Dr. Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism at age 2, says early intervention is key.

With all the fears surrounding autism, many wonder what an autism diagnosis means for a child's future? Mom Logic spoke with Dr. Temple Grandin, author of Thinking in Pictures: My Life With Autism, who shared what she thinks Moms can do to help autistic children see successful futures:

• It starts with one: Temple believes that intervention at age 2 helped her to overcome her "handicap." "Every specialist agrees is that you have to get one-to-one instruction with a really good teacher for 3- to 5-year-old kids," said Temple, who did not begin speaking until she was four, and was extremely sensitive to touch and noise. "While there is a lot of controversy as to what type of teaching, the worst you can do with a young autistic kid is nothing."
• Look to their strengths: "When you get high on the autism spectrum, you are good at one thing and bad at everything else. I am a visual thinker. I think in pictures, but I can't do algebra. You want to take the thing that he's good at and develop it.My mother did everything to encourage my interest in art.

  Build upon their strength. You have to start thinking what are they going to do for a career when the kid is 12." Temple attributes her career of designing livestock facilities on a childhood fixation with cattle chutes; she spent summers at her aunt's ranch and her high school science teacher motivated her to study psychology and science.

• Have hope: Temple advocates that Moms of autistic children join a local support group in order to learn from and comfort each other. "The way that child's symptoms are do not necessarily determine their future. My symptoms were very severe as a child. Mothers don't cause autism. It's genetics. It's not your fault."