Am I still autistic: John Hall at TEDxManhattanBeach

Channel: TEDx Talks
Uploaded by TEDx Talks on 20121118
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Tags: english, ted talks, tedxmanhattanbeach, tedx talk, manhattan beach, ted talk, tedx, ted, john hall, ted x, tedx talks, am I still autistic

Autism does not have to be a life sentence. Dr. John Hall knows. As a toddler, he lived in his own private world, flipping light switches, banging pans, avoiding eye contact, and babbling unintelligibly. Today, he is the CEO of a national education management firm based in Southern California. Defying his initial "slightly retarded

In this TEDxManhattanBeach talk, Dr. John Hall shares his personal journey from being diagnosed with severe autism at 18 months old to becoming a successful entrepreneur and parent. Throughout his presentation, he emphasizes the theme that "the i

mpossible is possible" through advocacy, determination, and support.

Key Biographical Milestones

Below is a timeline representing the evolution of his experiences:

+-----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

Age / Period | Significant Events |

+-----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

| 18 Months | Diagnosed with severe autism and mild cognitive delays. |

| 1st Gr

ade | First attempt at mainstreaming; realization of difference. |

| 7th Grade | A "horrible" period marked by bullying and school hiding. |

| High School | Struggle with social integration; eventually elected as |

| student body secretary after a hard-fought campaign. |

| College | Worked 60 hours/week while studying; limited socializing. |

| 21 Years Old | Became a marketing executive; launched own company. |

| Adult Life |

Founded a successful education management firm [08:26]. |

+-----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

Core Themes and Reflections

The Power of Advocacy: Dr. Hall highlights that his success was heavily depen

dent on the persistent advocacy of his parents, particularly his mother, who fought to place him in mainstream classrooms at a time when it was uncommon [01:32].

Adapting to the Environment: He explains that while he is autistic, he learned to "m

odel after the world" to function effectively within typical social frameworks [11:33]. He credits his business career for forcing him to develop social skills and interpersonal relationships [08:35].

The Cycle of Diagnosis: A pivotal moment occu

rred when his own son was diagnosed with autism at 18 months [09:17]. Initially, this brought him into a period of denial and despair, as he saw his son facing the same challenges he had overcome [09:55].

Acceptance and Advocacy: Writing his book

, Am I Still Autistic?, served as a cathartic experience that led him to accept his identity [10:12]. He now views this acceptance as a necessary foundation for advocating for his son and others.

Concluding Message

Dr. Hall concludes with two pri

mary messages for his audience:

Potential: Children with special needs can learn and achieve significant milestones if given the chance and proper support [12:01].

Belief: The impossible is truly possible, and the role of parents and advocates is

to believe in these capabilities and provide the necessary environment for growth [12:07].

You can watch the full talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6-PwVuYy2Y

Am I still autistic: John Hall at TEDxManhattanBeach

TEDx Talks · 189K views

Viewer Discussion & Comments

@DamonDukes1987

I can relate to this guy, I'm mild autistic my first year in school(Pre-K), I was in Special Ed but the rest of my school years I was in regular classes. Socially, I wasn't at my best I was even bullied, at one time I was called slow and that dreaded R-word. But it didn't stop me from getting my grades. I didn't open up about my Autism until I was in college. I went on and got my Bachelors at the University of Tennessee at Martin. Thank You Dr. John Hall for this Ted Talks speech we need to connect soon. On the other note, I truly want to be a blessing and inspiration to children and young adults with Autism to a point that they can see in me that they can accomplish anything no matter what.

@Workdove

I have high functioning autism as well. I spent most of my life not understanding why I was different until a diagnosis at age 35. (9 years ago). I am not as lucky as this fellow, I have no friends, I had severe problems dating when I was young until I married, and I've had 20 jobs in 25 years of my working life. Now that I have a stable job, I can't get a promotion. Autism doesn't go away simply because the person gets older.

@sweetninaify

As a behavior interventionist, this was very inspiring to watch. I deal with clients who are completely nonverbal and who perform behaviors that are a danger to their bodies. It can be disheartening to witness this, but watching this TED talk today shows me that every kid has a chance to succeed no matter what their disability.

@dianeblackwell6213

Thank you for this! I have 2 sons , 21 yrs and 12 yrs with Autism. I am just like your mother :) I have been fighting and pushing for them their whole lives. My hardest lesson now is to know when to back off. My oldest is in college, working and has a girlfriend (finally) I am beyond proud of him. I get very angry with people around us that say he is not Autistic anymore because he is doing so well. I tell him it is part of him and to be proud of how far he has come and what an amazing example he is to his little brother. Nothing can hold you back. Thank you for being a wonderful example to people like yourself who have had your struggles too! And God bless your mother and all the Autism moms out there.

@Nerdraker

If the impossible is possible then wasn't it possible all along? Truly impossible would never be possible.