Status
Available
Call number
Description
"A cutting-edge account of the latest science of autism, from the best-selling author and advocate Temple Grandin is a star, a Time Magazine top 100 Hero and an inspiration to millions worldwide. Since she started writing and speaking about autism, the number of people diagnosed with it has skyrocketed--but so has the research that is transforming our understanding of the autistic brain. Now she brings her singular perspective to a thrilling journey through the autism revolution. Weaving her own experience with remarkable new discoveries, she introduces the neuroimaging advances and genetic research that link brain science to behavior, even sharing her own brain scans from numerous studies. We meet the scientists and self-advocates who are introducing innovative theories of what causes, how we diagnose, and how best to treat autism. She highlights long-ignored sensory problems and the treatments that might help them, and warns of the dangers of politics defining the diagnosis of autism spectrum. Most exciting, in the science that has begun to reveal the long-overlooked strengths conferred by autism, she finds a route to more effective mainstreaming and a way to unleash the unique advantages of autistic people. From the "aspies" in Silicon Valley to the five-year-old without language, Grandin understands the true meaning of the word spectrum. The Autistic Brain is essential reading from the most respected and beloved voices in the field"--… (more)
Publication
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2013), Edition: 1, 256 pages
Pages
206
Similar in this library
ISBN
0547636458 / 9780547636450
Collection
Awards
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Non-Fiction — 2013)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2013
Physical description
206 p.; 6.25 x 1 inches
Library's review
Temple Grandin offers an intriguing view of the autistic brain by sharing what has been learned from her history of various brain scans. As medical imagining has improved, many medical conditions can be identified through a scan. Even though the brains of autistic people share some similarities,
Grandin builds on this individuality with a fascinating chapter in genetics. This discussion demonstrates how complicated it is to find the sources of autism. There is no one gene or chromosome for it. But a trend shows that smart people, tech people, are more likely to have autistic children than other population groups.
Following that chapter, Grandin shares her frustration with the lack of research done on sensory issues. Many autistic people complain of sensory overload--something is too loud, too bright, smells too strongly, or feels too rough. At the end of the chapter, she offers some suggestions in managing these issues.
The second half of the book addresses moving beyond labels. The DSM has changed the diagnosis requirements so many times, that knowing if someone is autistic or not is quite confusing. Grandin stresses in her writings that people who have characteristics that put them on the spectrum are individuals with unique characteristics, unique problems, but more importantly, unique strengths. She points out the value of people being about to think in pictures, as many autistic people do, and shared her discovery that some autistic people do not and that some think visually in a different way that she does.
The book concludes with a brief listing of Jobs for Picture Thinkers, Word-Fact Thinkers, and Pattern Thinkers, and an Autism-Spectrum Quotient survey for the reader to use. The book also contains several pages of notes and an index.
I enjoy how Temple Grandin takes her readers along her own story of discovery about her brain and how she's also had to revise some of her thoughts on the subject and how researchers have had to that as well as new data comes available. Her clear writing style makes some complex ideas very readable.
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such as over connectivity in certain areas, they also have unique forms for each individual. Grandin builds on this individuality with a fascinating chapter in genetics. This discussion demonstrates how complicated it is to find the sources of autism. There is no one gene or chromosome for it. But a trend shows that smart people, tech people, are more likely to have autistic children than other population groups.
Following that chapter, Grandin shares her frustration with the lack of research done on sensory issues. Many autistic people complain of sensory overload--something is too loud, too bright, smells too strongly, or feels too rough. At the end of the chapter, she offers some suggestions in managing these issues.
The second half of the book addresses moving beyond labels. The DSM has changed the diagnosis requirements so many times, that knowing if someone is autistic or not is quite confusing. Grandin stresses in her writings that people who have characteristics that put them on the spectrum are individuals with unique characteristics, unique problems, but more importantly, unique strengths. She points out the value of people being about to think in pictures, as many autistic people do, and shared her discovery that some autistic people do not and that some think visually in a different way that she does.
The book concludes with a brief listing of Jobs for Picture Thinkers, Word-Fact Thinkers, and Pattern Thinkers, and an Autism-Spectrum Quotient survey for the reader to use. The book also contains several pages of notes and an index.
I enjoy how Temple Grandin takes her readers along her own story of discovery about her brain and how she's also had to revise some of her thoughts on the subject and how researchers have had to that as well as new data comes available. Her clear writing style makes some complex ideas very readable.
Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member kaulsu
Temple Grandin was diagnosed as autistic about 60+ years ago, when autism was considered a behavioral problem--one of poor parenting. Luckily, her mother (she never mentions a father) knew she wasn't a bad parent and spent a lot of time and effort developing Temple's skills. Intuitively creating
I really enjoyed the book. She is a total advocate for playing to one's strengths rather than deficits. She talks about how we think: pattern thinkers, word/fact thinkers and visual thinkers. She discusses methods she has used to help her dyslectic students and students with other types of visual problems cope.
She has a PhD in biology, and her specialty was animal behavior.
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what sounds like some of the therapies today's children on the spectrum have blossomed with. I really enjoyed the book. She is a total advocate for playing to one's strengths rather than deficits. She talks about how we think: pattern thinkers, word/fact thinkers and visual thinkers. She discusses methods she has used to help her dyslectic students and students with other types of visual problems cope.
She has a PhD in biology, and her specialty was animal behavior.
Show Less
LibraryThing member justindtapp
I have an autistic son and try to read books easily accessible that deal with autism research and experiences. If someone asks me "What do I read to begin learning what autism is?" I will first suggest Simon Baron-Cohen's Autism and Asperger Syndrome: The Facts (my review) which was published in
I had read both Grandin's The Way I See It and her biography by Sy Montgomery. These may well be prerequisites to understanding everything in The Autistic Brain. Grandin recounts the evolution of autism research from 1947 onward. She was quite fortunate to have a mother and a nanny who did activities with her similar to what behavioral therapists would do today (such as games focusing on turn-taking), and a family with resources to help her along the way (she penned this book at age 65). Grandin also examines brain research on how both autistics and neurotypicals see the world. Some are spatial thinkers while some see pictures. One set is better at algebra while the other is better at geometry, for example. As such, Grandin humbly repents of her earlier view that autistics all "see in pictures," as she does. It was the autism community pushing back on her previous work that led her to examine research more closely and change her mind.
Grandin's work has focused on accurate diagnoses and highlighting the strengths of autistics rather than the perceived weaknesses. She encourages parents to "avoid DSM labels," pointing out how the autism diagnosis has changed with each new DSM (DSM V was not finalized when this book was published, but the gist was already known). She's very critical of the DSM process, calling it "unscientific." Some parents have seen their child diagnosed with ADHD, then Aspergers, then Autism, and the route gets confusing and frustrating as diagnosis determines access to various services and insurance coverage.
Grandin notes that most ASD people have sensory disorders. She nicely summarizes the difference between each type and where they overlap (my son is a sensory-seeker, and his echolalia is symptom of an auditory processing problem as well). Unfortunately, there is actually little research being done on the sensory disorders themselves. In lieu of hard research, Grandin provides much anecdotal evidence from many autistic people, including some who have written other popular books. Music therapy is something many on the spectrum has found helpful. My own research into this has found more controversy than help (there are a wide range of "music therapy" scams), but in general I'd say "music is good."
Genetic causes get a great deal of research but genetics "aren't that simple" of an explanation. Diet, bacteria, and other environmental factors play a role and Grandin highlights researchers in these areas and what we know. She wades into the vaccination debate mainly to say that she believes parents who point to a clear time immediately post-vaccination where their children first showed signs of autism, sometimes severely. She is careful to phrase her words carefully, but points out new research into how an underlying mitochondrial could interact with a vaccination with side effects related to autism.
"Autism is in your brain," and there is a lot of research on brains, both from autopsies and neuroimaging. Various parts of the brains of people on the ASD are larger than the non-ASD population. Baron-Cohen also highlighted the research in his book, but Grandin updates it with what we know now. Grandin also highlights research into brain plasticity and what it means for those with autism or other challenges. There are a few tangents into the difference between spatial and image thinkers, fractal geometry, etc. that were a bit much. Grandin bemoans the education system that's been teaching mathematics the same way literally since Euclid-- algebra before geometry, for example. She recommends a host of free educational resources.
Grandin closes the book with a look at autism in the real world. What advice does she give to autistic parents and job-seekers? She reminds us that autism isn't what should ultimately define a person-- she is bothered by the people who introduce themselves to her by saying "I'm autistic," instead of "I'm an artist," "I'm a computer programmer," etc. She encourages parents to help children find their identity by getting them out of the house, out of routines, and into activities like part-time jobs. She gives a list of suggested occupations categorized by the type of thinker a person is. Word-fact thinkers (like my son) might do well in a sales job where they can utilize the wealth of information about a subject or object they have memorized, for example. The author advocates "teaching responsibility," reminding parents and autistic people: "Don't make excuses." She finds that many autistic people who have lost jobs simply weren't taught the basic social skills, like social thinking. Or they are like the daughter who could drive but had never been grocery shopping, her mom had always just bought groceries for her and she didn't learn that basic skill.
It's important to remember that an autistic person often doesn't hear the same things you do, and doesn't pick up on the same details most people do (I often forget this daily with my son). Grandin and other autistics typically have short-term working memory problems, although their long-term memory might be outstanding. This helps explain why my son has difficulty doing the same math problem he did two minutes prior, or that he's supposed to be tying his shoes, etc. It's not that he can't tell me who he was on the playground with him, he just didn't pick up on those details as important to remember.
While many see this as a weakness, Grandin writes it's important to remember and focus on the strengths that are the trade-off. My son can tell you every detail about how a combustion engine works from books he's memorized.
I enjoyed this book, particularly how Grandin draws on a wide body of research and also cites the experiences of people like John Elder Robison, whose autobiography I recently reviewed as well. I gleaned a few tidbits helpful to remember about my son and others I know on the spectrum. 4 stars.
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2008. Cohen provides an overview of research on genetics, neuroscience, psychology, diet, and other areas and the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge houses most available research for the public. The Autistic Brain by Grandin (2013) is the second book I would recommend. It is similar to Baron-Cohen's work, but lengthier and includes Grandin's own anecdotal evidence from personal experiences, years spent interacting with others on the spectrum, and training as a biologist. It also highlights research more current than the other work. The reader also gets Grandin's wisdom on how to handle parenting or employing a person on the autism spectrum, as well as her opinions about certain research that is politically charged.I had read both Grandin's The Way I See It and her biography by Sy Montgomery. These may well be prerequisites to understanding everything in The Autistic Brain. Grandin recounts the evolution of autism research from 1947 onward. She was quite fortunate to have a mother and a nanny who did activities with her similar to what behavioral therapists would do today (such as games focusing on turn-taking), and a family with resources to help her along the way (she penned this book at age 65). Grandin also examines brain research on how both autistics and neurotypicals see the world. Some are spatial thinkers while some see pictures. One set is better at algebra while the other is better at geometry, for example. As such, Grandin humbly repents of her earlier view that autistics all "see in pictures," as she does. It was the autism community pushing back on her previous work that led her to examine research more closely and change her mind.
Grandin's work has focused on accurate diagnoses and highlighting the strengths of autistics rather than the perceived weaknesses. She encourages parents to "avoid DSM labels," pointing out how the autism diagnosis has changed with each new DSM (DSM V was not finalized when this book was published, but the gist was already known). She's very critical of the DSM process, calling it "unscientific." Some parents have seen their child diagnosed with ADHD, then Aspergers, then Autism, and the route gets confusing and frustrating as diagnosis determines access to various services and insurance coverage.
Grandin notes that most ASD people have sensory disorders. She nicely summarizes the difference between each type and where they overlap (my son is a sensory-seeker, and his echolalia is symptom of an auditory processing problem as well). Unfortunately, there is actually little research being done on the sensory disorders themselves. In lieu of hard research, Grandin provides much anecdotal evidence from many autistic people, including some who have written other popular books. Music therapy is something many on the spectrum has found helpful. My own research into this has found more controversy than help (there are a wide range of "music therapy" scams), but in general I'd say "music is good."
Genetic causes get a great deal of research but genetics "aren't that simple" of an explanation. Diet, bacteria, and other environmental factors play a role and Grandin highlights researchers in these areas and what we know. She wades into the vaccination debate mainly to say that she believes parents who point to a clear time immediately post-vaccination where their children first showed signs of autism, sometimes severely. She is careful to phrase her words carefully, but points out new research into how an underlying mitochondrial could interact with a vaccination with side effects related to autism.
"Autism is in your brain," and there is a lot of research on brains, both from autopsies and neuroimaging. Various parts of the brains of people on the ASD are larger than the non-ASD population. Baron-Cohen also highlighted the research in his book, but Grandin updates it with what we know now. Grandin also highlights research into brain plasticity and what it means for those with autism or other challenges. There are a few tangents into the difference between spatial and image thinkers, fractal geometry, etc. that were a bit much. Grandin bemoans the education system that's been teaching mathematics the same way literally since Euclid-- algebra before geometry, for example. She recommends a host of free educational resources.
Grandin closes the book with a look at autism in the real world. What advice does she give to autistic parents and job-seekers? She reminds us that autism isn't what should ultimately define a person-- she is bothered by the people who introduce themselves to her by saying "I'm autistic," instead of "I'm an artist," "I'm a computer programmer," etc. She encourages parents to help children find their identity by getting them out of the house, out of routines, and into activities like part-time jobs. She gives a list of suggested occupations categorized by the type of thinker a person is. Word-fact thinkers (like my son) might do well in a sales job where they can utilize the wealth of information about a subject or object they have memorized, for example. The author advocates "teaching responsibility," reminding parents and autistic people: "Don't make excuses." She finds that many autistic people who have lost jobs simply weren't taught the basic social skills, like social thinking. Or they are like the daughter who could drive but had never been grocery shopping, her mom had always just bought groceries for her and she didn't learn that basic skill.
It's important to remember that an autistic person often doesn't hear the same things you do, and doesn't pick up on the same details most people do (I often forget this daily with my son). Grandin and other autistics typically have short-term working memory problems, although their long-term memory might be outstanding. This helps explain why my son has difficulty doing the same math problem he did two minutes prior, or that he's supposed to be tying his shoes, etc. It's not that he can't tell me who he was on the playground with him, he just didn't pick up on those details as important to remember.
While many see this as a weakness, Grandin writes it's important to remember and focus on the strengths that are the trade-off. My son can tell you every detail about how a combustion engine works from books he's memorized.
I enjoyed this book, particularly how Grandin draws on a wide body of research and also cites the experiences of people like John Elder Robison, whose autobiography I recently reviewed as well. I gleaned a few tidbits helpful to remember about my son and others I know on the spectrum. 4 stars.
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LibraryThing member penguinasana
Great perspective and theories on autism. The combination of Grandin's personal experience and her scientific background make this a fascinating dive into the latest brain studies on autism and what implications these have for our understanding and treating of all forms of this condition. Even if
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you don't have autism, recent findings about the brain explored in the book will give you some new insights into how your own mode of thinking and learning operate. Show Less
LibraryThing member Eye_Gee
Focused on recent autism research and changes in the diagnostic manual,, this book will be of interest to peeler anyone with autism and/or working with them.
LibraryThing member ThePinesLibrary
Temple Grandin looks at the autistic brain and genetic research, looking at strengths and creativity and different ways of thinking.
LibraryThing member sethwilpan
Valuable insights into the evolving understanding of the nature of autism. In some cases is cripplingly debilitating, but in many cases, those commonly referred to as "high functioning", the traits ascribed to autism can be seen as notes in the variations on being human. We're all on the spectrum.
LibraryThing member reader1009
nonfiction (science/autism spectrum). Recommended for educators or anyone wanting to learn more about people with autism.
LibraryThing member Velmeran
This book is very informative about autism. It gave me a lot to think about. I don't 100% agree, but I don't suppose she'd find that surprising.
LCC
RC553.A88 G725