A New Approach to Understanding Autism with Barry Prizant

EPISODE 28: Over the years, as I parented an autistic child, worked with parents of autistic kids, and met many beautiful and amazing autistic individuals, one thing has always stood out to me:

The world doesn't always recognize the wonder in these incredible individuals as I see it.

And I've always wished that others could see these humans in their true light. Every moment spent with them has only deepened this desire. 

This feeling led me to Barry M. Prizant, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, as his book "Uniquely Human" instantly hooked me.

And now, I’ve brought him onto our show. To say I'm thrilled is an understatement.

About 50 years ago, as a teenager, Dr. Barry Prizant started his journey helping kids with disabilities at summer camps. Those early years gave him a peek into what these families face daily. 

Today, he is recognized as among the world’s leading scholars on autism and neurodiversity and as an innovator of respectful, person- and family-centered approaches in supporting neurodivergent individuals.

He currently serves as the Director of Childhood Communication Services and is an Adjunct Professor of Communicative Disorders at the University of Rhode Island. With fifty years of experience, he has established himself as an international consultant and researcher. 

He's not just an expert but also a bridge to understanding. 

Barry co-produces and hosts the Uniquely Human podcast with his friend, Dave Finch, an autistic audio engineer and New York Times best-selling author.

He is the author of five books, with “Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism” being notably published in 26 languages. Additionally, he has written more than 140 articles and given close to 1000 presentations at major universities across the US and in over 25 countries.

Apparently, he's made it his mission to shed light on the true essence of autism.

In this interview, Barry talks about common misunderstandings about autism, how parents can best support their kids, what true understanding looks like, the “it factor” some people have, and more. 

Join us and see autism through a fresh lens.

Key Takeaways:

• Intro (00:00)
• Who is Barry Prizant (02:07)
• Why is Barry so passionate about showing the world a new view of autism? (04:51)
• The most common misconceptions about stims and non-speaking individuals (07:29)
• The most common misconceptions about meltdowns (13:48)
• The it factor (24:25)
• The one thing struggling parents need to know (32:22)
• Find Barry’s work here (37:01)
• It's okay to trust your intuition (42:30)

Additional resources:

Get your copy of Barry Prizant’s book Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

Check out Uniquely Human: The Podcast 

Visit Barry Prizant’s website 

Check out Barry Prizant’s comprehensive educational approach being implemented in more than a dozen countries - The SCERTS Model 

Check out the websites of these organizations that support non-speaking individuals:

• CommunicationFIRST 
• Communication 4 ALL 
• I-ASC 

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Calm the Chaos Parenting is a podcast offering parents practical tools and strategies to navigate the challenges of raising strong-willed, highly sensitive, and neurodivergent children.

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