I can remember the frustration of not being able to talk. I knew what I wanted to say, but I could not get the words out, so I would just scream.

One of the places where research is needed is all the sensory problems. And you get sensory problems not just with autism, but with dyslexia, learning problems, ADHD, attention deficit, you know, things like sound sensitivity, problems with fluorescent lighting.

You simply cannot tell other people they are stupid, even if they really are stupid.

I'd rather see a kid get fixated on something they can turn into a career.

Some autistic people have savant skills. All autistic people do not have savant skills. Autism is a very variable disorder varying all the way from Einstein, emollient scientist, just a little bit of the trait, many scientist and engineers, down to somebody that's going to remain nonverbal.

I think sometimes parents and teachers fail to stretch kids. My mother had a very good sense of how to stretch me just slightly outside my comfort zone.

If I could snap my fingers and be nonautistic, I would not. Autism is part of what I am.