In a Different Key
By John Donvan & Caren Zucker
The Story of Autism. Broadway Books, 2016.
Summary of In a Different Key book by John Donvan & Caren Zucker
The history of autism, its controversies, and the doctors responsible for past and current theories on the disorder; with famous case studies, including the first child diagnosed with autism.
Chapters in In a Different Key book summary
What do you get from this book? Discover the heartache, controversies, and societal changes influenced by autism
Autism is a misunderstood developmental disorder that dates back centuries; symptoms include poor social skills and learning disabilities
Donald Triplett became the first person officially labeled as autistic at a time when eugenics was gaining popularity
Leo Kanner began treating Donald in 1938; in 1943 he published his findings and coined the term “autism”
“Refrigerator Mothers” were blamed for their children’s autism, leading to a lack of parental resources and hurtful assumptions
Lawyer Tom Gilhool sued Pennsylvania and California, seeking legal reformations for the mentally disabled that led to landmark mandates
Experiments applying electrical charges and LSD to autistic children were controversial though integral to the development of behaviorism
An ideological battle developed between the opposing views of Lovaas and Schopler, but it was Lovaas whose methods went mainstream
London researchers utilized the Sybil Elgar School when conducting important research into the nature of autism
The autism spectrum includes higher-functioning autism referred to as Asperger’s syndrome, whose namesake sparked controversy
“Facilitated communication” helped nonverbal children express their thoughts, but controversy led parents to establish new biomedical research organizations
Rain Man and Temple Grandin brought autism into the spotlight, but panic soon followed when reports of an epidemic emerged
Vaccine controversy rose in the late 1990s, sparking government hearings and lawsuits despite vaccines being proven safe
Leaders in neurodiversity promote the idea that autism should be accepted rather than cured
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
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In a Different Key — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read In a Different Key book
- Medical students
- psychologists in training
- behaviorists
- sociologists
- anyone interested in medical history
- family or friends of those with autism
About the author of In a Different Key
John Donvan
James Donvan is an Emmy-award winning journalist and has hosted the Intelligence Squared U.S., a political debate series. He is also the former chief White House correspondent. His interest in autism comes from cases in his wife’s family. Caren Zucker is a journalist and television producer for shows such as Nightline and World News and is the recipient of the Peabody award. Zucker’s interest in autism is very close to home: her own son is autistic.
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