When the movie "Rain Man" was released in 1988, the incidence of autism was less than 1 and 1000. The movie spiked a global surge in autism awareness that is still continuing with the latest incidents being 1 in 36 children in the U.S. Although my son, Tariq, does not speak and does not have Savant skills, he shares the basic characteristics of autism with the main character in the movie. This news clip captured my reaction at the time when my son was 9 years old.
