Chapter 14

Autistic Abilities—Denmark

Thorkil Sonne is founder and board member of Specialisterne, which employs people with autism and enables them to use their computer skills to provide valuable services for the business community.

I don't consider them autistic—they are more like specialists. They have very special qualities that make them focused, detail-oriented, and persistent. Wouldn't we be rewarding these qualities in a person who wasn't labeled as autistic? Why don't we just understand people for what they can do rather than label those who are not like us?

—Thorkil Sonne

THORKIL SONNE WAS DEVASTATED WHEN HIS SON LARS WAS diagnosed with autism at age three. Thorkil was, by his description, a traditional family guy having a traditional life who in his spare time did quite a bit of local volunteer work. Life was good and he was cruising along in fifth gear—until the day his youngest son was diagnosed. It was a life-changing experience for him and his wife. Thorkil suddenly realized that Lars would not have the same chances in life as his older siblings. He pictured Lars as an adult and asked himself, “What will make Lars happy when he gets older; when my wife and I are too old to care for him and carry on his fight? What would it take for him to have a good life?”