I obtain great satisfaction out of using my intellect.

Some teachers just have a knack for working with autistic children. Other teachers do not have it.

I get satisfaction out of seeing stuff that makes real change in the real world. We need a lot more of that and a lot less abstract stuff.

I am a big believer in early intervention.

The squeeze machine is not going to cure anybody, but it may help them relax; and a relaxed person will usually have better behavior.

Some autistic children cannot stand the sound of certain voices. I have come across cases where teachers tell me that certain children have problems with their voice or another person's voice. This problem tends to be related to high-pitched ladies' voices.

I am also a believer in an integrated treatment approach to autism.

If I did not have my work, I would not have any life.

Some children may need a behavioral approach, whereas other children may need a sensory approach.

I know a number of autistic adults that are doing extremely well on Prozac.

I like to figure things out and solve problems.

I would not be here now if I did not have anti-depressants.

My grandfather was an engineer who invented the automatic pilot for airplanes.

My life is basically my work.

There is a tremendous range of children with a PDD label.

We have got to work on keeping these children engaged with the world.

Children between the ages of five to ten years are even more variable. They are going to vary from very high functioning, capable of doing normal school work, to nonverbal who have all kinds of neurological problems.

I had people in my life who didn't give up on me: my mother, my aunt, my science teacher. I had one-on-one speech therapy. I had a nanny who spent all day playing turn-taking games with me.

It's very important for the parents of young autistic children to encourage them to talk, or for those that don't talk, to give them a way of communicating, like a picture board, where they can point to a glass of milk, or a jacket if they're cold, or the bathroom. If they want something, then they need to learn to request that thing.

As you may know, some of the stereotyped behaviors exhibited by autistic children are also found in zoo animals who are raised in a barren environment.