To want to know the Something Special disabilities?

[EmmaCate]

I am interested from a science POV about what makes some children on the show the way they are, but it feels a bit voyeuristic sometimes. Especially because it's often the very disabled children that make me wonder what condition they have and why it manifests that way.

I also wonder whether the shows could help people who have just found out their DC has one of the conditions featured. Without knowing what disabilities are featured in each episode though, it wouldn't be much of a reference point.

Would be interested in views of parents with children that have a disability. I heard on Radio 5 a Mum say she liked people asking about her kids because then they understood them better, but this is always a sensitive area to have any opinion on and I don't know therefore if IABU.

I think if there were a notice on the programme regarding each child's particular disability it would be extremely disrespectful to the children, who are simply being children.

There is plenty of research you can do into various conditions, but its not important for you to know what they are on such a positive programme like Something Special, and tbh, you shouldn't really be asking in my opinion. It feels instrusive and reminds me of my FIL who said once "What's wrong with them then?" he can be forgiven, his Alzheimers has made him less sensitive.

I can understand why you are interested, but no, I don't think it is appropriate or relevant for viewers to know what conditions the children have.

The point is that they are individual children, who just enjoy doing the things that all children do. I haven't seen Something Special for years as my dc are older now, but it's a a children's programme that introduces a different aspect of life to young children that they may know nothing of, in the same way plenty of programmes do.

I can't see why it would help viewers to know, becaue that isn't the aim of the programme.

i think it's a terrible idea, it's not a documentary, it's an inclusive programme for children, isn't it?

my DD has additional needs, and i would be horrified if people were introduced to strangers as 'this is DD, she is 4yrs old, likes hiding and has X'

she is a child - her additional condition is secondary, not a label to wear.

sorry OP, you're wide of my mark here.

OP you sound like you just want to know for your own nosiness- volunteer at acorns or similar if you want to know more about certain disabilities, its not a freak show fgs

Sorry - will ask for thread to be pulled.

Don't worry, it's natural to be interested, but I do think it's inappropriate.

I have found myself looking at people's wheelchairs in the past just because I'm genuinely interested in what they got, how they work etc because I work with people's wheelchairs sometimes. But it's rude, so I have to stop myself!

I too think it is only natural to wonder.

I agree that it is not what the programme is for, and so the disabilities shoudl not be flagged up as such - it is there to show that all children, whatever their age, level of disability (or not - there are often siblings shown too) etc are just children. (and of course to help promote Makaton).

but I disagree that to label the disability would be to say that there is something 'wrong' with the child rather than just something 'different'. that is just splitting hairs, imo.

the fact is, the children are different - my 2 have picked up on it and asked questions, and occasionally it would have been easier to be able to answer with a full answer. but I did my best, and we talked it through, and looked up anything we needed to.

YABU and nosy!

I think this is an interesting thread, and would be sorry to see it pulled. I hadn't thought about it before. I've seen the programme with my nieces and had wondered what the children's disabilities were, but without really considering the issues.

From reading other people's responses, I can see now that it's not relevant, but I probably wouldn't have reached that conclusion by myself as I would have found the information interesting and would have had it in mind if I'd met another person with the same disability. The point of the programme is about inclusivity, though, not about information.

I don't think it shoudl be pulled, either.

to do so would mean that asking questions about disability is taboo. and it isn't.

sometimes, as is the case here, the answer is 'erm, actually it is irrelevant to the point'. but that doesn't mean the question shouldn't be asked.

I sort of see where you are coming from on and I also think it would be useful to know. I'm thinking in particular for when dd gets older and starts to ask questions. Not in a patronising way, more in a x has red hair, blue eyes, and y which means z.

I am ashamed to admit I am woefully ignorant about disabilities and I am not the only one. Would be a chance to educate parents as well as kids, maybe not in the context of the programme, linked website maybe but that wouldnt be very fair on the kids.

I do think there should be something, what about the parents who tell their kids thats a mong or a spaz when asked?

I agree with aldiwhore. It's not unreasonable to feel a bit of curiosity, but that's not good enough reason to divulge what is in effect medically confidential information about a child's condition.

I watch this show about 100 times a day with my DS (aged 2) who loves it.

DS doesn't have a disability, and doesn't really seem to pick up on the fact that the children on screen do, he's just interested in the trips they are going on, what slapstick Mr Tumble is up to, and the songs.

I think having information about different conditions would go right over the heads of the children - and at the end of the day, it is a show for children - and they just wouldn't understand.

In the past I have worked with people with a range of learning and physical disabilities, and I agree there is a natural human curiosity to wonder what the conditions are and how they effect the person. There are other ways to find that out, I don't think a kids TV show is the way forward.

there are readily available resources out there - eg. the National Autistic Society has a pretty comprehensive website, as does Mencap. Mencap's website does include blogs and case histories. And for children there are some cheap books that are likely to be in the local library about wheelchair users and other disabilities. eg. Don't Call me Special.

I dont think your being unreasonable or get your thread pulled. I understand what you're saying in that you'd like a better understanding of each disability or condition, yet you're trying to shoehorn it into the programme format which kind of defeats the format.

I dont think you should be flamed, called unreasonable or nosy for wanting to understand disability further. Mumsnet pregnancy boards often have posters with high nuchal results, high risk factors etc and are petrified. My friends are approved for adoption but have requested no disability. Because they dont think they could cope. If we each had a better understanding of varying conditions etc then perhaps we wouldnt be as afraid.

EmmaCate - it's a programme for children, not adults. It's premise is around including children with SN, not making them stand out as being different.

Genetics is fascinating, so I don't blame you for being interested. My dd has a syndrome without a name, so I have spent much time reading up on disorders etc. whilst the docs searched for a dx. Whilst obviously tinged with sadness for me, it is the most amazing area of science. If you're curious, why not explore genetics a little more?

Understanding medical conditions better is one thing, and there are plenty of sources of information out there for people who want to know more.

IMO to label the children on a program like Something Special is voyeuristic, and disrespectful.

that would be entirely unreasonable & utterly bizarre ... it is accessible entertainment for disabled children not to educate the masses with case studies. Maybe all disabled people should wander around with labels so people can be 'educated'? How about freak shows? Were they educational?

"I heard on Radio 5 a Mum say she liked people asking about her kids because then they understood them better"

I don't want complete strangers commenting on or asking about my son - I've said it a million times but he does not exist to be educational, he has a right to be treated with respect & dignity without having to disclose his medical history to every fucker who is curious. I don't mind discussing disability issues in broad terms but specifically related to my son? With strangers or acquaintances? Not likely.

I can kind of understand why you have asked but it is because you are viewing the programme as if it is for you when it isn't.

The whole premis is to try and show that children are just children, they are not a diagnosis or a list of symptoms.

It might be interesting for you to contemplate that your reaction does indeed show how hard it is for some people to see people as people and not just as a disabled person.
The beauty of the programme is that the children watching it mostly just see other children. Perhaps as they get older they will find it easier to see people with disabilities as just like them rather than a different species.

But don't get it pulled. It was an honest question, worth thinking about.

1. if you are interested from a science pov then you need to go to other sources to make informed views on each disability.
2. the show is meant to be for Entertainment purposes!
3. I have never heard such an i**tic idea, sorry, I don't normally swear, but thid has really got my blood pressure up. The children deserve to be part of the joy for enjoyment not to fulfill society's curiosity about disability.

there is an internet full of easily obtain medical & disability related information out there ... if people are really interested they can do their own research (as parents do when their child is identified with difficulties), rather than wanting to gawp at our kids.

Part of the program!