Temple Grandin’s name resonates far beyond the autism community. As someone on the autism spectrum herself, she has become a trailblazer, reshaping how people understand and support neurodivergent individuals—especially those who process the world visually.
Now 77 years old, Grandin holds a doctorate and serves as a professor of animal science at Colorado State University. She’s also a prolific author with several bestsellers and frequently speaks across the globe, not only about autism advocacy but also on agriculture and animal welfare. Her journey was even captured in the HBO biopic Temple Grandin, where she was portrayed by Claire Danes.
Yet, her accomplishments might never have come to be. In her early years, Grandin faced serious challenges. Born in the late 1940s, she had delayed speech and frequent outbursts. To her, adult conversation sounded like a foreign language.
At the time, one physician diagnosed her with brain damage. Back then, many children showing similar traits were misdiagnosed as “mentally retarded” and placed in institutions. Fortunately, Grandin’s mother rejected that path, seeking help from a neurologist who recommended speech therapy. Over time, her communication improved, and a visit to her aunt’s farm proved life-changing.
That experience sparked a deep curiosity and a powerful bond with animals—ultimately guiding her toward a groundbreaking career in livestock handling. Her innovations helped improve animal welfare, particularly in how slaughterhouses manage cattle, bringing compassion and practicality together in a traditionally harsh industry.
In multiple interviews with NBC News, Temple Grandin reflected on autism—where the public dialogue stands today and how her own journey fits into it.
The topic of autism has surged into the national spotlight, particularly with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. now leading the Department of Health and Human Services. His leadership has stirred concern within the autism community, especially as he continues to entertain a long-discredited theory linking vaccines to autism and has made remarks about autistic individuals that many consider controversial.
During a press conference, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made remarks that sparked widespread criticism. He claimed that autism "destroys families" and described autistic children as unlikely to ever work, pay taxes, play sports, or engage in creative or social activities. He also referred to autism as an "epidemic," drawing strong backlash from advocates and people within the autism community, who found his comments deeply harmful and misinformed.
Temple Grandin, while choosing to steer clear of political debates, offered thoughtful insights in a series of conversations with NBC News. Drawing from years of research and personal interaction with autistic individuals and their families around the world, she shared her views on where the focus of autism research should go next and how society often misunderstands what autism encompasses.
One of Grandin’s key points is that more attention should be given to a specific group she calls "regressives"—individuals who show early development in language and social skills, but then experience a significant loss of those abilities. She also emphasizes the need for deeper study into sensory processing challenges and advocates for broader public awareness of the wide range of strengths and challenges that exist within the autism spectrum.
Note: The following excerpts from her interviews have been condensed and clarified for readability.
On RFK Jr.’s Comments About Autism
Temple Grandin strongly disagreed with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s sweeping generalization of autistic people. “To say someone like me can’t handle basic skills is absurd,” she said. While acknowledging that a small percentage of individuals on the spectrum have profound challenges, she emphasized that this does not represent the whole. “That might apply to 10 or 15 percent at most.”
She also pointed out how the definition of autism has evolved. In the 1980s, a speech delay was required for a diagnosis. Later, conditions like Asperger’s, which involve social difficulties without speech delay, were added. Then in 2013, all these different profiles were grouped under one label. “Now you’ve got people like Einstein and Bill Gates on one end, and people with severe disabilities on the other,” Grandin said. “It’s all called autism, but it’s a wide range of behaviors and abilities.”
On Where Research Should Focus
Grandin advocates directing research funding toward a subgroup she calls “regressive” — children who show normal development in speech and social interaction, but later lose those abilities. “That’s the group where we might find environmental causes or medical issues beyond behavior,” she explained. She recommends separating these children from others in early intervention programs to better understand their needs.
She also pointed to conditions that might be relevant, such as untreated Lyme disease and PANDAS (a condition potentially linked to untreated strep infections), as deserving more attention in autism research. Additionally, she suggests looking into treatments — including anti-epileptic medications — to see if they could help individuals in this regressive category.
On the “1 in 31” Autism Rate
Grandin expressed concern over how this widely cited statistic lumps together very different individuals. “You’re mixing apples, oranges, and pears,” she said. On one hand, increased awareness and better diagnostic tools are identifying more people with milder traits. On the other, she said, are the regressive cases, which are typically identified very early and show clear signs of developmental loss.
Then, there are people like her — who never regressed and responded well to early behavioral support. “You’ve got different groups, and combining them under one label makes it harder to understand what’s really going on.”
On Nonverbal or Minimally Verbal Autism
Grandin noted that children with very limited or no speech have always existed. In earlier decades, they weren’t diagnosed with autism — they were often labeled as “mentally retarded.” Recalling her own experience, she explained that the neurologist who first evaluated her didn't know what autism was and instead said she had brain damage. “I had a serious speech delay,” she said. “These kids were there before, just under different labels.”
On Rising Autism Diagnoses at the Milder End
According to Grandin, the increase in autism diagnoses today is most visible among children without speech delays — those who might be socially awkward or “geeky” but not obviously impaired in early development. “The severely speech-delayed kids were always noticed,” she said. “What’s changed is the recognition of the kids who speak fine but struggle socially.” She also pointed out that no one seems to have closely studied whether the number of nonverbal children has actually increased — it’s often just assumed under the broader statistic that “autism is rising.”
On Research for Sensory Sensitivity
Grandin strongly supports more research into sensory processing difficulties, which affect many autistic individuals. For instance, heightened sensitivity to sound can cause extreme discomfort in noisy environments like restaurants or airports. Brain scans, she said, show that fear-related circuits are often triggered in these situations. “A loud noise activates more parts of the brain than it would in a typical person,” she explained. But rather than just observing this, she says we need to develop actual treatments.
On Public Spaces Being Overwhelming
She highlighted specific problem areas, such as restaurant noise and unpredictable restroom features in public places. “One of the worst things for autistic kids in airports is the bathrooms,” she said. Automatic hand dryers and self-flushing toilets — which vary unpredictably — are especially distressing. “You don’t know when they’ll go off,” she noted. “Some flush when you stand up, some when you’re still sitting — and they’re all different.”
Grandin believes more work should go into desensitization strategies. One method that seems effective anecdotally is giving children control over the sound source — for example, letting them turn on a vacuum or a horn themselves. “Letting them control the noise seems to help.”
On Genetics, Environment, and Subgroups
When it comes to the genetic vs. environmental debate, Grandin believes the mild end of the spectrum is largely genetic. However, for the regressive subgroup — those who develop speech and then lose it — she believes environmental factors could play a significant role. “That’s the group where something might interact with genetics,” she said.
She also pointed to a third group: children who are socially different and get bullied in school. These kids often don’t get diagnosed until later, sometimes in elementary school. In her view, this group is also genetically based.
Her bottom line: “The regressive kids need to be studied separately. That’s where you’re going to find possible environmental causes.”
On Admiring Elon Musk in Her Book Visual Thinking
Grandin briefly addressed her earlier praise of Elon Musk, clarifying, “That was all before he bought Twitter. We’ll just leave it at that.”
On Facilitated Communication
Grandin expressed caution about facilitated communication — a method where an aide helps a nonspeaking person type. She emphasized the importance of independence: “No one should be touching the person, and the device should sit independently on a table. That’s the only way to eliminate the risk of unconscious prompting or cuing.”
On Autism Being 'New' or 'Rare' Decades Ago
Grandin rejected the idea that autism wasn’t around 30 or 40 years ago. She explained that children with traits similar to hers were often institutionalized and given other labels, like “mentally retarded.” She herself narrowly avoided institutionalization, thanks to a neurologist who referred her to a grassroots speech therapy program run by two women from their home.
On Whether Autism Is an Epidemic
She attributed much of the rise in autism diagnoses to changes in diagnostic criteria. In the 1980s, a speech delay was required for a diagnosis. Later, in the 1990s, Asperger’s syndrome was introduced to account for individuals who were socially awkward but verbal. In 2013, all forms were merged into one broad category under the autism spectrum. “That’s a big reason why the numbers have gone up,” she explained.
She also noted a trend she sees at conferences: older adults in their 50s and 60s who are newly diagnosed. These individuals often have successful careers and say that understanding their diagnosis has helped them make sense of social struggles. “For many, it was a relief,” Grandin said.
On the Demand for Early Intervention Services
Grandin has heard firsthand from parents of toddlers with significant speech delays who are stuck on long waitlists — sometimes up to two years — for therapy. “That’s unacceptable,” she said, adding that some of these children may be in the regressive subgroup. Regardless, they need timely support. “I got early intervention by 2½. That’s what made a difference for me.”
On Regional Disparities in Services
She emphasized that in many parts of the U.S., services are underfunded or difficult to access. “We have a serious problem right now — kids who clearly need help are not getting early intervention.”
On Screen Time and Social Isolation
Grandin warned that excessive screen use may contribute to social withdrawal, especially in verbally capable children who lack friends. “I see these kids at conferences — smart, verbal, but socially isolated, often diagnosed around age 8. They’re not outside playing. I think screens are part of the problem.”
On the Idea of an Autism Registry
She expressed skepticism about the usefulness of a broad autism registry. “With so many subgroups, I don’t see how that helps. If you want to study something meaningful, focus on the regressive group.” She emphasized again that autism is extremely diverse — a spectrum with many distinct profiles.
On Perceptiveness in Nonspeaking Individuals (and Critique of Telepathy Claims)
Grandin acknowledged that many nonspeaking autistic individuals are highly observant and sensitive to subtle behavioral cues. “Some can sense when someone’s about to leave the house — picking up on the shift in energy, the body language.” But she dismissed sensational claims like those in The Telepathy Tapes, a podcast that suggested certain nonspeaking individuals have telepathic abilities. “They’re perceptive, not telepathic,” she said.
