Quite the storyteller and a master of litanies, my father’s forte was one sided ‘conversation’ but he was very good at characterisations. He wouldn’t tell you about someone or what had happened, he’d show you the whole play and play each part as he did. He’d put on their style, their voice, their movements and jump between characters as he told a story.

Some people with autism struggle to mimic as per the traditional stereotype fitting those diagnosed with autism since the 1940s. Others, often labeled psychotic or disturbed children till they began being diagnosed with autism in the 1970s and 80s within an expanded awareness of what autism was, struggle to do anything but mimic or rely on characterisations. Around one third of children with autism are echolalic and many of those later embrace characterisations of TV and other characters as a means of expression.
I’ve been interviewed hundreds of times and finally I’ve decided its more fun to interview than be interviewed (I’m still interviewed). So I’ve begun to interview a range of people for this blog and have just done my first podcast interview, the first of many, on something I’ve called Odd Pod . It’s been strange and ultimately fun to be an interviewer.
Hope you enjoy the visit.

Donna Williams

http://www.donnawilliams.net