The Autistic Voice Blog

It is written by Alex Haley, and it was originally published in the October 1986 issue of Reader's Digest . J ohn N ewton was born in London on July 24, 1725, to a pious and shy mother and an authoritarian father. To the boy's relief, his shipmaster father would spend only a few weeks at home between year-long voyages. When John was seven, his mother died of tuberculosis, The shipmaster, practical man that he was, remarried before his next voyage; for John, however, the loss of his mother was devastating. He became stubborn, disrespectful and difficult, and soon was packed off to a boarding school. There he was confronted with a headmaster who wielded a cane and a birch rod. The experience "almost broke my spirit," he later confided in a letter. But more torment was in store. At age 11, John was put to sea as an apprentice sailor on his father's ship. During this time he strayed further and further from his mother's religious teaching...

A savant's story reveals the complexity of snowflakes and the simplicity of snow. By Daniel Tammet from the book Thinking in Numbers   Getty Images Outside it is cold, cold. Ten degrees below, give or take. I step out with my coat zipped up to my chin and my feet encased in heavy rubber boots. The glittering street is empty; the wool-gray sky is low. Under my scarf and gloves and thermals I can feel my pulse begin to make a racket. I do not care. I wait. A week before, the trees’ bare branches stood clean against blue sky. Now the sight of falling snowflakes makes me shiver; it fills the space in my head that is devoted to wonder. How beautiful they are, I think. When will they stop? In an hour? A day? A month? The neighbors, who’ve lived in Ottawa far longer than I, tell me they have not seen this snowfall’s like in a generation. Shovels in hand, they dig paths from their garage doors out to the road. The older men affect expressions of both nonchalance and ann...

By Patricia S. McCormick WHEN RUMORS had spread through London about the play, a lollapalooza of five sets, actors playing a dog, a crocodile, pirates and Indians and a slew of other characters, some Of whom flew in and out of windows by means Of an unreliable mechanical contraption. Spectators, including many professional critics, packed the Duke of York’s Theatre on opening night. The theater’s lights dimmed. Behind the last row of seats, a small figure paced nervously. At first glance, he appeared to be a boy in an oversized greatcoat. But the face was that of a man—J. M. Barrie, the 44-year-old Scottish playwright whose Peter Pan was being performed for the first time. Although one of London’s most celebrated playwrights, Barrie was sick with worry. The improbable story of a boy who refused to grow up was a risky and expensive theatrical venture. Barrie had rewritten the script a dozen times and was aware of talk that he had gone mad. But now the playwright knew that ...

I will always remember how it felt when she spoke up for me. As told by Colin Ryan from The Moth . Reader's Digest , July/August 2016 When I was in fifth grade, you could have told me, “Colin, it’s not cool to wear the same pair of sweatpants every single day of school,” but I was comfortable. And you could have told me, “Colin, it’s not cool to go to the school dance and do the Macarena for the entire duration of Guns N’ Roses’ ‘November Rain.’” I would not have stopped. You could have even told me, “Colin, it’s not cool to be an active member of your local church’s clown troupe.” Then I went to sixth grade, middle school, and all of a sudden, it was clear there were only two options. I could somehow be cool, or I could somehow be invisible. And I have to say, I was doing pretty well at option two. Until third period on the first day, when a teacher had us fill out a questionnaire with “get to know you” questions. I assumed that she would be reading the...

It was snowing, and we are stranded. By Jeanne Marie Laskas from the Washington Post Magazine Reader's Digest December 1996 I PULLED MY RENTAL into a slot at O'Hare, having braved a Chicago snow and a major Friday evening rush. I trudged toward Terminal B, dragging my brand new Travelpro suitcase like a kid with a new sled. Inside, there were people, bags, packages, babies, strollers, sour faces, a line circling around and around and USAir representatives waving their arms. A monitor above our heads said "Canceled" a lot. And "Delayed" a few times. I found myself on the Delayed team and got in line. Three hours. That's what my USAir representative said regarding the delay of my flight to Pittsburgh. Three hours. I had two choices: I could lie to myself and say this was a great opportunity to catch up on paperwork. Or I could plunge headfirst into a bad mood. Soon I was at a snack bar, munching on a piece of vegetarian pizza with br...

Inspired by her autistic son and his love of the outdoors, this special ed teacher created a magical village in the woods near her home. By Liz Vaccariello Photograph by Matthew Cohen for Reader's Digest There’s a place near my home where fairies live. I’ve seen their wooden houses, knocked on their tiny doors, marveled at their itty-bitty bedrooms. It’s a neighborhood, really, a magical trail in our local nature reserve where several dozen structures are tucked into nooks, crannies, and tree hollows all along the one-mile loop. It’s a place where acorns are pillows, fungus becomes decorative siding, and a log might hide a miniature dining room. On a Sunday afternoon, you can hear children squeal, “I found another one!” And if the animals or the elements—or vandals—harm a dwelling, someone will mysteriously take it home, replace some hinges or string, and return it. That mysterious someone is Therese Ojibway, 60, a special education teacher from Millburn, New ...

More than 3 million people in America are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with prevalence on the rise in recent years. While the symptoms of this group of brain development disorders vary, these are signs that a person may be on the autism spectrum. By Ilisa Cohen 1. Trouble with verbal communication | “While babies hit language milestones at various times, if there is a delay beyond certain ages, it’s important to seek a professional evaluation,” says Paul Wang, MD, senior vice president and head of medical research at Autism Speaks ( autismspeaks.org ). Potential signs include no babbling or no back-and-forth gestures like pointing or waving by 12 months; no words by 16 months; or no meaningful, two-word phrases by 24 months. 2. Challenges with social reciprocity | “Healthy children show their connections with other people by sharing a smile, a hug, or a knowing look,” says Dr. Wang. If you’re not seeing big smiles or other joyful expressions by six months of ...

The Disney megahit was almost a disaster, until a series of creative brainstorms saved the day. By Charles Duhigg from the book Smarter Faster Better Photo: Claire Benoist/Reader’s Digest In 2014, the Disney movie Frozen became the top-grossing animated movie of all time. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film, and “Let It Go” won the Oscar for Best Original Song. The film contained all the elements of a traditional Disney plot—princesses and ball gowns, a handsome prince, a wisecracking sidekick, and a stream of upbeat songs. But throughout, these elements had been disturbed, just enough, to let something new and different emerge. We assume such original storytelling comes from the innate genius of its creators, but here’s how Frozen really got its fairy-tale ending. The siblings were playing ‘Frozen Backward Mash-up’ on the piano. (YouTube) It’s 2012, and the screening-room audience is all Disney employees. As the lights dim, two sisters appear on the ...

A dolphin's "smile" is actually an illusion. So is our belief that these animals can heal. By Lori Marino Photo: Getty Images JAY, AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD boy with autism whose behavior has always been agitated and uncooperative, is smiling and splashing in a pool. A pair of bottlenose dolphins float next to him, supporting him in the water. Jay’s parents stand nearby as a staff member in the water engages Jay in games with colorful shapes. She asks him some questions, and the boy begins to respond. He names the shapes correctly, speaking his first words in months. Jay appears more aware and alert, and a quick, noninvasive scan shows that there have indeed been changes in his brain activity. Jay’s parents are elated to have finally found a treatment that works for their son. They sign up for more sessions and can’t wait to get home and tell their friends about their experience. They’re not surprised to find that dolphins have succeeded where mainstream physicians hav...