The woman who thinks like a cow.

A documentary about Dr. Temple Grandin, an expert in animal behaviour, who believes her ability to 'communicate' with animals is due in large part to her autism. Grandin was born in 1947 and by the age of two her parents suspected her behaviour was abnormal. At this time children with such behaviour were institutionalised but Grandin's mother refused and attempted to educate her herself. By the age of 5, Grandin could speak. The programme gives a good account of theories around autism at this time and includes archive footage of Bruno Bettelheim. The most fascinating account of autism comes from Grandin herself as she describes many aspects of her autistic existence from boredom with women's magazines and romantic movies to her sensory sensitivity problems, problems with clothes and belief that autistic thinking is much like the thinking of an animal.