Uniquely Human Quotes

“But discouraging an enthusiasm can be just another way of dismantling a strategy that helps a child with autism feel better regulated—or, worse, removing a source of interest and joy.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Difficulty staying well regulated emotionally and physiologically should be a core, defining feature of autism. Unfortunately professionals have long overlooked this, focusing on the resulting behaviors instead of the underlying causes.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Derek’s reaction highlights a central challenge of autism: for the vast majority of people on the spectrum, autism can be best understood as a disability of trust. Because of their neurological challenges, people with autism face tremendous obstacles of three kinds: trusting their body, trusting the world around them, and—most challenging of all—trusting other people.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Her moment of restraint was emblematic of an important idea: Instead of trying to change how a person with autism reacts to us, we need to pay close attention to how we react to the person.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Autism isn’t an illness. It’s a different way of being human.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“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.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“The most significant trust-related challenge for people with autism is trusting other people. Most of us are neurologically hardwired with the ability to predict the behavior of others—to read body language intuitively and make subconscious judgments based on how relaxed a person’s body is, on how a person looks at other people, or by the social context. But that is often more difficult for people with autism. Ros Blackburn explains that she lives every day trying to understand people’s intentions when they approach her. “Because I find it so difficult to predict the behavior of other people,” Ros explains, “what they do often comes across as very sudden and threatening to me.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Still, some parents and professionals view these interests as yet another undesirable symptom of autism, one that makes it even more difficult for the child to fit in. Often their instinct is to discourage the child, to redirect his attention and suggest interests that are more socially acceptable and conventional. But discouraging an enthusiasm can be just another way of dismantling a strategy that helps a child with autism feel better regulated—or, worse, removing a source of interest and joy. A more helpful approach is to do as Jessy Park’s parents did and use the enthusiasm as a way to expand the child’s outlook and improve the child’s life.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Some people with autism not only repeat themselves but dominate conversations, sharing great amounts of information about a favorite topic (say, geography or trains) without considering the other person’s thoughts, feelings, or interests. This too can be a sign of dysregulation. For a person with a poor grasp of social cues who finds the unpredictability of typical conversation stressful, speaking incessantly on a familiar and beloved topic might provide a sense of control.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Instead of trying to change how a person with autism reacts to us, we need to pay close attention to how we react to the person.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Allen had an aide who hovered within inches of his face and physically prompted him so frequently that her very proximity became a dysregulating factor. As time passed, Allen became more and more agitated—mostly because of the aide’s behavior. Some adults who work with children have the misguided concept that to be effective, it’s best to be in the child’s face, even to give positive support. But for a child with autism who has social anxiety and sensory challenges, that can be scary and intimidating. It can also impede progress.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“While a 2013 study found that, over time, a very small percentage of children experienced such improvements in symptoms that they no longer fit the DSM autism diagnosis, the study found no way to predict which children would show such gains, or why.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Anyone who has spent time with a verbal person with autism is familiar with this tendency to repeat words, phrases, or whole sentences, often ad infinitum. Indeed echolalia is one of autism’s defining characteristics. In children who can speak it is often among the first indications to parents that something is amiss in a child, when, instead of responding or initiating with the child’s own language, the child echoes words or phrases borrowed from others.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“The opposite of anxiety isn’t calm, it’s trust.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Many people with autism find it helpful to bring a toy or other item or an activity related to an enthusiasm to settings that may pose difficulties, such as restaurants, family events, or larger group activities at school.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Seeking to eliminate behavior without fully understanding its purpose is not only unhelpful; it also shows a lack of respect for the individual. Worse, it can make life more difficult for the person with autism.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Consider Ricky, a teenage boy with autism who was a talented pianist. Ricky once volunteered to entertain the residents of an assisted-living center. He had never visited such a facility, but his parents told him what a lovely, caring gesture it would be. They also informed him that some of the elderly people he would see had terminal illnesses and other challenges, so surely his music would help to lift their spirits. On the day of his performance, a few dozen residents gathered in a recreation room to listen. Before he sat down to play, Ricky introduced himself, said how happy he was to be there, and added this: “I’m very sorry that some of you are going to die soon.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Our [neurotypicals] neurological systems help by filtering out excessive stimulation, telling us when we're hungry or tired (...). People with autism, primarily due to the 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.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“It’s exhausting. It becomes difficult to function. All of your energy is focused on merely keeping your defenses up.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“sibling relationships are complicated.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism - Revised and Expanded

“What abilities and qualities are important for a person to have to help assure the best quality of life? Here are my top priorities: building self-expression and self-esteem, instilling happiness, creating positive experiences, and emphasizing healthy relationships. It’s also important to increase self-awareness and the ability to emotionally self-regulate.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism - Revised and Expanded

“is a mecca of autism services.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism - Revised and Expanded

“He has become self-sufficient in a number of ways. He can walk into a Subway restaurant, choose the ingredients of his sandwich, and pay.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism - Revised and Expanded

“When she explains autism, Ros describes living with an almost constant feeling of anxiety and fear. She is fond of pointing out that people in the military, police officers, and firefighters are trained to be calm in the face of panic. Not so for people with autism: “We don’t receive the same type of training, yet we experience this level of panic every day.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism - Revised and Expanded

“He pounded his fist on the table. “If this helps Nina, then everyone in the school will honor and respect that.” Some at the table doubted the music teacher would cooperate. “It’s not her decision,” the principal responded. “This is a school decision. We support every student at the level they need to be supported to be successful.” That was a principal who “got It,”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism - Revised and Expanded

“What I have learned from my years of experience, and from valued friends on the spectrum, is that rather than demanding or pressuring an autistic person to change, we must change first.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Algunas personas con autismo se desregulan si una persona concreta se ausenta. Jamal, de siete años, preguntó a su profesor: «¿Mami en casa?». Un terapeuta sugirió que el profesor contestara afirmativamente solo una vez, y que después ignorara las repetidas preguntas. Con ignorarlas solo se consiguió que Jamal estuviera más ansioso, sus preguntas eran cada vez más insistentes y en voz más alta. En su lugar sugerí que colocaran en su mesa una foto de su madre en casa y le aseguraran: «Mami está en casa. Verás a mami después del colegio». Esto redujo su necesidad de preguntar y le ayudó a centrarse en el trabajo de clase.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Seres humanos únicos: Una manera diferente de ver el autismo (Alianza Ensayo)

“Because of their neurological challenges, people with autism face tremendous obstacles of three kinds: trusting their body, trusting the world around them, and—most challenging of all—trusting other people.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“These deep interests can help children stay more engaged and attentive. They can be used to motivate learning and to enable participation in situations that might otherwise be difficult.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“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.”
― Barry M. Prizant, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism