CARTA: Human Origins: Lessons from Autism Spectrum Disorders

[nobody]

6:30 i can't stop watching those cool shapes and colors!

[julialangwieder]

So, your theory is, that abundance of imitating behavior & mirror neurons is what makes us human; locigally what you're saying is that autistic people are less human until you condition their brains to function like yours, by means of early intervention. Just because our brains find isolated pictures of people less engaging than geometry and patterns?

Do you realise that not even the most intense ABA will change a person from Autistic to Neurotypical?

The only thing you'd achieve by conditioning our reward system to respond to social stimuli, is a brain that is sensorically, cognitively and emotionally in permanent overdrive, because its different sensory filters, and emotional processing and logical areas trying to make sense of social subtleties, still won't be up to the task of having to socialize all the time.

Instead you'll create an anxious, insecurely attached, traumatized Autistic child that is conditioned to seek social reward in order to regulate, but had his self soothing techniques discouraged (eg Stimming, echolalia, hiding &avoiding overstimulatig situations). Same with learning: Why would you force a brain that isnt wired for learning by mimicking to do just that? Your Autistic patients will eventually do as you please, but wouldn't it be more beneficial to help them apply their analytical & information collection strengths to learning?

With ABA, a child will inevitably learn that their attachment to other people, their safe spot in their social matrix, everything they find rewarding, is conditional and will always involve bearing a significant amount of stress, overwhelm and sensory pain.

Yes I can (and feel forced to) do some small talk with my neighbours. But every single time there's panic shooting through my body. Every time I have to forcibly stop my brain from whatever or was doing at that moment, start and boot the program " actlikeahuman.exe " consciously control my facial expressions, tone, make sure I meet the unwritten content and length requirements for the interaction.

You cannot imagine how difficult it is for the Autistic brain to get back onto the task it was before after such an interruption.

I've failed college exams because people thought it would be nice to have a little chat beforehand.

Stop trying to make our brains work like yours.
Stop forcing Autistics to socialize your way. You don't need to make us neurotypical.

Instead focus on research how to communicate better with us; learn some Autistic mannerisms and communication styles.

[kenndaily]

suggestion: change playback speed to SLOW. Easier to listen.

[lukostello]

These are some well designed experiments!

[Nanalyn]

Amazing! I am sharing with families and friends

[misspinkpunkykat]

Yes, I feel like I'm at an auction.

[jiniefox]

I could not listen the verbal was soo fast, i could not understand

[planetmikusha]

Clearly, she needs to switch to decaf.

[lizvlx]

..."if the baby fails"....wtf. babies do not fail tests. it is despicable to talk about kids like that. also, the way she just totally defines autism as something negative, pls no. i feel objectified by someone like that. this lady is hollow.