Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin is a "famous" person who is Autistic. HBO had a movie based on her life which aired tonight. Claire Danes was the actress and what an amazing job she did. Honestly I cried through the entire program. What this woman has accomplished is amazing. But what struck me were the subtle behaviors in Claire Danes "Temple." Watching her try to interact with others and even watching her eat- the very selective things she would. Why is Robbie so selective about what he will eat? Why does he eat 5 apples or 5 oranges at one time? Why does he prefer to sit underneath the table at our local restaurant once he has finished eating? How can we fully engage his extra ordinary senses and aid the ones that are overwhelming?

I feel very lucky that Robbie does not have sensory issues with being hugged and touched as "classic" autistic individuals seem to. He thrives on hugs, deep pressure and hot showers. temple had built herself a machine to administer "hugs" or deep pressure because she did not like to be touched. That must be heart breaking for a parent. The question that is looming in my mind is how much do we push to get him out of his comfort zone? We are working on things that are inappropriate. Holding onto my leg as we walk somewhere as opposed to holding my hand. But do we push for more social events? The birthday parties at chuck e cheese? I find those overwhelming.

I bring this up because "Temple" talks about how she was pushed out of her comfort zone. She was told to picture life as a series of doors and by walking through them you will find opportunities. Autistic individuals are incredibly visual. The door analogy is an excellent example of how to explain situations.