Today’s been quite the day for revelations for me… it happens rather often when you become a parent of a child with Autism, learning new stuff all along the way. It happened when I saw the Temple Grandin movie and it happened again today when I watched not one, but 2 videos.

These two videos are rather similar yet depict 2 different people… both of them, women with Autism that are unable to speak. They’re not 4 or 5 either, one is an adult and the other is a teen. They both display the normal severe Autistic traits such as arm flapping, screaming, fits of rage, repetitive motions and so forth and both of them are truly brilliant.

Both of these women found their ‘voices’ when they discovered computer programs that would speak for them when they typed and they typed real thoughts, real feelings, real expressions and do so remarkably well… better than most people I know in fact.

What you will see is an example of what you and I perceive, their Autistic traits and then, if you have the patience to continue watching the videos, you will then see them explain exactly what you were actually seeing.. what was happening in their mind, what was happening to make them do what they do.

And hopefully, like myself, you’ll have a revelation… you see, like most everyone else, I thought that severe Autistics were “trapped in their own world” or unable to cope…  mostly, unable to communicate.

But having seen these videos, I don’t think those things anymore. Well, watch the videos and hopefully you’ll see what I mean.

Carly’s Voice

In My Language

I would love to hear from you, how did these affect you? Has this changed your perspective? Does it give you (more) hope that there’s brilliance “trapped” inside someone you love with Autism?