Q&A with Dr. Temple Grandin

Q&A With

Dr. Temple Grandin

This month, Dr. Temple Grandin answers parents’ questions about

an autism evaluation and hyperactivity.

Linda of Chandler, Arizona, asks,

Q

“What would be the benefit

of pursuing an evaluation for

autism for a child (girl, age six in

kindergarten) who tested gifted

with an IQ of 130 at age five? She

has an IEP for speech only and was evaluated

at age three and diagnosed with ADHD. She has

sensory challenges with clothing, food textures,

and noises. She also has some extreme emotions

that can last 20 to 30 minutes.”

A

ADHD and autism get mixed up

all the time because a lot of the

behaviors and the genetic parts

are the same. In most places in

the United States, you need a

diagnosis to get services.

In some places, you can have a two-year wait list,

which is unacceptable for a young child. Then

you’ve got to wonder, “Is insurance going to pay

for this or not?” It’s very expensive if they don’t pay

for it.

So this child is six years old and tested gifted with

an IQ of 130 at age five, and they have an IEP for

speech. If she is getting speech, that’s good.

She might need an occupational therapist (OT) to

work with her on sensory things. Given the sensory

issues, much of what an OT does can be helpful:

balancing activities, pressure, and swinging

activities.

Q&A

Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 193 | 15In my book, “Autism and Adolescence,” I’ve got a

lot of information on sensory issues. Even though

it’s for adolescents, the principle is the same.

Also, my book “The Way I See It” has sensory

information.

I always ask, “Is the child improving?” That’s one of

the most important things.

I’m not a big fan of loading up young kids with

lots of medications. I’ve seen six-year-olds, and

the doctor had them on six different medications.

When I asked why they used each medication, it

seemed like they were just writing prescriptions to

control behavior. That’s bad.

What is this kid good at? Let’s build up the child’s

skills. She’s gifted. Is she good at art, music, or

mathematics?

Let’s take what she’s good at and build on those

strengths. That might help her focus because then

she’ll be interested in these things. There are also

activities you can do with other people.

I’m a big proponent of developing strengths

because, when the child grows up, they can turn

those strengths into a career.

Also, is she getting enough exercise? My mother

used to say, “Go outside and run the energy out.”

Then, when it comes to the people providing

services, I can’t emphasize enough how important

good teachers are. Some people just have the

knack to work with these kids.

Is her speech improving? She has an IEP for

speech, but is it improving? If it is, then you’re

doing something right. It’s that simple. Sometimes

these things get overthought.

My mother used to say, ‘Go

outside and run the energy

out.’

16 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 193

Q

Ravindra of India asks, “How

do we control an autistic child

with predominant signs of

hyperactivity, such as running

around aimlessly?”

First, exercise. Also, the sensory

A

integration techniques that the

OTs do could be very helpful.

There are simple activities, such

as swinging, deep pressure, and

balancing. Nail a board to the

floor and walk the “tight rope” on it.

There’s also something called environmental

enrichment, which is an effective treatment for

autism. There is a paper called “Environmental

Enrichment As An Effective Treatment for

Autism.” It’s an add-on to other therapies.

What you do is you stimulate two senses at

the same time. For instance, you might smell

peppermint and hold a cold bottle, so you’re

stimulating two senses.

You’re going across the senses, so it’s called

cross-modal. You might be looking at one thing

while smelling something else. There might be a

lot of emphasis on touch and smell, and you’re

always changing the pair of stimuli.You might be listening to classical music while

touching something warm or smelling something.

They use about six different strong but pleasant

odors, such as cinnamon, peppermint, or whatever

the child likes.

I think it desensitizes the sensory, and it’s been

helpful. It is evidence-based and uses simple

household items for about 15 minutes a day.

Also, get the child out doing things. When you go

shopping, take them to the market and have them

help you find what you need. Put all that activity to

work.

Those are all things that might help.

Resource:

Woo, C. C., & Leon, M. (2013). Environmental enrichment as an

effective treatment for autism: A randomized controlled trial.

Behavioral Neuroscience, 127(4), 487–497. https://www.apa.

org/pubs/journals/releases/bne-127-4-487.pdf

Dr. Temple Grandin, PhD, is

a Distinguished Professor of

Animal Science at Colorado

State University. Many

companies around the world use facilities

she has designed for handling livestock. She

has also been instrumental in implementing

animal welfare auditing programs used by

McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Whole Foods, and

other corporations. Temple has appeared

on numerous TV shows, such as 20/20 and

Prime Time. Her books include Thinking in

Pictures, Livestock Handling and Transport,

and The Autistic Brain. Her books, Animals in

Translation and Visual Thinking, have been

on the New York Times Bestseller List. Temple

was inducted into the National Women’s

Hall of Fame in September 2017. In 2022,

she was named a Colorado State University

Distinguished Professor, and in 2023, she was

inducted into the Colorado Authors’ Hall of

Fame.