed that I have her. She has taught me so much about real life, what is really important and what doesn't matter. The patience and understanding I have learned is beyond what I ever dreamed of having.

See nature through her eyes and you will see as a child, rediscovering the world. Really SEE and WATCH birds, squirrels, deer, even cats and dogs. They are all God's creations and so are our gifts, our special people.

Why doesn't CNN post your segments online? This was fascinating and more people need to see it. Great job

Hello Doctor,
The video of Amanda Baggs, as well as your story on her, has given me insight to the experience and behaviour of my 10 year old daughter, Kyla.

My daughter Kyla has come a long way communicating verbally and interacting with others. It is only now that I appreciate the Herculean effort made on her part to understand our world.

Thank you for introducing me to Amanda Baggs. Thank you for being a real hero of our age.

Sometimes it isn't possible to say for sure that someone has autism; my GP thinks I have Asperger's, but while on psychiatrist thought I did have it, a couple of others wouldn't commit. I do have strong schizoid characteristics and like being alone, but I also dislike eye contact which is often very painful. Some people have soft eyes that are easy to look at but others have eyes like lasers that bore into one like hot irons. I was top of my class at school until a few months before taking my exams when my ability to concentrate suddenly disappeared. The only way to live with this sort of condition - whatever it is - is to accept it and go with it rather than fight it.

Dr. Gupta,
I am a home health pediatric nurse caring for children with a number of medical disabilities. I care for 1 child now 12 years old who has Cornelia de Lange Syndrome. he is also autistic, which seems to be common with this syndrome. for many years now parents and some doctors have been suggesting that the mercury in vaccines have been the cause of autism.
mercury has been around for centuries so I have never believed this was an issue. it is almost impossible for a nurse to question most physicians and have any chance of credibility. my question is and has been "is autism the outward symptom of CDL syndrome or other little known syndromes that are within the DNA at birth and inherited.
as our population grows there is a greater chance of increased DNA cliches, if you will, being recognized. I would like to hear you opinion on this.

Thank you so very much Dr. Gupta! I have seen many shows the last couple of weeks that portrayed Autism and I was left very empty and very angry! Your show was excellent! Amanda ia an inspiration to all that watched this, no doubt! You have given hope to families that have children with ANY form of Autism! Hopefully your show will make people rethink before they judge others that are different.
I have 11 children and my youngest is 3 and has been diagnosed with severe, yet high functioning Autism. You would not know to see him that he has Autism...most of the time. The only clue would be the lack of speech.
This has been very hard as he DID have speech until apporx. 19 months of age. That was when he lost everything!
Please continue to follow up on Autism....causes, treatments, financial burden, etc.. We are using a treatment that has showed tremendous results! We are however following this treament on our own as we have NO medical insurance. It is truly taking everything we have to do this! We are having to fight for a medical card for our son and so that he can get therapy and other desperately needed tests! We would move to another state that is more lenient but we relocated here sure to Hurricane Katrina and within 4 months to relocating, we got our Autism diagnosis. There is no mony left to move again.
Sorry to have gotten off track! This post was to commend you for a great show!!!
God bless you and CNN for reaching so many and giving more hope to others that might not have had it otherwise!!!
God bless you!!!
Sincerely,
Tammy McNair

This was a beautiful story.I especially wonder about the deficits of "normals" she finds most annoying and also the most humorous.maybe i'll just ask her.

Thank you Amanda and Dr. Gupta for telling this story. I am an Occupational Therapist working at a small school in LA. The majority of our students have autism and are non-verbal. We focus on communication through typing and using a simple letter board. All of our students are very bright. For many it is their first chance to communicate with anyone. Hopefully stories like Amanda's and other adults with autism will convince teachers, therapists and the funding sources, that people with autism are intelligent, not people who need fixing or changing, they are people that just need to be understood and listened to. It is a complete myth that 75% of autist people are retarded. Like Amada said, "If you don't know how to respond to me, I'm broken. If I don't respond to you, I am broken". It is our narrow mindedness that is creating that myth.
I learned something new watching the interview on CNN. Amanda is communicating with her whole environment, so she is easily distracted by her environment. I never heard it put like that and it makes sense. I also think Amanda's website is a great way to increase awareness.
I hope I hear and see more about Amanda Baggs in the near future.

As the mother of a 16yr old daughter with Autism she is considered "high functioning" a story like this makes me wonder just what she is might be capable of given the technology that is out there. Fascinating story!