Robison, Page talk about life with Asperger's

Robison is a best-selling author and Page is a Pulitzer-winning journalist.

By Katy Bergen

Published April 20, 2009

Monkey face. Retard. Psychopath. The names that John Elder Robison's childhood classmates called him reinforced what he already knew: there was something wrong with him.

He said he sounded like a college professor at age 5. Robison felt caught up in the confusion between his obvious intelligence and continuous failures. His confusion would not end until he was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome -- a form of autism -- as an adult.

Robison spoke at MU about his New York Times bestselling book, "Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's" on Monday night in Jesse Wrench Auditorium. The presentation was part of the Office of the Provost Distinguished Visitor Program and Thompson Center Exceptional Achievement Series and included a series of presentations throughout the day including Robison and Pulitzer Prize-winning music critic Tim Page, who also suffers from Asperger's syndrome. His own memoir, "Parallel Play," is coming out in September.

Robison and Page both spoke about growing up with the Asperger's.

"I was excruciatingly aware of my own strangeness," Page said.

He said he found focusing, transitions and social skills difficult to master. Page, in his late fifties, was not diagnosed until 2000.

Asperger's syndrome differs from traditional autism in that while traditional autistic children suffer from profound speech impairment, Aspergians are overly articulate. Robison said Aspergians don't pick up on non-verbal cues that normal people take for granted. He explained that as a child if he broke a vase, and someone said "Great" in a hostile and angry tone, he would not understand the hostility and not see a problem with the situation.

Robison dropped out of high school at age 16, joined a local band and began to make his way up in the music business. In a few years he was touring with bands such as KISS and working for Pink Floyd's sound company.

"They were like mad dogs and freaks, even more so than me," Robison said.

Robison continued in the music business, but he craved more stability. He took a position at Milton Bradley, designing electronic talking toys, and then he utilized another talent fixing cars by creating a successful service facilities business in his home of Springfield, Mass. It was a therapist customer that recognized Robison's condition and gave him a book on Asperger's. Reading the book was a life-changing experience, Robison said.

"I decided I was going to change myself," Robison said. "I taught myself to act normal."

Robison was inspired to tell his own story. He expected that only Aspergians would be able to relate to his book, and was shocked at the book's warm reception by so many. Robison attributes this to his belief that humans share the same emotions and insecurities.

Still, for Page and Robison, interacting with people can still be an overwhelming and difficult experience.

"The predominant emotion in my life is panic," said Page, who said he takes pills, meditates and drinks wine to deal with any stress. "I hold my life together with Scotch tape."

Robison can't read Dr. Seuss books to his son without adding in his own rhymes. Some nights Thomas the tank engine is captured by giant lizard armies and his son has to scream, "Read it right!"

Karen Morgan, a Hickman High School special education teacher who interacts with Aspergians and autistic children everyday, attended many of the Thompson Center's presentations.

"It helped me understand what they are thinking, what they are not thinking, what other students are thinking," Morgan said.

Page and Robison stressed despite any hardship they've experienced, they still consider themselves successful members of society.

"I will always have Asperger's but I do not have the disability of Asperger," Robison said.