Question: Do you think that there are any "actionable" ideas, whether for therapy or for better understanding, that might come from your research?
Answer:Absolutely, and first and foremost is the concept: “presume intellect.” I have befriended many autistic individuals over the years who, outwardly, present as severely incapacitated because they don’t speak, have limbs that are unreliable, and are labeled “mentally retarded.” However, again, there’s a double standard in that we usually and automatically presume the intellect of persons who present in similar ways, such as those with Cerebral Palsy, ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, Parkinson’s, Tourette’s, Hodgkin’s, and so on. Some of my friends use speech alternatives to communicate, and have revealed a profound intelligence filled with compassion and vision beyond what may be considered typical because of suffering in silence (an existence with which some have reconciled). Our challenge as parents, caregivers, and educators is to shatter myths and stereotypes in order to bridge gaps in understanding. We have much to be learning from one another.
The second piece, which builds from the fundamental premise “presume intellect”, is the three steps (or “miracles as I refer to them in Autism and the God Connection) to enact that can create a ripple effect of change. The three steps set a tone for reverence and respect, and poise us to become agents of transformation in our interactions with the autistic individual as well as others around him.
Question:Do you think that some of the interest in your book and your ideas may come from parents' need to find special talents in a child who appears to have few special abilities?
Answer: Let’s acknowledge that parents of individuals with autism can have intensely complex lives. No one who has contacted me has asked for anything other than the opportunity to be heard, so there’s no personal gain involved. And I’m not exploring anything that’s not already very well known to countless families; I’m merely illuminating it, bringing an aspect of autism to light that was previously “closeted.” So I’ve not “created” this whole “autism and the God connection” movement, it was already there, unfolding silently but surely. All children are precious and, as human beings, we are all blessed with gifts and talents regardless of who we are.
