The first diagnosis of autism was in 1943, and it was thought that the number of children with autism in the United States was 1 in 10,000. Now the number of children thought to have autism is 1 in 150, meaning that autism is considered more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. In the past decade, we've learned a lot about autism and what it means to be autistic. And one thing is certain -- there are a lot of amazing things that people with autism have accomplished. As we often tell my baby sister, people with autism are "everyday superheroes" and have no limit to what they can do. Having said that, here is a "Super Six" list of famous people with autism and their accomplishments:
1. Temple Grandin, advocate for animals and autism
Temple Grandin is known for educating and inspiring the autistic community by sharing her life story and endorsing her revolutionary ideas to improve the cattle industry and make it more humane for animals. HBO released a film about her life, and since then, she's written a book called "Thinking in Pictures," along with many others, about her profession as well as her autism.
2. Matt Savage, jazz prodigy
Matt was diagnosed at age 3 and later became a jazz prodigy. In his teens, he became a professional jazz pianist and had his own trio. Matt attends the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world -- Berklee College of Music, in Boston.
3. Tim Burton, director
Tim Burton is famous for his quirky and eccentric films. He has never had a formal diagnosis, but his wife, Helena Bonham Carter, while researching for a role where she played mother to several autistic boys, recognized traits shared by her husband. Burton claims that his first film, "Edward Scissorhands," is somewhat autobiographical, as it depicts his life on the margins during his childhood.
4. Satoshi Tajiri, creator of Pokémon
Satoshi Tajiri was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome when he was young and had a fixation with bugs and video games. He later grew up to create one of the most popular video game franchises in the world, based on his childhood fascinations.
5. Dan Aykroyd, actor, comedian, screenwriter, and musician
Dan Aykroyd was diagnosed in the early '80s and states that he is obsessed with ghosts and policemen. The former served as his inspiration for the film "Ghostbusters," which he also starred in.
6. Daniel Tammet, writer, linguist, educator
Daniel Tammet is known as "1 of the 100 living geniuses in the world today" and "Brainman." He was given national attention in 2006 for his New York Times best-selling book, "Born on a Blue Day." There was also an award-winning documentary film produced about him, called "Brainman." Daniel is said to have an uncanny ability to describe how the mind functions in regards to sensory processing, language, and social interactions.
These "Super Six" are only a few of an extensive list of everyday superheroes I could have chosen from. There are many other people with autism who have made and will make great accomplishments in our society.
