ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Steve Silberman - Writer and editor
Steve Silberman is a writer and contributing editor for Wired who covers science and society. His newest book explores neurodiversity and the link between autism and genius.

Why you should listen
Steve Silberman is a writer and contributing editor for Wired and other national magazines. In 2001, he published "The Geek Syndrome," one of the first articles in the mainstream press to probe the complex relationship between autism and genius. The article was praised by experts in the field like neurologist Oliver Sacks and author Temple Grandin, but as time went on, Silberman was haunted by the biggest question that he had left unanswered: Why have rates of autism diagnosis increased so steeply in the past 30 years?

This question has become particularly pressing in the face of a resurgence of measles, mumps, pertussis and other childhood diseases worldwide due to parental fears of vaccines, despite numerous studies debunking their alleged connection to autism. To solve that medical mystery for his new book, NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity, due out in August 2015, Silberman went back to the first years of autism research, where he uncovered a series of events -- some long forgotten, and others deliberately buried -- that will require the history of autism to be rewritten.

A former teaching assistant for the poet Allen Ginsberg, Silberman has won numerous awards over the years for his science coverage in the New Yorker, Nature and many other national and international magazines.
More profile about the speaker
Steve Silberman | Speaker | TED.com
TED2015

Steve Silberman: The forgotten history of autism

Steve Silberman: Die vergete geskiedenis van outisme

Filmed:
1,699,224 views

Dekades gelede was daar net 'n paar pediaters wat al van outisme gehoor het. In 1975 is daar beraam dat 1 in 5000 kinders dit het. Vandag is 1 uit elke 68 op die outismespektrum. Wat het hierdie groot styging veroorsaak? Steve Silberman verwys na "die perfekte kombinasie van faktore vir outisme-bewustheid" -- twee dokters wat 'n meer ontvanklike beskouing gebied het, 'n onverwagte oomblik in popkultuur en 'n nuwe kliniese toets. Om egter regtig te verstaan, moet ons verder teruggaan na die Oostenrykse dokter Hans Asperger, wat in 1944 'n baanbrekerartikel gepubliseer het. Omdat dit verlore geraak het in tyd, is outisme sedertdien in 'n waas van wanbegrip gehul. (Hierdie toespraak was deel van 'n TED2015-sessie wat deur Pop-Up Magazine saamgestel is: popupmagazine.com of @popupmag op Twitter.)
- Writer and editor
Steve Silberman is a writer and contributing editor for Wired who covers science and society. His newest book explores neurodiversity and the link between autism and genius. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
Just after ChristmasKersfees last yearjaar,
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Net na Kersfees verlede jaar
00:15
132 kidskinders in CaliforniaCalifornia got the measlesmasels
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het 132 kinders
in Kalifornië masels gekry
00:19
by eitheróf visitingbesoek DisneylandDisneyland
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2013
deur Disneyland te besoek
00:21
or beingwese exposedblootgestel to someoneiemand
who'dwat wil been there.
3
9333
2949
of blootgestel te word
aan iemand wat daar was.
00:24
The virusvirus then hoppedhopped the CanadianKanadese bordergrens,
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3204
Die virus het toe
die Kanadese grens oorgesteek
00:27
infectinginfekteer more than
100 childrenkinders in QuebecQuebec.
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3436
en meer as 100 kinders
in Quebec is aangesteek.
00:30
One of the tragictragies things
about this outbreakuitbreek
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Een van die tragiese dinge
van hierdie uitbraak
00:33
is that measlesmasels, whichwatter can be fatalnoodlottige
to a childkind with a weakenedverswak immuneimmuun systemstelsel,
7
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5619
is dat masels, wat dodelik kan wees vir
'n kind met 'n verswakte immuunstelsel,
00:39
is one of the mostdie meeste easilymaklik
preventablevoorkombare diseasessiektes in the worldwêreld.
8
27490
3785
een van die maklikste voorkombare siektes
in die wêreld is.
00:43
An effectiveeffektiewe vaccineentstof againstteen it
9
31275
1997
'n Effektiewe entstof
00:45
has been availablebeskikbaar for more
than halfhelfde a centuryeeu,
10
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3366
is al meer as 'n halfeeu beskikbaar,
00:48
but manybaie of the kidskinders involvedbetrokke
in the DisneylandDisneyland outbreakuitbreek
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3274
maar baie kinders wat deur
die Disneyland-uitbraak geraak is,
00:51
had not been vaccinatedingeënt
12
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1974
was nie ingeënt nie,
00:53
because theirhulle parentsouers were afraidbang
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omdat hulle ouers bang was
00:56
of something allegedlyna bewering even worseerger:
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vir iets wat na bewering
erger kan wees:
00:59
autismoutisme.
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outisme.
01:00
But wait -- wasn'twas nie the paperpapier
that sparkedgelei the controversyomstredenheid
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Maar wag 'n bietjie --
is die artikel wat die kontroversie
oor outisme en entstowwe uitgelok het
01:04
about autismoutisme and vaccinesentstowwe
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2323
01:06
debunkedhaat, retractedretracted,
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1997
nie vals bewys, teruggetrek en
01:08
and brandeddrukmedia- a deliberatedoelbewuste fraudbedrog
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as opsetlike bedrog uitgemaak
deur die British Medical Journal nie?
01:11
by the BritishBritse MedicalMediese JournalJoernaal?
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01:13
Don't mostdie meeste science-savvywetenskap-Gevorderd people
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Weet die meeste wat wetenskap volg nie
01:15
know that the theoryteorie
that vaccinesentstowwe causeoorsaak autismoutisme is B.S.?
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dat die teorie oor inenting en outisme
nonsens is nie?
01:19
I think mostdie meeste of you do,
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Ek dink meeste van julle weet,
01:21
but millionsmiljoene of parentsouers worldwidewêreldwyd
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maar miljoene ouers regoor die wêreld
01:23
continueaanhou to fearvrees that vaccinesentstowwe
put theirhulle kidskinders at riskrisiko for autismoutisme.
25
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vrees steeds dat inentings 'n risiko
van outisme vir hulle kinders inhou.
01:28
Why?
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Waarom?
Dis waarom.
01:30
Here'sHier is why.
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01:32
This is a graphgrafiek of autismoutisme
prevalencevoorkoms estimatesberamings risingstygende over time.
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Dié grafiek wys die toename in die
geskatte outisme voorkomssyfer oor tyd.
01:37
For mostdie meeste of the 20thste centuryeeu,
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Vir die grootste deel van die 20ste eeu
01:39
autismoutisme was consideredbeskou
an incrediblyongelooflik rareskaars conditiontoestand.
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is outisme beskou
as 'n baie seldsame toestand.
01:43
The fewpaar psychologistssielkundiges and pediatricianspediaters
who'dwat wil even heardgehoor of it
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Die handvol sielkundiges en pediaters
wat al daarvan gehoor het,
01:46
figureduitgepluis they would get throughdeur
theirhulle entirehele careersloopbane
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het gereken dat hulle
hul loopbane sou voltooi
01:49
withoutsonder seeingsien a singleenkele casegeval.
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sonder om 'n enkele geval teë te kom.
01:52
For decadesdekades, the prevalencevoorkoms estimatesberamings
remainedgebly stablestabiele
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Beramings van die voorkomssyfer
het vir dekades stabiel gebly
01:55
at just threedrie or fourvier childrenkinders in 10,000.
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op net drie of vier kinders uit 10 000.
01:58
But then, in the 1990s,
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Maar toe, in die 1990's,
02:00
the numbersnommers startedbegin to skyrocketSkyrocket.
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het die syfers die hoogte ingeskiet.
02:03
FundraisingKlieks organizationsorganisasies
like AutismOutisme SpeaksPraat
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Fondsinsamelingsorganisasies
soos Autism Speaks
02:06
routinelygereeld referverwys to autismoutisme as an epidemicepidemie,
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verwys gereeld na
outisme as 'n epidemie --
02:09
as if you could catchvang it
from another'n ander kidkind at DisneylandDisneyland.
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asof jy dit by 'n ander kind
by Disneyland kon kry.
02:13
So what's going on?
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So wat gaan aan?
02:14
If it isn't vaccinesentstowwe, what is it?
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As dit nie entstowwe is nie, wat is dit?
02:18
If you askvra the folksmense down at
the CentersSentrums for DiseaseSiekte ControlBeheer in AtlantaAtlanta
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As jy die mense by
die Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta vra,
02:22
what's going on,
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maak hulle staat op frases soos
"breër diagnostiese kriteria"
02:23
they tendneig to relystaatmaak on phrasesfrases like
"broadeneduitgebrei diagnosticdiagnostiese criteriakriteria"
45
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en "beter aantekening van gevalle"
02:28
and "better casegeval findingbevinding"
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02:30
to explainverduidelik these risingstygende numbersnommers.
47
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om die stygende getalle te verklaar.
02:32
But that kindsoort of languageTaal
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2020
Maar hierdie soort woorde
02:34
doesn't do much to allayweerlê
the fearsvrese of a youngjong mothermoeder
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doen min om 'n jong ma gerus te stel
02:37
who is searchingsoek her
two-year-old'stwee-jarige se facegesig for eyeoog contactKontak.
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terwyl sy haar tweejarige se gesig
vir oogkontak bestudeer.
02:42
If the diagnosticdiagnostiese criteriakriteria
had to be broadeneduitgebrei,
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As dit nodig was om
die diagnostiese kriteria te verbreed,
02:45
why were they so narrowsmal
in the first placeplek?
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waarom was dit in die eerste plek so eng?
02:48
Why were casesgevalle of autismoutisme
so hardhard to find
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Waarom was dit so moeilik
om outismegevalle te vind
02:51
before the 1990s?
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voor die 1990's?
02:53
FiveVyf yearsjaar agogelede, I decidedbesluit to try
to uncoverontbloot the answersantwoorde to these questionsvrae.
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Ek het vyf jaar gelede besluit om
die antwoorde op hierdie vrae te ontbloot.
02:59
I learnedgeleer that what happenedgebeur
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Ek het agtergekom dat dít wat gebeur het
03:01
has lessminder to do with the slowstadig and cautiousversigtig
progressvordering of sciencewetenskap
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minder met trae en versigtige vooruitgang
in wetenskap te doen het
03:05
than it does with the seductiveverleidelik
powerkrag of storytellingstorievertelling.
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as met die verloklike krag van stories.
03:08
For mostdie meeste of the 20thste centuryeeu,
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Vir die grootste deel van die 20ste eeu
03:10
cliniciansklinici told one storystorie
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het klinici één storie vertel
03:13
about what autismoutisme is
and how it was discoveredontdek,
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oor wat outisme is en hoe dit ontdek is,
03:16
but that storystorie turneddraai out to be wrongverkeerde,
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maar daardie storie was toe verkeerd.
03:19
and the consequencesgevolge of it
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Die nagevolge hiervan
03:21
are havingmet a devastatingverwoestende impactimpak
on globalglobale publicopenbare healthgesondheid.
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het wêreldwyd 'n vernietigende uitwerking
op openbare gesondheid.
03:25
There was a secondtweede,
more accurateakkurate storystorie of autismoutisme
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Daar was 'n tweede,
akkurater storie van outisme
03:28
whichwatter had been lostverloor and forgottenvergeet
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wat verlore en vergete geraak het
03:31
in obscurebelemmer cornershoeke
of the clinicalkliniese literatureliteratuur.
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in die duister hoekies van
kliniese literatuur.
03:34
This secondtweede storystorie tellsvertel us everything
about how we got here
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Dié tweede storie vertel ons alles
oor hoe ons hier gekom het
03:38
and where we need to go nextvolgende.
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en waarheen ons
volgende moet gaan.
03:41
The first storystorie startsbegin with a childkind
psychiatristpsigiater at JohnsJohns HopkinsHopkins HospitalHospitaal
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Eerste het ons 'n kinderpsigiater
by Johns Hopkins-Hospitaal,
03:45
namedvernoem LeoLeo KannerKanner.
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1950
Leo Kanner.
03:47
In 1943, KannerKanner publishedgepubliseer a paperpapier
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Kanner het in 1943
'n artikel gepubliseer
03:51
describingbeskrywing 11 youngjong patientspasiënte
who seemedgelyk to inhabitbewoon privateprivaat worldswêrelde,
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waarin hy 11 jong pasiënte beskryf
wat gelyk het of hulle
in hulle eie wêrelde leef
en diegene om hulle,
03:56
ignoringignoreer the people around them,
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03:58
even theirhulle owneie parentsouers.
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selfs hul eie ouers,
ignoreer.
04:00
They could amusevermaak themselveshulself for hoursure
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Hulle kon hulself vir ure vermaak
04:02
by flappingflap theirhulle handshande
in frontfront of theirhulle facesgesigte,
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deur hulle hande
voor hulle gesigte te waai,
04:05
but they were panickedpaniekbevange by little things
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1974
maar klein dingetjies
het hulle ontstel,
04:07
like theirhulle favoritegunsteling toyspeelding
beingwese movedverskuif from its usualgewone placeplek
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soos 'n gunstelingspeelding wat
uit sy gewone plek geskuif is
04:10
withoutsonder theirhulle knowledgekennis.
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2007
sonder hulle medewete.
04:12
BasedGebaseer on the patientspasiënte
who were broughtgebring to his clinickliniek,
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Gebaseer op die pasiënte
wat na Kanner toe gebring is,
04:15
KannerKanner speculatedspeculated
that autismoutisme is very rareskaars.
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het hy uitgereken
dat outisme baie skaars is.
04:19
By the 1950s, as the world'swêreld se
leadingvoorste authoritygesag on the subjectonderwerp,
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Teen die 1950's het hy, as die wêreld
se grootste kenner op dié gebied,
04:23
he declaredverklaar that he had seengesien
lessminder than 150 truewaar casesgevalle of his syndromesindroom
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verklaar dat hy minder as 150 ware gevalle
van hierdie sindroom gesien het,
04:29
while fieldingveldwerk referralsverwysings from
as farver away as SouthSuid AfricaAfrika.
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terwyl hy verwysings van plekke
so ver as Suid-Afrika hanteer het.
04:33
That's actuallyeintlik not surprisingverbasend,
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Dis nie so verbasend nie,
04:35
because Kanner'sKanner se criteriakriteria
for diagnosingdiagnosering van autismoutisme
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want Kanner se kriteria
vir die diagnosering van outisme
04:39
were incrediblyongelooflik selectiveselektiewe.
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was ongelooflik selektief.
04:41
For examplebyvoorbeeld, he discouragedontmoedig givinggee
the diagnosisdiagnose to childrenkinders who had seizuresaanvalle
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Hy het dit bv. ontmoedig om kinders
te diagnoseer wat aanvalle gekry het,
04:46
but now we know that epilepsyepilepsie
is very commonalgemene in autismoutisme.
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maar nou weet ons dat epilepsie
algemeen voorkom by outistiese pasiënte.
04:50
He oncekeer braggedbragged that he had turneddraai
ninenege out of 10 kidskinders
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Hy het een keer gespog
dat hy nege uit tien kinders
04:53
referredverwys to his officekantoor as autisticoutistiese
by other cliniciansklinici
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wat deur ander klinici
as outistiese gevalle na hom verwys is,
04:57
withoutsonder givinggee them an autismoutisme diagnosisdiagnose.
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weggestuur het
sonder 'n outismediagnose.
05:00
KannerKanner was a smartsmart guy,
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Kanner was 'n slim man,
maar van sy teorieë
het nie sin gemaak nie.
05:02
but a numberaantal of his theoriesteorieë
didn't panpan out.
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05:05
He classifiedgeklassifiseer autismoutisme as a formvorm
of infantileinfantile psychosispsigose
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Hy het outisme as 'n vorm
van kinderpsigose geklassifiseer
05:08
causedveroorsaak by coldkoue and unaffectionateunaffectionate parentsouers.
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wat deur koue en liefdelose ouers
veroorsaak word.
05:12
These childrenkinders, he said,
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"Hierdie kinders," het hy gesê,
05:14
had been keptgehou neatlynetjies
in a refrigeratoryskas that didn't defrostontdooi.
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"is in 'n yskas grootgemaak
wat nooit ontvries nie."
05:19
At the samedieselfde time, howeveregter,
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Terselftertyd het Kanner
egter waargeneem
05:21
KannerKanner noticedopgemerk that some
of his youngjong patientspasiënte
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dat sommige van sy jong pasiënte
05:24
had specialspesiale abilitiesvermoëns
that clustereddie getal in certainsekere areasgebiede
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spesiale vaardighede gehad het
wat op sekere gebiede voorgekom het,
05:27
like musicmusiek, mathwiskunde and memorygeheue.
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soos musiek, wiskunde en geheue.
05:30
One boyseuntjie in his clinickliniek
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Een seuntjie in sy kliniek
05:32
could distinguishonderskei betweentussen 18 symphoniessymphonies
before he turneddraai two.
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kon 18 verskillende simfonieë onderskei
voor hy twee was.
05:37
When his mothermoeder put on
one of his favoritegunsteling recordsrekords,
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As sy ma een van
sy gunsteling-opnames gespeel het,
05:40
he would correctlykorrek declareverklaar,
"BeethovenBeethoven!"
107
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sou hy korrek uitroep:
"Beethoven!"
05:43
But KannerKanner tookgeneem a dimVerdof viewbeskou
of these abilitiesvermoëns,
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Maar Kanner het nie belanggestel
in hierdie talente nie
05:46
claimingbeweer that the kidskinders
were just regurgitatingvan things
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en het gemeen dat die kinders
bloot herhaal het
05:50
they'dhulle wil heardgehoor theirhulle pompouspompous parentsouers say,
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wat hulle by hulle aanstellerige
ouers gehoor het --
05:52
desperatedesperate to earnverdien theirhulle approvalgoedkeuring.
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desperaat vir dié se goedkeuring.
05:55
As a resultgevolg, autismoutisme becamegeword
a sourcebron of shameskande and stigmastigma for familiesfamilies,
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Gevolglik het outisme 'n bron
van verleentheid en stigma geword
06:00
and two generationsgenerasies of autisticoutistiese childrenkinders
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en twee generasies
outistiese kinders
06:03
were shippedshipped off to institutionsinstellings
for theirhulle owneie good,
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is weggestuur na inrigtings,
vir hulle eie beswil.
06:06
becomingbesig om invisibleonsigbare to the worldwêreld at largegroot.
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Sodoende het hulle onsigbaar geword
vir die meeste mense.
06:10
AmazinglyOngelooflik, it wasn'twas nie untiltotdat the 1970s
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Glo dit of nie,
navorsers het eers in die 1970's
06:14
that researchersnavorsers beganbegin to testtoets
Kanner'sKanner se theoryteorie that autismoutisme was rareskaars.
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begin om Kanner se teorie
dat outisme skaars is, te toets.
06:19
LornaVier WingVleuel was a cognitivekognitiewe
psychologistsielkundige in LondonLonden
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Lorna Wing was
'n kognitiewe sielkundige in Londen
06:23
who thought that Kanner'sKanner se theoryteorie
of refrigeratoryskas parentingouerskap
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wat gedink het Kanner se teorie
oor yskasouerskap
06:26
were "bloodybloedige stupidonnosel," as she told me.
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"loutere onsin" is,
soos sy vir my gesê het.
06:29
She and her husbandman JohnJohn were warmwarm
and affectionateliefdevolle people,
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Sy en haar man John
was warm en liefdevolle mense
06:33
and they had a profoundlydiep
autisticoutistiese daughterdogter namedvernoem SusieSusie.
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en hulle dogter Susie was erg outisties.
06:37
LornaVier and JohnJohn knewgeweet how hardhard it was
to raisein te samel a childkind like SusieSusie
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Lorna en John het geweet hoe moeilik dit
was om 'n kind soos Susie groot te maak
06:41
withoutsonder supportondersteuning servicesdienste,
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sonder ondersteuningsdienste,
06:43
specialspesiale educationonderwys,
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spesiale onderrig,
06:45
and the other resourceshulpbronne that are
out of reachbereik withoutsonder a diagnosisdiagnose.
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en die ander hulpbronne
wat buite bereik is sonder 'n diagnose.
06:49
To make the casegeval
to the NationalNasionale HealthGesondheid ServiceDiens
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Om hulle saak
by die National Health Service te stel,
06:52
that more resourceshulpbronne were needednodig
for autisticoutistiese childrenkinders and theirhulle familiesfamilies,
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dat meer hulpbronne nodig was
vir outistiese kinders en hulle gesinne,
06:57
LornaVier and her colleaguekollega JudithJudith GouldGestremdhede
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het Lorna en haar kollega Judith Gould
06:59
decidedbesluit to do something that should
have been donegedaan 30 yearsjaar earliervroeër.
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besluit om te doen wat
30 jaar tevore nodig was:
07:04
They undertookonderneem het a studystudie of autismoutisme
prevalencevoorkoms in the generalalgemene populationbevolking.
131
412193
4946
'n studie oor die voorkoms van outisme
onder die algemene bevolking.
07:09
They poundedgehamer the pavementsypaadjie
in a LondonLonden suburbVoorstad calledgenoem CamberwellCamberwell
132
417139
4296
Hulle het die strate van Camberwell,
'n Londense voorstad, deurkruis
07:13
to try to find autisticoutistiese childrenkinders
in the communitygemeenskap.
133
421435
3665
om outistiese kinders
in die gemeenskap op te spoor.
07:17
What they saw madegemaak clearduidelik
that Kanner'sKanner se modelmodel was way too narrowsmal,
134
425100
4667
Wat hulle gesien het, het Kanner se model
as veels te eng bewys
07:21
while the realitywerklikheid of autismoutisme
was much more colorfulkleurvolle and diversediverse.
135
429767
4526
en dat outisme in werklikheid
baie meer kleurvol en divers was.
07:26
Some kidskinders couldn'tkon nie talk at all,
136
434663
2143
Sommige kinders kon glad nie praat nie,
07:28
while othersander waxedgeword on at lengthlengte
about theirhulle fascinationbekoring with astrophysicsastrofisika,
137
436806
4736
terwyl ander aangegaan het oor
hulle aangetrokkenheid tot astrofisika,
07:33
dinosaursdinosourusse or the genealogygenealogie of royaltykoninklikes.
138
441542
3944
dinosourusse of koninklikes se stambome.
07:37
In other wordswoorde, these childrenkinders
didn't fitpas into nicelekker, neatnetjies boxesbokse,
139
445486
4690
Hierdie kinders het nie
in netjiese bokse ingepas nie,
07:42
as JudithJudith put it,
140
450176
1695
soos Judith dit gestel het.
07:43
and they saw lots of them,
141
451871
1881
En hulle het baie gesien:
07:45
way more than Kanner'sKanner se monolithicmonolitiese modelmodel
would have predictedvoorspel.
142
453752
3785
baie meer as wat Kanner
se monolitiese model voorspel het.
07:49
At first, they were at a lossverlies
to make sensesin of theirhulle datadata.
143
457537
3715
Aanvanklik het hulle nie geweet
hoe om die data te interpreteer nie.
07:53
How had no one noticedopgemerk
these childrenkinders before?
144
461252
3128
Hoe het niemand
ooit dié kinders gesien nie?
07:56
But then LornaVier camekom uponop a referenceverwysing
to a paperpapier that had been publishedgepubliseer
145
464380
3519
Maar toe kom Lorna af op
'n verwysing na 'n artikel
wat in 1944 in Duits gepubliseer is --
07:59
in GermanDuitse in 1944,
146
467899
2655
08:02
the yearjaar after Kanner'sKanner se paperpapier,
147
470554
2345
die jaar na Kanner se artikel --
08:04
and then forgottenvergeet,
148
472899
1718
en toe vergeet en begrawe is
08:06
buriedbegrawe with the ashesas of a terribleverskriklike time
149
474617
2577
saam met die bomskerwe
van 'n vreeslike tyd
08:09
that no one wanted to rememberonthou
or think about.
150
477194
3251
wat niemand wou onthou
of aan dink nie.
08:12
KannerKanner knewgeweet about this competingmeeding paperpapier,
151
480445
2670
Kanner het geweet van
dié mededingende artikel,
08:15
but scrupulouslynougeset avoidedvermy
mentioningwerksbeskrywing it in his owneie work.
152
483115
4745
maar het dit versigtig vermy
in sy eie werk.
Dis nooit eers in Engels vertaal nie,
08:19
It had never even
been translatedvertaal into EnglishEngels,
153
487860
2462
08:22
but luckilygelukkig, Lorna'sVier se husbandman spokegepraat GermanDuitse,
154
490322
2963
maar gelukkig het Lorna
se man Duits gepraat
08:25
and he translatedvertaal it for her.
155
493285
2647
en hy het dit vir haar vertaal.
08:27
The paperpapier offeredaangebied
an alternatealternatiewe storystorie of autismoutisme.
156
495932
3692
Die artikel het 'n ander storie
oor outisme gebied.
08:31
Its authorskrywer was a man namedvernoem HansHans AspergerAsperger,
157
499624
2693
Die outeur was Hans Asperger,
08:34
who ranhardloop a combinationkombinasie clinickliniek
and residentialresidensiële schoolskool
158
502317
3274
wat 'n gekombineerde kliniek en kosskool
08:37
in ViennaVienna in the 1930s.
159
505591
2740
in Wene in die 1930's bedryf het.
08:40
Asperger'sAsperger se ideasidees about teachingonderrig childrenkinders
with learningleer differencesverskille
160
508331
3971
Asperger se idees oor die onderrig van
kinders met leerverskille was progressief,
08:44
were progressiveprogressiewe even
by contemporarykontemporêre standardsstandaarde.
161
512302
3134
selfs gemeet teen hedendaagse standaarde.
08:47
MorningsOggende at his clinickliniek beganbegin
with exerciseoefening classesklasse setstel to musicmusiek,
162
515436
4412
Die oggende by sy kliniek het begin
met oefenklasse met musiek,
08:51
and the childrenkinders put on playsspeel
on SundaySondag afternoonsmiddae.
163
519848
3506
en op Sondaemiddae
het die kinders konsert gehou.
08:55
InsteadIn plaas daarvan of blamingblameer parentsouers
for causingveroorsaak autismoutisme,
164
523354
2995
In plaas daarvan om ouers
die skuld vir outisme te gee,
08:58
AspergerAsperger framedgeraam it as a lifelonglewenslange,
polygeneticpolygenetic disabilitygestremdheid
165
526349
4853
het Asperger dit as 'n lewenslange,
poligenetiese gestremdheid beskryf
09:03
that requiresvereis compassionatedeernisvolle formsvorms
of supportondersteuning and accommodationshotel
166
531202
3901
wat deernisvolle vorms
van ondersteuning en aanpassing
09:07
over the coursekursus of one'seen is wholehele life.
167
535103
3407
oor 'n persoon se hele lewe vereis.
Eerder as om die kinders
as pasiënte te behandel,
09:10
RatherEerder than treatingbehandeling the kidskinders
in his clinickliniek like patientspasiënte,
168
538510
2885
09:13
AspergerAsperger calledgenoem them
his little professorsprofessore,
169
541395
3065
het Asperger hulle
sy "klein professors" genoem
09:16
and enlistedingeroep theirhulle help in developingontwikkeling
methodsmetodes of educationonderwys
170
544460
3785
en hulle hulp gevra om
onderrigmetodes te ontwikkel
09:20
that were particularlyveral suitedgeskik to them.
171
548245
2484
wat besonderlik vir hulle geskik was.
09:22
CruciallyUiters, AspergerAsperger viewedbeskou autismoutisme
as a diversediverse continuumkontinuum
172
550729
5731
Die belangrikste is dat Asperger outisme
as 'n diverse kontinuum beskou het
09:28
that spansstrek an astonishingverstommende rangeverskeidenheid
of giftednessbegaafdheid and disabilitygestremdheid.
173
556460
4654
wat oor 'n ongelooflike spektrum
van begaafdheid en gestremdheid strek.
09:33
He believedgeglo that autismoutisme
and autisticoutistiese traitseienskappe are commonalgemene
174
561584
3532
Hy het geglo dat outisme en
outistiese karaktertrekke
algemeen is en nog altyd was,
09:37
and always have been,
175
565116
1866
09:38
seeingsien aspectsaspekte of this continuumkontinuum
in familiarbekend archetypesargetipes from poppop culturekultuur
176
566982
5294
met aspekte daarvan wat gesien word
in bekende popkultuur argetipes,
09:44
like the sociallysosiaal awkwardongemaklike scientistwetenskaplike
177
572276
2336
soos die sosiaal onbeholpe wetenskaplike
09:46
and the absent-mindedverstrooide professorprofessor.
178
574612
2694
en die verstrooide professor.
09:49
He wenthet so farver as to say,
179
577306
2113
Hy het so ver gegaan om te sê
09:51
it seemsblyk that for successsukses
in sciencewetenskap and artkuns,
180
579419
3227
dat om suksesvol
in wetenskap en die kunste te wees
09:54
a dashskeut of autismoutisme is essentialnoodsaaklik.
181
582646
2946
'n tikkie outisme vereis.
09:58
LornaVier and JudithJudith realizedbesef that KannerKanner
had been as wrongverkeerde about autismoutisme beingwese rareskaars
182
586292
4922
Lorna en Judith het besef dat Kanner
net so verkeerd was oor die raarheid van outisme
as oor dat ouers dit veroorsaak het.
10:03
as he had been about parentsouers causingveroorsaak it.
183
591214
2693
10:05
Over the nextvolgende severalverskeie yearsjaar,
184
593907
2044
Oor die volgende jare
10:07
they quietlyrustig workedgewerk with
the AmericanAmerikaanse PsychiatricPsigiatriese AssociationVereniging
185
595951
3413
het hulle saam met
die American Psychiatric Association gewerk
10:11
to broadenverbreed the criteriakriteria for diagnosisdiagnose
186
599364
2600
om die kriteria vir diagnose te verbreed
10:13
to reflectreflekteer the diversitydiversiteit of what
they calledgenoem "the autismoutisme spectrumspektrum."
187
601964
4017
om die diversiteit van die
"outismespektrum" te weerspieël.
10:17
In the latelaat '80s and earlyvroeg 1990s,
188
605981
2578
In die laat 1980's en vroeë 90's
10:20
theirhulle changesveranderinge wenthet into effecteffek,
189
608559
2298
is hulle veranderinge in werking gestel:
10:22
swappingruil out Kanner'sKanner se narrowsmal modelmodel
190
610857
2369
Kanner se eng model is vervang
10:25
for Asperger'sAsperger se broadbreë and inclusiveinklusiewe one.
191
613226
3575
met Asperger se breë en inklusiewe een.
10:28
These changesveranderinge weren'twas nie
happeninggebeur in a vacuumvakuum.
192
616801
2671
Dié veranderinge het nie
afgesonderd plaasgevind nie.
10:31
By coincidencetoeval, as LornaVier and JudithJudith
workedgewerk behindagter the scenestonele
193
619472
3854
Toevallig, soos Lorna en Judith
agter die skerms aan die werk was
10:35
to reformhervorming the criteriakriteria,
194
623326
1834
om die kriteria aan te pas,
10:37
people all over the worldwêreld were seeingsien
an autisticoutistiese adultvolwasse for the first time.
195
625160
5016
het die wêreld die eerste keer
'n outistiese grootmens gesien.
10:42
Before "RainReën Man" camekom out in 1988,
196
630176
3374
Voor "Rain Man" in 1988 uitgekom het,
10:45
only a tinyklein, ingrowningrown circlesirkel of expertskenners
knewgeweet what autismoutisme lookedgekyk like,
197
633550
4659
het net 'n klein, geslote groepie kundiges
geweet hoe outisme lyk,
10:50
but after DustinDustin Hoffman'sHoffman se unforgettableonvergeetlike
performanceoptrede as RaymondRaymond BabbittBabbitt
198
638209
4760
maar na Dustin Hoffman se onvergeetlike
optrede as Raymond Babbitt
10:54
earnedverdien "RainReën Man" fourvier AcademyAkademie AwardsToekennings,
199
642969
3135
vier Oscars vir "Rain Man" ingepalm het,
10:58
pediatricianspediaters, psychologistssielkundiges,
200
646104
2740
het pediaters, sielkundiges,
onderwysers en ouers wêreldwyd
11:00
teachersonderwysers and parentsouers all over the worldwêreld
knewgeweet what autismoutisme lookedgekyk like.
201
648844
4690
geweet hoe outisme lyk.
11:05
CoincidentallyToevallig, at the samedieselfde time,
202
653534
2925
En op dieselfde tyd
11:08
the first easy-to-usemaklik om te gebruik clinicalkliniese teststoetse
for diagnosingdiagnosering van autismoutisme were introducedbekendgestel.
203
656459
5130
is die eerste maklike kliniese toetse
vir die diagnose van outisme bekendgestel.
11:13
You no longermeer had to have a connectionverband
to that tinyklein circlesirkel of expertskenners
204
661939
4690
Dit was nie meer nodig om iemand
in die kringetjie kundiges te ken
11:18
to get your childkind evaluatedgeëvalueer.
205
666629
2578
om jou kind te laat evalueer nie.
11:21
The combinationkombinasie of "RainReën Man,"
206
669207
2113
Die kombinasie van "Rain Man",
11:23
the changesveranderinge to the criteriakriteria,
and the introductioninleiding of these teststoetse
207
671320
4179
die veranderinge aan die kriteria
en die ingebruikneming van hierdie toetse
11:27
createdgeskep a networknetwerk effecteffek,
208
675499
2275
het 'n netwerk-effek geskep --
11:29
a perfectperfek stormstorm of autismoutisme awarenessbewustheid.
209
677774
3530
die perfekte kombinasie van faktore
vir outisme-bewusmaking.
11:33
The numberaantal of diagnosesdiagnoses startedbegin to soarstyg,
210
681304
3018
Die aantal diagnoses het begin klim,
11:36
just as LornaVier and JudithJudith predictedvoorspel,
indeedinderdaad hopedgehoop, that it would,
211
684322
5668
net soos Lorna en Judith voorspel het
en gehoop het dit sou,
wat outistiese mense en hulle gesinne
in staat gestel het
11:41
enablingmoontlikmaak autisticoutistiese people
and theirhulle familiesfamilies
212
689990
2116
11:44
to finallyuiteindelik get the supportondersteuning
and servicesdienste they deservedverdien.
213
692106
3692
om eindelik die ondersteuning en dienste
te kry wat hulle verdien.
11:47
Then AndrewAndrew WakefieldWakefield camekom alongsaam
214
695798
2066
Toe kom Andrew Wakefield
11:49
to blameblaam the spikepiek
in diagnosesdiagnoses on vaccinesentstowwe,
215
697864
3855
en blameer entstowwe
vir die styging in diagnoses --
11:53
a simpleeenvoudige, powerfulkragtige,
216
701719
2113
'n eenvoudige, kragtige,
11:55
and seductivelyseductively believablebelievable storystorie
217
703832
2786
en verleidelik geloofbare storie
11:58
that was as wrongverkeerde as Kanner'sKanner se theoryteorie
218
706618
2368
wat net so verkeerd was soos
12:00
that autismoutisme was rareskaars.
219
708986
2253
Kanner se teorie dat outisme skaars was.
12:03
If the CDC'sCDC se currenthuidige estimateskatting,
220
711239
3471
As die Centers for Disease Control
se huidige skatting,
12:06
that one in 68 kidskinders in AmericaAmerika
are on the spectrumspektrum, is correctkorrekte,
221
714710
4423
dat een uit 68 kinders in Amerika
op die spektrum is, korrek is,
12:11
autisticsautistics are one of the largestgrootste
minorityminderheid groupsgroepe in the worldwêreld.
222
719133
4207
is outistiese mense een van die grootste
minderheidsgroepe in die wêreld.
12:15
In recentonlangse yearsjaar, autisticoutistiese people
have come togethersaam on the InternetInternet
223
723340
3827
Outistiese mense het in die laaste jare
bymekaargekom op die internet
12:19
to rejectverwerp the notionidee that they
are puzzleslegkaarte to be solvedopgelos
224
727167
3645
om die idee te verwerp dat
hulle raaisels is wat opgelos moet word
12:22
by the nextvolgende medicalmedies breakthroughdeurbraak,
225
730812
2183
deur die volgende mediese deurbraak,
12:24
coiningsodat daar byna sprake the termtermyn "neurodiversityneurodiversity"
226
732995
2461
en hulle het die term
"neurodiversiteit" geskep
12:27
to celebratevier the varietiesvariëteite
of humanmens cognitionkognisie.
227
735456
3288
om hulle trots oor die veelsydigheid
van menslike kognisie te toon.
12:31
One way to understandverstaan neurodiversityneurodiversity
228
739264
2391
'n Manier om neurodiversiteit te verstaan,
12:33
is to think in termsterme
of humanmens operatingbedryfstelsel systemsstelsels.
229
741655
3669
is om in terme van
menslike bedryfstelsels te dink.
12:37
Just because a P.C. is not runninghardloop WindowsWindows
doesn't mean that it's brokengebroke.
230
745324
4916
As 'n rekenaar nie met Windows loop nie,
is dit nie noodwendig stukkend nie.
12:42
By autisticoutistiese standardsstandaarde,
the normalnormaal humanmens brainbrein
231
750240
3629
Volgens outistiese standaarde,
is die normale menslike brein
12:45
is easilymaklik distractabledistractable,
232
753869
2020
maklik afleibaar,
12:47
obsessivelyobsessief socialsosiale,
233
755889
1788
obsessief oor sosiale aspekte
12:49
and suffersly from a deficittekort
of attentionaandag to detailbesonderhede.
234
757677
3320
en skiet dit tekort
by aandag aan klein besonderhede.
12:52
To be sure, autisticoutistiese people
have a hardhard time
235
760997
2995
Dis moeilik vir outistiese mense
om in 'n wêreld te leef
12:55
livinglewende in a worldwêreld not builtgebou for them.
236
763992
2276
wat nie vir hulle gemaak is nie.
12:58
[SeventySewentig] yearsjaar laterlater, we're still
catchingvang up to AspergerAsperger,
237
766268
4252
[Sewentig] jaar later probeer ons steeds
vir Asperger inhaal,
13:02
who believedgeglo that the "curekuur"
for the mostdie meeste disablingversper aspectsaspekte of autismoutisme
238
770520
4083
wat geglo het dat die "genesing"
vir die moeilikste aspekte van outisme
13:06
is to be foundgevind in understandingbegrip teachersonderwysers,
239
774603
2926
gevind kan word in onderwysers met begrip,
13:09
accommodatingdoodlooppunt employerswerkgewers,
240
777529
2136
toegeeflike werkgewers,
13:11
supportiveondersteunend communitiesgemeenskappe,
241
779665
1857
ondersteunende gemeenskappe
13:13
and parentsouers who have faithgeloof
in theirhulle children'skinders se potentialpotensiaal.
242
781522
3344
en ouers wat glo
in hulle kinders se potensiaal.
13:16
An autisticoutistiese womanvrou
namedvernoem ZosiaZosia ZaksZaks oncekeer said,
243
784866
3042
'n Outistiese [man],
Zosia Zaks, het gesê:
13:19
"We need all handshande on deckdek
to right the shipskip of humanitymensdom."
244
787908
5303
"Ons het almal aan dek nodig om die skip
van medemenslikheid op koers te hou."
13:25
As we sailseil into an uncertainonseker futuretoekoms,
245
793211
2553
Soos ons 'n onseker toekoms invaar,
13:27
we need everyelke formvorm
of humanmens intelligenceintelligensie on the planetplaneet
246
795764
3738
het ons elke vorm van
menslike intelligensie nodig
13:31
workingwerk togethersaam to tacklepak
the challengesuitdagings that we facegesig as a societysamelewing.
247
799502
5967
om saam te werk om die probleme op te los
wat ons samelewing in die gesig staar.
13:37
We can't affordbekostig to wasteafval a brainbrein.
248
805469
2322
Ons kan nie bekostig om
'n brein te mors nie.
13:39
Thank you.
249
807791
2345
Dankie.
13:42
(ApplauseApplous)
250
810136
4000
(Applous)
Translated by Anneline Du Preez
Reviewed by Ingrid Lezar

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Steve Silberman - Writer and editor
Steve Silberman is a writer and contributing editor for Wired who covers science and society. His newest book explores neurodiversity and the link between autism and genius.

Why you should listen
Steve Silberman is a writer and contributing editor for Wired and other national magazines. In 2001, he published "The Geek Syndrome," one of the first articles in the mainstream press to probe the complex relationship between autism and genius. The article was praised by experts in the field like neurologist Oliver Sacks and author Temple Grandin, but as time went on, Silberman was haunted by the biggest question that he had left unanswered: Why have rates of autism diagnosis increased so steeply in the past 30 years?

This question has become particularly pressing in the face of a resurgence of measles, mumps, pertussis and other childhood diseases worldwide due to parental fears of vaccines, despite numerous studies debunking their alleged connection to autism. To solve that medical mystery for his new book, NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity, due out in August 2015, Silberman went back to the first years of autism research, where he uncovered a series of events -- some long forgotten, and others deliberately buried -- that will require the history of autism to be rewritten.

A former teaching assistant for the poet Allen Ginsberg, Silberman has won numerous awards over the years for his science coverage in the New Yorker, Nature and many other national and international magazines.
More profile about the speaker
Steve Silberman | Speaker | TED.com

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