Portrayal of autistic people in films/TV

[AutisticHouseMove]

I was diagnosed as autistic in my early 40s.

When I was younger, the only real portrayal of autism I was aware of was Rainman.

I also know there has been criticism of that because it portrayed an autistic man as a 'low functioning' savant.

Over recent years, I've noticed a prevalence of a different type of autistic person. Usually working in some kind of solitary role requiring a high level of intelligence (eg scientist), who is brilliant/the best at their job but completely lacking in empathy or social skills and getting it all wrong when they have to interact with colleagues or friends.

They're rarely identified as 'autistic' but there are hints along the way, comments from other characters about how 'weird' or 'difficult' or 'awkward' they are or how curious it is watching them trying to interact with or behave like 'the humans/earthlings'. Or other characters have to brace themselves against the tone deaf comments. Basically, either endearingly odd, a bit of a dick or both.

I don't know. It just makes me feel uncomfortable and embarrassed even when I realise this character (and they're recognisable because they're all portrayed in the same way) is supposed to represent me. Or is this really how NT people perceive many of us to be?

YABU - the portrayal of people with autism in films and TV shows is pretty much how I experience autistic people in real life

YANBU - you have a point.

Yes, DS gets PIP and he got DLA (MRC and LRM) before that. I was made his appointee and applied on his behalf, they didn’t speak to him or see him at all. The money goes into my bank account. I cannot get him interested in the money at all.

It was very easy to get PIP I found, but we did have a lot of evidence with his EHCP and from CAMHS. We get enhanced rate for care but only lower rate for mobility which I disagree with (but didn’t want to fight as you get told your points can go down too and I’m not good at advocating). We get 10 points for ‘cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress’. For higher rate you need 12 points ‘cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without assistance’ which would also apply if he were to go anywhere. He can’t even tell you his address, I’ve tried to teach him many times (but he can tell you anything you want to know about Godzilla).

He also got zero points for reading and understanding which again I disagree with. Yes, he can read but he would need support understanding. The PIP assessor asked me if he can read a Roald Dhal book, I said he could - I guess that’s the benchmark! His award is until 2030 and he got more than 4 points in lots of areas so I wasn’t overly concerned by the government’s proposal to only award PIP if you get 4 points in at least one area (although obviously when he is reviewed his points could change and I fear we will have less evidence at that point).

I didn’t realise but you can actually get UC when you are 16/17 if you get PIP. So I’m in the process of trying to claim that for him. Once he gets UC he then has to have a work capability assessment and if they agree he’s not capable you get an enhanced amount of UC, if I understand it correctly.

@SnowdropWhite with the uc if on pip at 16/17 does that apply if they're in education do you know please? Weve been told to not apply until 18. Thank you for posting this as ill get on it.

@Perzival I’m not sure if it applies if they are in education. I would’ve thought not.

Thanks for your advice about the learning disability register at the GP - I’ll look into that. I’ve found it really hard since DS turned 16 to get services to speak to me. DS has been allowed to disengage from everything on the grounds that he has capacity - although no formal assessment of his capacity has ever been done!

He refuses to take any medication whatsoever even when he is unwell but apparently has capacity to make that choice so there’s nothing I can do. He used to take melatonin to help sleep but now doesn’t and is often awake for more than 24 hours at a time. He was forced by CAMHS to have a blood test which showed electrolytes imbalances and vitamin D deficiency but then he’s never taken any of the supplements prescribed. He’s physically quite unhealthy and very underweight (BMI 15 but has capacity to choose whether he eats or not)

I have now been put on his notes at the GP surgery as being able to talk on his behalf but that was a right faff! They wanted DS to say to them ‘I give permission for you to speak to my mum’ which of course he wouldn’t say. After an awkward 5 minutes of the receptionist trying talking to DS, he turned to me and said ‘I don’t understand’ and the receptionist was finally like oh it’s ok I’ll just put down permission to speak to mum.

But thinking about it if you were told to apply at 18 then it could well apply if still in education. I’d definitely check

Thanks for this info, I really appreciate it. It’s so difficult navigating it all and you and @Perzival are really helpful

@Perzival I think the answer is yes, you can apply for UC but it will affect any benefits you get so have to weigh up whether or not you will be worse off. For us, we don’t get any benefits so we won’t be losing money by DS getting his own UC

This explains it…
contact.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/universal_credit_young_person.pdf

Fab, thank you for that. Sorry for the late reply, we've been having a bit of a day.

Surely in regards to your earlier post if he says he doesn't understand he cant habe capacity. Its crazy.

You are in such a difficult position. I wish I could help you. Did he have transfer from a paediatrician to adult services? Maybe it's worth talking to social care or local parents first and seeing if they have disability social workers (they're usually better for families with disabilities as they get its not all clear cut). They may at least start seeing how vulnerable he is. He still should have a right to education, has he just been off rolled? If he had an ehcp and it was ceased properly maybe you could try to get some support through that?

I know its all easier said than done because it's all a fight and youre prob physically and emotionally drained.

Def see if you have a carers service where you live that maybe the best start as you'll have someone to support you and they may know what to do and who to contact locally.

There She Goes is the closest portrayal to my autistic children I've seen. The main character isn't actually autistic but has a SWAN, but it's so convincing. Some of the situations are exactly what have happened to us.

Agree, 'high support needs', 'complex needs' etc now almost meaningless. I have a son similar to yours and another more 'in the muddle' (but still miles and miles away from mainstream ability). It is my biggest fear that someone will hurt them and I'll never even know.

There she goes, I like the episode where the police turn up because they think she's being kidnapped, then the social worker turns up too and the dad is just really abrupt. It's so funny but I bet some people are scared of laughing if they've never experienced anything like that. There is so much too which is upsetting. You kind of go through a full range of emotions watching it. My husband can't watch it, it's too close to thr bone for him.

I know this thread has gone off on a tangent, but @AutisticHouseMove I like Everything's Gonna Be Okay for a decent portrayal of autistic characters, it's written by a guy who was diagnosed with autism halfway through and wove that into his character, and all the autistic characters are played by autistic actors.
I also like A Kind of Spark - it's a children's book/ TV show, but again, all autistic actors and autistic writer. It also goes into some of the darker side of growing up autistic, especially in the book, and that comes into the second series of the TV show. The author, Elle McNicoll, has written adult novels as well with autistic characters.

In the middle not muddle!

Yes my husbands the same
Some of the things Rosie does like pinching the dummy off the baby I can well imagine my son doing .

We liked this episode too. I have a 12 year old DS who is also autistic with behaviours that challenge - we’ve had the police come out a few times after reports of ‘a child in distress’. He also used to be a runner and one time when we lost him there was a huge police hunt with dogs and everything. He was eventually found asleep in a random persons garden.

We also like the episode where they are hunting the poo…Done that more than once! He’s not done that for a few years now though.

DS12 has actually made huge improvements over the past year. I think improvements in his communication have helped with the running away as he’s better able to express himself. I used to say he was like a giant toddler but now he’s more like a giant 5/6 year old.

He’s actually just survived his first year in mainstream secondary school (and only got suspended once 🤦🏻‍♀️)

I’ve just seen that a new series of Fisk is on Netflix. Has anyone watched it before? I think Helen Tudor-Fisk is possibly autistic coded. She’s definitely a bit like me - socially inept, no fashion sense and dog obsessed.

Not rtft but also Newt Scamander in fantastic beasts is most likely nd?

Old thread but Abed from Community is my fave

Am watching criminal minds with my autie DD and Dr Reid is quite clearly, though not expressly stated to be, autistic coded. We love the way he is clever and quirky but not made out to be utterly dysfunctional or to have a super power. My DD feels he’s what she aspires to be - functional, successful and a welcomed/loved member of an inclusive compassionate team. 🥰