Story
These quotes are listed alphabetically by author and then date published. They are included here because, in my opinion, they can spark important reflection. Click on a quote image for further discussion.
Alex Gillespie Enrico Gnaulati Temple Grandin Stanley I. Greenspan Paul E. McGhee Barry M. Prizant
Stuart G. Shanker Steve Silberman
BARRY M. PRIZANT
”People with autism, primarily due to underlying neurology (the way the brain's wiring works), are unusually vulnerable to everyday emotional and physiological challenges. So they experience more feelings of discomfort, anxiety, and confusion than others. They also have more difficulty learning how to cope with these feelings and challenges.”
Prizant, B. M. (2015) Uniquely Human. Simon & Schuster: New York, New York. p. 18.
”To be clear: Difficulty staying well regulated emotionally and physiologically should be a core, defining feature of autism.”
Prizant, B. M. (2015) Uniquely Human. Simon & Schuster: New York, New York. p. 18.
”If you know a person with autism, consider what makes this person less able to stay well regulated: problems in communicating, environments that are chaotic, people who are confusing because thay talk or move too quickly, unexpected change, excessive worry about things that are uncertain. Then there are associated challenges, such as sensory sensitivities to touch and sound, motor and movement disturbances, sleep deprivation, allergies, and gastrointestinal issues.”
Prizant, B. M. (2015) Uniquely Human. Simon & Schuster: New York, New York. p. 18.
”Here is the important irony: Most of the behaviors commonly labeled "autistic behaviors" aren't actually deficits at all. They're strategies the person uses to feel better regulated emotionally.”
Prizant, B. M. (2015) Uniquely Human. Simon & Schuster: New York, New York. p. 20.
”Whether or not we realize it, all humans employ these rituals and habits to help us regulate ourselves--soothe ourselves, calm our minds and bodies, and help us cope.”
Prizant, B. M. (2015) Uniquely Human. Simon & Schuster: New York, New York. p. 21.
”For people with autism, comforting rituals and coping mechanisms come in all varieties: moving in particular ways, speaking in various patterns, carrying familiar items, lining up objects to create predictable and unchanging surroundings. Even proximity to certain people can serve as a regulating strategy.”
Prizant, B. M. (2015) Uniquely Human. Simon & Schuster: New York, New York. p. 21.
”If people with autism feel underaroused, they increase their alertness by spinning, bouncing, or swinging. If they're overstimulated, they might calm themselves by pacing, snapping their fingers, or staring at a fan.”
Prizant, B. M. (2015) Uniquely Human. Simon & Schuster: New York, New York. p. 22.
”Indeed many children with autism regulate themselves by trying to control their surroundings--by seeking sameness. That isn't a pathological symptom. It's a coping strategy.”
Prizant, B. M. (2015) Uniquely Human. Simon & Schuster: New York, New York. p. 22.
”But when a child with autism seeks out the same clothing or music or creates visual order by organizing items, it's because the child has learned that these things help him to emotionally regulate himself so he can function.”
Prizant, B. M. (2015) Uniquely Human. Simon & Schuster: New York, New York. p. 23.
