Autism as a Benefit – Wellness with Sphoorti

Extraordinary abilities and a brain that is differently wired

AUTHOR: DIYA BHARATH 

Meet Tushar with Sphoorti, talking about his son Rajat who is on the autistic spectrum. The story of Tushar and his family is an eye-opener for many of us and an inspiring one for families dealing with such individuals directly. 

Autism Spectrum Disorder, a diagnosis many people consider to be a negative prospect, is, in fact, very possibly an advantage. 

Before autism was officially diagnosed, most autistic patients were wrongly correlated with being mentally retarded. Autistic people aren’t necessarily challenged with intellectual disabilities. Statistically, about 0.5% of the world’s population is on the spectrum and only about a quarter of them are intellectually ‘weak’. 

Autistic people have shown extraordinary abilities and a brain that is differently wired, making them have a unique perspective on everything. A perspective that constantly tends to amaze the rest of us and can be of great use if recognized more often. 

To everybody’s surprise, many incredible scientists, authors, actors, environmentalists, athletes, artists, etc. have or are suspected to have ASD. 

Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Temple Grandin, Bill Gates, Michael Phelps, Greta Thunberg, Mahatma Gandhi, Daryl Hannah and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are a few of the world-renowned people on the spectrum. 

Mary Temple Grandin is a scientist and animal behaviourist. She is an important advocate for the treatment of livestock for slaughter and has written over 60 scientific papers on animal behaviour. She is also one of the first people on the spectrum to talk about her experience with autism and is one of the great reasons for the increase in awareness of autism disorders. 

Greta Thunberg is a 17-year-old environmental activist. She has been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome which is a type of ASD that shows symptoms of difficulty in socializing and communication and usually means a higher functioning brain. She is a teenage pioneer and sees her disorder to be mighty and influential, which she consistently proves to be. 

In conclusion, ‘autistic’ does not indicate being ‘misfit’ or ‘incapable’ by any means. If anything, it could imply being detailed, passionate, and genius.