Autism Awareness Hits Yale

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBR5NUMN7_0

This is a Youtube Video of Professor Fred Volkmar giving an overview about Autism at Yale. Yes, there is actually an Autism Course at Yale. He also talks about other disabilities like Retts Syndrome, PDD, etc. The Video lasts 31 minutes and 52 seconds so if you have time, check it out if you want.

Volkmar is one of the World's Greatest Autism Experts. He was the leading researcher in Aspergers Syndrome and he helped develop the proper definition of Autism in the early 1990's.

A few weeks ago, I e-mailed Volkmar, asking him to check out my Autism Blog. He replied and said he would but he also urged me to watch his series of lectures about Autism at Yale via youtube. I finally watched the first one which is the link above. I plan on watching more of his videos soon.

His overview lecture was amazing. I have learned so much about the different types of Autism and its history.

Last summer, I did a lot of research about Autism. This summer (so far), more Autism research plus looking up disabilities in general. Looks like this is going to be another summer of research. I'll post more of his videos in the coming weeks.

Next Week's blog will be about general Disabilities.

I end this post with a notice. Yale is THE hardest, most prestigious school in the entire country. The fact that it has a course dedicated exclusively to Autism means that Autism is getting very serious in the country and the world.

Here's a quote:

“Autism is not a puzzle, nor a disease. Autism is a challange [sic], but certainly not a devistating [sic] one.

Autism is about having a pure heart and being very sensitive… It is about finding a way to survive in an overwhelming, confusing world… It is about developing differently, in a different pace and with different leaps.


Autistic beings develop and bloom if their spirits, talents and self-esteem are not destroyed by bullies, prejudice, ‘doggie-training’, and being forced to be ‘normal’.”

-Trisha Van Berkel