Interview: Temple Grandin (BSP 99)

photo by Rosalie Winward

Last month I posted a detailed discussion of Temple Grandin's latest book The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum (with Richard Panek), so I am pleased to share a follow interview with Dr. Grandin (BSP 99). This interview is different from the typical Brain Science Podcast because our focus is on the practical issues that face people who are dealing with autism. Of course, as Dr. Grandin emphasized, autism occurs across a wide spectrum ranging from those who can never learn to speak to high functioning professionals exemplified by Temple Grandin herself.  Dr. Grandin speaks from personal experience grounded in her own scientific curiosity.

How to get this episode:

• Buy audio mp3 for $2.

• Buy Transcript for $2.

• Premium Subscribers now have unlimited access to all old episodes and transcripts.

• New episodes of the Brain Science Podcast are always FREE. All episodes posted after January 1, 2013, are free. See the individual show notes for links the audio files.

Links and References:

• BSP 98: Discussion of The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum by Temple Grandin

• Temple Grandin's website

• Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals by Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson

Announcements: 

• The Brain Science Podcast mobile app is now available for Windows 8 devices.

• Deadline for listener submissions for BSP 100 is August 1, 2013

• Unfortunately Mensana has closed down, so CEU's are not currently available for the Brain Science Podcast. I am looking for a new vendor.

• Don't forget to sign up for the BSP Newsletter so that you can get episode show notes automatically, and never miss a new episode.

claimtoken-52111a410ebf3

"The Autistic Brain" by Temple Grandin (BSP 98)

 The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum  by Temple Grandin (with Richard Panek), is a tremendous gift, not just to patients and their families, but also to teachers, mentors, friends, and everyone who is interested in understanding how our brains make us who we are.

I think that this is a book everyone should read because as we come to appreciate the fact that the strengths and challenges of autism occur across a broad spectrum, we may also realize that some of these issues actually affect people who aren't considered autistic.  It is not the label that matters.  What does matter is recognizing that each of us has his or her own strengths and weaknesses, but thanks to brain plasticity, we all have the potential to nurture our strengths and, when necessary, accommodate our weaknesses.

How to get this episode:

• Buy audio mp3 for $2.

• Buy Transcript for $1.

• Premium Subscribers now have unlimited access to all old episodes and transcripts.

• New episodes of the Brain Science Podcast are always FREE. All episodes posted after January 1, 2013, are free. See the individual show notes for links the audio files.

References and Related Episodes:

• TempleGrandin.com

• The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum by Temple Grandin, with Richard Panek; Also available from Audible.com.

• Episodes about brain imaging: BSP 46 and BSP 83

• Episodes about brain plasticity: BSP 10 and BSP 26

• Paul Offit, MD reviews the evidence that autism is NOT caused by vaccines

• Please see the episode transcript for additional links and references.

Announcements: 

• I am still trying to schedule an interview with Dr. Temple Grandin, but there is a possibility that the next episode of the Brain Science Podcast will not come out until August 2013.

• The Deadline for listener submissions to Episode 100 is August 1, 2013.

• Several products are not available directly on this website including the PDF version of Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Ginger Campbell, MD and a zip file contain BSP 1-10. Click here to learn more.

• Be sure to sign up for the Brain Science Podcast Newsletter so that you can receive show notes automatically and NEVER miss a new episode. (But there was a glitch last month, so if you did not get the show notes for BSP 97, please click here.