Genes are thought to contribute a certain amount to the cause of autism but it’s not 100 per cent. It might be about 60 per cent genetic. So there are going to be environmental factors that mediate the impact of autism. Simon Baron-Cohen Read Quote
When I first started in this field there were all kinds of stereotypes about autism, as if these were children from another planet, or children who had been brought up by wolves, that they weren’t part of our population and were somehow separate. Simon Baron-Cohen Read Quote
I’m hoping that autism is going to get to that same point, where it becomes quite ordinary to say, ‘I have autism,’ or ‘I have Asperger’s syndrome,’ and that there will be many more resources available to make life easier for people on the autistic spectrum. Simon Baron-Cohen Read Quote
Empathy is about two people – two people meeting, getting to know each other and tuning in to what the other person is thinking and feeling. Simon Baron-Cohen Read Quote
Because people with autism are also strongly obsessional, meaning that they pursue their current interest to extraordinary detail and lengths and in great depth, they can develop ‘tunnel vision’ that prevents them from seeing the bigger picture, including the repercussions of their current actions. Simon Baron-Cohen Read Quote
Autistic people’s disabilities are widely known, but one of their best-established strengths is their attention to detail. Simon Baron-Cohen Read Quote
Like any skill, systemising occurs on a bell curve in the population, with some people being faster at spotting patterns than others. Autistic people are often strong systemisers. Indeed their attention is often described as ‘obsessive’ as they check and recheck the patterns of a system. Simon Baron-Cohen Read Quote
Autistic peoples’ excellent attention to detail means they may make fewer mistakes, and their narrow focus may mean that they are not satisfied until a task is completed. Simon Baron-Cohen Read Quote
With the right support and reasonable adjustments, autistic people make wonderful employees. Simon Baron-Cohen Read Quote
