World Autism Awareness Day will take place on April 2, 2019. It is a time to recognize people with Autism Spectrum Disorder, like Temple Grandin. Despite her early struggles, she grew up to make a huge difference in the world.
As a child, Temple Grandin had trouble learning to talk. When she was two years old, doctors diagnosed her with brain damage. At the time, doctors did not know as much about the brain. It was not until many years later that she learned she had autism rather than brain damage.
Doctors today can usually tell if someone has autism by the time the person is three years old. This is because autism has several recognizable symptoms. Many people with autism have a hard time relating to other people. For example, they might struggle to make eye contact and have trouble understanding emotions. This makes it more difficult to make friends, so they may prefer to spend time alone. Others have trouble learning to communicate. Some people with autism have unusual reactions to sounds, lights, or colors. Still others might engage in repetitive behaviors such as rocking back and forth.
Temple Grandin’s parents wanted to help her learn to talk, so they took her to speech therapy when she was very young. Even though she worked very hard, Temple Grandin’s speech was not perfect. Sometimes she repeated words. When she was in high school, other children teased her. But she was a good student. She loved science and animals, so she decided to pursue a degree in animal science. Today she is an animal rights activist. She works to make life for farm animals better.
In addition, Temple Grandin advocates for people with autism. This means that she teaches people about autism. Temple Grandin has written several books, appeared on television, and given numerous interviews. By spreading awareness, she hopes to help children with autism to avoid discrimination and to be successful.
What Do You Think? What can you do to help people with autism?
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