Daniel Tammet Quotes

My brother was diagnosed with autism at age 2. At the time, I was young, so I didn't really understand what it all meant. The doctors thought there was a possibility my brother wouldn't be able to speak - he was diagnosed on the severe end of the spectrum.

Autism's a very big spectrum. At one end of the spectrum, Einstein would probably be labeled autistic, Steve Jobs, half of Silicon Valley, you know, Van Gogh. And at the other end of the spectrum, you got much more severe handicaps where they never learn to speak.

I think I had a mild case of Asperger's as a younger guy, but that typically just wears off after a while. For some people, anyway.

I've worked with tons of people that I know who are on the spectrum - but now I think severe autism has really increased.

I think I had a mild case of Asperger's as a younger guy, but that typically just wears off after a while.

From a scientific standpoint, Aspergers and autism are one syndrome. Aspergers is part of the autism spectrum, not a separate disorder.

Trouble is, I'm definitely on the spectrum somewhere - there's a dysfunctional side.

A diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome can be useful to help a person understand why they have had difficulties.

There's no black and white dividing line between a mild Aspergers, which is the mild autism, and computer engineer, for example.

What causes autism? As far as we know in 2013, there is no single gene or single environmental factor that accounts for the more than 1 million Americans with ASDs.

There tends to be a lot of autism around the tech centers... when you concentrate the geeks, you're concentrating the autism genetics.

The majority of autists - as well as their parents - seem to be genuine victims of environmental stress.

Autism is an extremely variable disorder.

Autism is a very serious condition.

Engineers are all basically high-functioning autistics who have no idea how normal people do stuff.

Autism doesn't seem to have a seasonal component, unlike some forms of depression.

By looking at autistic kids, you can't tell when you're working with them who you're going to pull out, who is going to become verbal and who's not. And there seem to be certain kids who, as they learn more and more, they get less autistic acting, and they learn social skills enough so that they can turn out socially normal.

Half of Silicon Valley's got a little bit of autism.

Relatively many autists are first-born children. There is also a pretty widespread conviction that the parents of autists are somehow different - for instance, many of them are very serious people or people who are themselves under some sort of strain.

One advantage to having a kid on the spectrum: they tend to be rule followers. Socially, things are harder for them than most kids.

I have a condition called Aspergers Syndrome, which is like a mild form of autism It means I don't interact properly in certain social situations.

I've got Asperger's syndrome and I'm not a very good people person, so I've always been more comfortable around machinery. Not in a weird way - I don't want to marry my car or anything stupid like that!

In Silicon Valley, I point out that many of the more successful entrepreneurs seem to be suffering from a mild form of Asperger's where it's like you're missing the imitation, socialization gene.

Certainly not everybody that is different is necessarily autistic, but there are a lot of undiagnosed people, and it's not necessarily something that needs to have attention to it, unless that person is feeling uncomfortable in the world or they need extra help or something.

Autistic children are very difficult to take care of, especially severely autistic ones. When I was 4, I had almost no language; when I was 3, I had none at all.