University of Cambridge

An autism hero

This blog post is a bit more than just a list of famous people and celebrities who have been diagnosed with autism or are now thought to have been on the autistic spectrum. Indeed both Mozart and Albert Einstein are though to have been autistic.

Rather it I am trying to put together a list of people who for whatever reason can be described a role models for our community.

The list is in no way complete so I would ask you to share the details of your heroes in the comments section below!

My first is pretty obvious Temple Grandin is an inspiration to pretty much everyone in the ASD scene. You can now follow her on Twitter. I do!

Daniel Tammet is a best selling author of “Born on a Blue Day” which tells his story. He moved between the world of maths and literature effortlessly . Indeed he learnt Icelandic in a week.

The name Ari Ne’eman may not be well know to you but he has been at the forefront of people with autism speaking for people with autism rather. He tweets on a whole range of issues!

Daryl Hannah was one of the first celebrities to discuss their diagnosis of autism openly. Part of the process to breaking down the stigma associated with ASD and helping to create autism acceptance.

Vernon L. Smith hold the Nobel Prize for Economics. Which pretty much says it all about how far people with autism can go!

But it is not just people with autism themselves I would like to honour. Anna Kennedy (who was awarded an OBE by the Queen) who is herself an autism mun has been a indefatigable campaigner for autism awareness and acceptance. Not just that she has founded two schools, a college, a respite home for people on the spectrum.

As we are based in the UK I would also like to mention an autism researcher who is Professor of Developmental Psychopathology at the University of Cambridge. As many of you will know Simon Cohen-Baron is a name which is instantly recognisable to many of us in the autism world.

On a personal note I would like to mention the two teachers who run the ASD unit in my son’s school. I won’t mention their names to protect their privacy. But if you are reading this I would like to thanks you both from the bottom of my heart.

And finally. My son himself. He battles everyday and often he wins. My wife and I are very proud of him!

So please do feel free to tell us about your autism heroes in the comments section below!

A boy who developed autism

So suggests some recent research from form the UK’s University of Cambridge. Dr Michael Lombardo and Prof Simon Baron-Cohen have conducted research which suggest that high exposure to testosterone ( and some other hormones) in the womb can lead to a diagnosis of ASD in later life. However this applies to boys rather than girls.

According to Baron-Cohen this is one of the first non genetic markers which has been so far identified.

But this does not mean that presence of these hormones will provide a pre-natal teat for autism or will blocking these hormones lead prevent the development of autism. The hormones are necessary for the development of a healthy foetus.

You can read up on the research in more detail at the BBC web site here.

Patient Talk

Patient Talk

University of Cambridge

Autism Heroes. Role models for people on the Autistic Spectrum. Please share the names of those people who are role models for the autism community.

Autism Talk News Flash – Possible high exposure to male hormones can lead to ASD in males.