Autism diagnostic standards are based half on science and half on a committee of doctors having arguments in conference rooms at American Psychiatric Association meetings.

Both my geeky classmates and myself benefited from 1950’s methods of parenting, where social skills were taught in a more structured way.

Do we have a model yet for the progression of adaptive skills development for people with autism, or is it highly variable at the individual level?

Grandin: The more experiences you have the better you learn to cope because you have more data in your database. You must get out and do things.

It seems like finding people with autism to act as advocates and leaders would be difficult; to the point you're probably the only well known person in that role. Do you have a community of peers with autism who help you advocate, or is much of your support from neurotypical people? Is this even a problem the autistic community faces?

Grandin: I have worked with many people in the world of science, cattle or construction trades that have autism. Most of them were never formally diagnosed. At autism meetings, I am finding more and more cases where one of the parents gets diagnosed with autism after their child is diagnosed.

Being a visual thinker helped me in my work with animals because I can think in pictures instead of words.

What actions or concessions should businesses take, on a social and practical scale, to help integrate and utilize those with autism, especially those with a particular gifting and working environment needs?

Grandin:
* A quiet place to work
* Clear instruction about tasks. Vagueness does not work.
* No sudden surprises at the work place.
* Written instructions for work that requires a sequence of tasks. Provide a “pilot’s checklist.”
* Correct social mistakes in a clear, calm, direct manner. Hints do not work.