Chris Packham's documentary on autism

[Pariswhenitdrizzles]

Just wondering what your thoughts are on Chris Packham's documentary about autism? Just watched it.

Well said tygr.

I’m to be assessed in January. Referred by my gp. I asked ten years ago and was given a wry smile by the then lady gp and told politely “I very much doubt you have Aspergers” (as I thought then). My GP now, didn’t hesitate.

I’ve spent my who,e life not “belonging” anywhere. I’ve learned to fit in but it’s been exhausting. I’m 55.

No demanding here. Just a difficult life trying to fit in with an undiagnosed condition. I am only now through self discovery like Chris Packham enjoying and accepting who I am with complete honesty.

Most Aspies want no help and once they understand what is going on are very capable at adjusting their own lives for the better.

I am a happy Aspie and as Chris said I'm really not sure I would want a cure.

Thre are some very talented people in my family who have achieved incredible things in their field of work - phycisists, muscians and artists.

I just want to add that being an Aspie is not comparable to what some families go through with children who are not high functioning and I am not speaking on behalf of those families.

Who gets to speak for people like my son is a real problem. He is 18 years old, severely autistic, non-verbal and has severe learning disabilities. He is currently sectioned seven and half hours from home, not because he needs mental health treatment but because his previous providers who were taken over by a corporate firm served a couple of weeks notice on him. There was no time for the LA and NHS to set up a package for him (realistically takes around 3 months) and so the only way to keep him safe was section him. The nearest hospital was seven and half hours away. I have gone from seeing him five or six times a week to twice a month. He lost his home, access to family and School all in the space of a few hours.

We are in the process of trying to get a deputyship for him but until then we do not get the final say on anything. We are currently choosing new providers for him - but the final decision is not ours. If agreement cannot be reached between us I think it’s the social worker’s who has met him once or the commissioners who have not met him not at all. I hope never to get to that stage.

I don’t know what the answer is. I don’t think the majority of higher functioning people speak for him as I don’t think they have any idea what life is like for him. I do think the Naoki Higashida and Lucy Blackman’s etc do provide an insight into his experience (& they are very worth reading). I think I am the most qualified to speak up for him & I understand him better than anyone and can read him better than anyone. But I find that now he is an adult I live in fear of being ignored (& therefore his needs ignored). To be fair the LA etc have been very good so far but I feel a sense of dread every time a decision has to be made.

I just wanted to give another insight into life with autism. I do think autism is better described as autisms really. It’s not one condition.

He asserted that he wouldn't go for a cure as it's something unique to him. I think it would be better if they did a documentary on families coping with autism, as it was pretty much his perspective, with a few token appearances from others.

The public and wider world need to know the impact it has on a family / class / community.

Surely the BBC could do a documentary where you have a typical school day, typical none school day, typical day for adult. So the bigger picture is visible.

Having autism in my family it has varying impacts dependent on the person. So my elder DB impacts us differently to younger DB, then how I impact them with my Aspergers. (The other 2 have Autism)

You know you're different, you know that you stand out, luckily a difference of 30+ years, you see it widely more accepted in main stream schools. Where back then I was very isolated but liked it that way, my brother was seen as an inconvenience, he was pretty much labelled a delinquent trouble maker who didn't have many prospects in life. As a big middle finger he has a job he loves, he has a partner, he hopes for his own family. The frustrating thing is he'll not talk unless you can be of benefit to him. I have physical health issues too, so the impact is slightly different, but apart from DC, I'd be happy living in my own world. Due to the health stuff ex H does a lot, we co-parent, it works really well.

My biggest fear was DC getting it & both showed signs. I think schools are fed up of parents worrying. We know more now than we used to, the signs and symptoms are more obvious. For us the obsessive side of the condition is possibly the most difficult, I'm the same, there's a use for everything in my eyes.

Ironically I spotted a lot of similarities between Chris & a friend. The isolation aspect, not being able to live with others, not being able to do other things. I do wonder if there are benefits knowing in adulthood, as you form your own coping mechanisms. My concern is more for DC and how it affects schooling.

Maybe a petition asking for a series on Autism at different stages, so those not in the know understand a little better, if that's possible.

I think it was a great show. Other shows would also be good but for a TV presenter who to the outside world is charming and successful to go public and say that they live on their own in a forest miles away from their partner, that they had a childhood where they were called a freak and had no friends, and that they have had breakdowns and seriously contemplated suicide is a major eye-opener.
It shows that even for people who are successful and ‘high functioning’, autism isn’t just something that makes you a bit quirky, it’s something that can seriously affect your life and require major adjustments.
I think this show could really help with public understanding.

Couldn’t agree more devilishpyjamas.

Am in the process of going through section 20 so that my beautiful boy will be a LAC as we can no longer manage his behaviour and aggression.

I couldn’t watch all of it because I presumed maybe unfairly that yes it would be another HFA experience. Where are the programmes for our children- only their poor exhausted parents are their voices.

I was disappointed by the ABA caricature.

Packham's appearance on the radio4 show "My Teenage Diaries" is wonderful if you can still access it.

He reads out the entries where he is observing and recording the kestrel, it's amazing.

That is not entirely fair partridge. Our family have suffered the same with our DS but now we are all aware of the problems he faces the aggressive meltdowns are few and far between. He still is extremely isolated and has lots of other sensory problems. We have not been able to go on holiday together as a family due to this as it is too stressful for him. I could think of lots of other ones. I also had these problems as a child but I was an 'aggressive troublesome' child.

As I understand it from SN board oldies and from "Don"t Shoot the Dog" the compelling argument for a behavioural approach is that your ARE training young children with autism all the time whether you realise it or not, so better to try to uncover the training you are giving and change it for the better than to keep doing it blindly.

Sorry brilliants I can’t cope with it all today -the lfa/hfa thing. I am just done with it all.

Partridge - ds1 became a LAC and we had parental responsibility. Actually it was a really happy year for him (& us) after some very difficult times. He had his life back. It went downhill as he turned 18, but largely due to the corporate buyout of his provider. I hope you find the same as us - the LAC bit was sympathetically done and because we had parental responsibility we were still key to everything. Good luck

Partridge . I know. Just saying xx

Thank you both
Devilish I hope everything resolved smoothly for you and your DS soon.

Thanks partridge. It’s long and slow & he will be damaged by this experience but I think with the right team he can have a good life again.

I hope all works out for you.

Sorry I haven't rtft as haven't seen it, just wondered if anyone knows if I can watch it on catch up? What channel was it on? Thanks

BBC 2 Glittery.

Thanks brilliant will have a look on catch up.