Radiolab – "Juicervose"
Original Airdate: September 18, 2014
Hosts: Jad Abumrad & Robert Krulwich
Episode Overview
"Juicervose" centers on the story of Owen Suskind, a young boy with autism who withdrew from the world, and how his family discovered an unlikely pathway to reach him—through Disney movies. The episode weaves Owen’s journey with insights from autism experts, deep questions about hope and treatment, and the bigger challenges facing families. It features personal testimony from the Suskind family, first-hand observation at a New York autism school, and expert commentary, all while exploring the complexity and spectrum of autism.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Owen’s Regression and Diagnosis
- Setting the Scene: The Suskinds move from Boston to Washington, D.C. in 1993. Shortly thereafter, youngest son Owen, a cheerful and typically developing toddler, suddenly stops speaking, loses motor skills, and becomes withdrawn.
- (02:01) "We start sort of noticing something’s amiss." – Ron Suskind
- (02:40) "Then we start losing eye contact… He can’t hold his cup…Then he stopped speaking. Bit by bit by bit." – Cornelia Suskind
- Diagnosis: The word "autism" is devastating and unfamiliar, associated only with "Rain Man."
- (03:21) "The word hit us like you’re hit with a bullet… that cannot be our son." – Ron Suskind
- (03:23) "It meant Rain Man, Dustin." – Cornelia Suskind
2. Inside an Autism Classroom
- Hosts visit the Rebecca School in Manhattan to capture the everyday reality for kids with autism, encountering a child unable to articulate or regulate distress, reflecting how parents feel locked out of their children’s inner world.
- (04:32) "There was this one boy who really stood out… holding an apple… just sobbing." – Jad Abumrad
3. Owen’s "Juicervose": A Hidden Message
- Owen, now nearly nonverbal, repeats only one word: "juice." Over time, the family hears him say what sounds like "juicervose."
- (08:08) "Juicervose. Juicervose. Juicervose. Wait, what is he saying?" – Ron Suskind
- The breakthrough comes while rewatching "The Little Mermaid"; the phrase "just your voice" (Ursula’s price for Ariel’s wish) is identified as the source.
- (09:36) "Just your voice. Cornelia says, it’s not juice, it’s… just your voice." – Ron Suskind
- (09:58) "He starts going, juicer voice, juicer voice, juicer voice."
- The realization: Owen has things to say but can’t express them traditionally; he’s "in there."
4. Disney as a Bridge: The "Basement Sessions"
- The family uses Disney characters and puppets during play to communicate, with Ron acting as Iago from "Aladdin."
- (13:26) "I grab [the puppet]… and I talk to him as Iago… So, Owen, how does it feel to be you? And he turns to the puppet and he says, not good. I’m lonely. And it was his voice." – Ron Suskind (14:36)
- Acting out Disney scenes enables deeper, unprecedented exchanges.
- (14:57) "I love the way your foul little mind works." – Owen (quoting Jafar in response to Iago)
- The family formalizes this into regular "basement sessions," using different characters as conversational intermediaries.
- (15:53) "We kind of ran the gamut… we’d watch any and every Disney movie there was." – Walter Suskind
5. Owen’s Own Words: First Full Sentence
- At age 6½, Owen independently forms a meaningful sentence:
- (12:44) "Walter doesn’t want to grow up like Mowgli or Peter Pan." – Owen
- Family is astonished at the novel, complex thought combining real-life and Disney reference.
6. Expert Perspectives and Neuroscience
- Simon Baron-Cohen: Autism’s public image has shifted from "no inner life" to recognition of rich, if guarded, inner worlds. Difficulty is not lack of emotion, but trouble decoding overwhelming information.
- (19:13) "The idea that people with autism lack some inner life—I think that’s completely false." – Simon Baron-Cohen
- Temple Grandin: Explains the solace of repetition and predictability for autistic children; Disney movies can act as a slowed-down, predictable environment to study human behavior.
- (20:06) "I could shut out the hurtful sound… slow things down and make the world predictable." – Temple Grandin
- Geraldine Dawson: Music uniquely activates emotional centers in autistic children’s brains (e.g., amygdala), suggesting that Disney’s combination of music and narrative may help bind emotion to action for children like Owen.
- (22:24) "During experience of music, those [emotional] areas… did become activated in a way… like a typical person." – Geraldine Dawson
7. The Limits and Spectrum of Hope
- Not every autistic child has Owen’s trajectory.
- (24:48) "The danger with… Life Animated, is that it’s going to give the impression... this is the answer." – David Royko, psychologist and parent
- (25:18) "If you’ve known one person with autism, you’ve known one person with autism." – David Royko
- Ben’s Story: David’s son, Ben, shares the same symptoms as Owen but has severe, lifelong disabilities; no "Disney therapy" or miracle occurs for every child.
- (25:36) "Ben is never going to be able to live independently… never going to have what anyone would consider a normal life." – David Royko
8. Danger of False Hope vs. Need for Optimism
- Contrasting views: Ron Kaufman and the "Son-Rise" program advocate for relentless optimism (even "full recovery"), while Royko points to the perpetual exhaustion and despair of parents for whom happy endings never come.
- (27:34) "We’re more concerned about false pessimism." – Ron Kaufman
- (31:00) "No, autism, it destroys lives is what it does in our definition of it." – David Royko
- Temple Grandin notes that kids with similar starting points may end up vastly different; major variability leaves parents "no idea what is going to happen."
9. Adolescence Brings New Challenges
- Owen soon encounters setbacks in adolescence due to bullying, leading to depression and withdrawal. He is unable to communicate about the bullying due to literal fear that threats will be carried out.
- (35:16) "They basically torment and terrorize him… they said, you know, we’re gonna kill you. We’re gonna kill your parents." – Cornelia Suskind
- (36:03) "Owen was so literal… He believed that they literally meant they were going to come and burn his house down." – Cornelia Suskind
- Owen ultimately reveals the bullying, showing not only pain but also an act of selfless protection—he wouldn’t tell his brother for fear Walt would harm the bullies, drawing on Disney’s code of heroism.
- (36:24) "He sees, like, an opening… but they said nothing about your brother." – Ron Suskind
- (37:05) "No, Walter was the hero. You were afraid he was gonna do what?" – Ron Suskind
- (37:12) "I really wanted to kill that kid. I mean, I’m, you know, I’m his protector." – Walter Suskind
10. Emerging Independence and Ongoing Uncertainty
- As a young adult, Owen pursues independent living with friends and a girlfriend, but the future is always uncertain.
- (38:22) "Are you in love right now? Yes, I am. With the girl of my dreams." – Owen Suskind
- (39:04) "How independent will Owen be? Because that’s the question that’s in front of the Suskinds now." – Robert Krulwich
- Walt expresses the burden and anxiety of supporting Owen into adulthood—using "The Jungle Book" as a metaphor:
- (40:19) "What we have been doing all this time… is to bring Owen closer and closer to that man village…" [life’s next stage] – Walter Suskind
- (41:00) "Even if it’s a never ending path."
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On diagnosis:
- (03:21) Ron Suskind: "The word hit us like you’re hit with a bullet… that cannot be our son."
- Owen’s breakthrough:
- (09:43) Ron Suskind: "It’s not juice. It’s just… just your voice."
- (14:36) Ron Suskind (as Iago): "So, Owen… how does it feel to be you?"
Owen: "Not good. I’m lonely."
- Owen’s perspective:
- (16:33) Owen: "I was so surprised by my family. I could hear them respond better… when everybody was acting out the Disney movies."
- (17:27) Owen: "It felt comforting… because it would help me with reducing my autism."
- Expert insight:
- (19:13) Simon Baron-Cohen: "The idea that people with autism lack some inner life—I think that’s completely false."
- Spectrum warning:
- (25:18) David Royko: "If you’ve known one person with autism, you’ve known one person with autism."
- Parent fatigue:
- (39:14) Walter Suskind: "I think what scares me sometimes is kind of just having to go it alone… just being there for… (pauses, emotional)"
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Owen’s Regression and Diagnosis: 00:28–03:38
- Rebecca School Visit: 03:38–05:35
- Owen’s Disney "Juicervose" Breakthrough: 08:08–10:12
- First Full Sentence: 12:44
- Basement Sessions: 13:26–15:53
- Expert Explanations: 18:43–23:29
- Spectrum Complexity: 24:48–32:18
- Adolescence and Bullying: 33:27–38:05
- Adulthood/Future Prospects: 38:22–41:29
Conclusion
"Juicervose" is a deeply personal journey through the experience of one autistic child and his family, showing the transformative yet limited power of finding the right key to communication. The episode is balanced with caution against overgeneralization, reinforced by expert voices and other families’ experiences. At its core is a story of persistence, hope, parental love, and adaptation—the recognition that the path forward is unique for every individual with autism, and sometimes, connection emerges from the most surprising places.