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louis theroux documentary on autism

170 replies

sphil · 10/04/2012 23:09

Next week, 19th April, 9pm on BBC2. It's called 'Extreme Love' - blurb says it focuses on young people attending an innovative school in the US.

Will watch - I like his programmes as a rule.

OP posts:
squidworth · 22/04/2012 22:00

Is it a meaningful existence? Really?

saintlyjimjams · 22/04/2012 22:08

Is what a meaningful existence? Being in resi? Yes because you can have 2:1 and go out and do things your family can no longer cope with. For example surfing; family can't take you to the beach because you disappear out to sea and they can't get you back, but 2:1 and a surf school can. Or you can go to the shops etc or out for a drive, or swimming, or climbing, or have music sessions. It's more meaningful than being at home unable to go out because you're twice the size of your mother and they can no longer handle you when you kick off.

saintlyjimjams · 22/04/2012 22:10

When ds1 goes to respite he is given the option of being out pretty much the whole time (which he usually chooses, it's very rare that he chooses to stay at the centre). He loves being out, so he enjoys respite. I can't take him out all the time as I have 2 other children and dinner to cook/clothes to wash etc.

It must that magnified a million times for those with higher levels of support because it's even harder for their families to get them out and about.

amberlight · 22/04/2012 22:19

Depends on the resi. If it's a good one, yes. If it's one like that care home that was exposed in the news a few months back that treated the residents like rubbish, no.

googlyeyes · 22/04/2012 22:20

Thanks jimjams. Sorry if I worded it wrongly, it's just that residential might one day be an option for ds1 but I have no clue what happens in such a setting, especially after post 19. I did worry that it would mean that he would be effectively institutionalised so it is great to hear that he could still have a full and happy life there, just with the levels of support we would be unable to give him at home

saintlyjimjams · 22/04/2012 22:26

As amber says it depends on the particular resi school/centre. I think ones that deal with school age children are often good as they are thinking about education as well. So for example ds1's respite centre sees itself as having an educational role as well (and is inspected by OFSTED) so encouraging life skills etc is central. And so ds1 is kept active, swimming, shopping, cooking etc etc.

For adults it's much harder. Funding is often in short supply (so for example I knew of a great place- it was like adult school, but this was reflected in the cost and getting SS to fund placements was battle and it eventually closed) and expectations of the residents might be low.

sphil · 23/04/2012 12:33

There's an interview with Louis Theroux in the 'i' today - it says the documentary 'wowed the TV critics' with only ' a few notes of disapproval ' from ' sufferers(sic) and their familes'. Can't help thinking a more in- depth article/follow-up, along the lines of the discussion here, would have been good.

OP posts:
AmberLeaf · 23/04/2012 12:52

Is i online sphil? do you have a link?

AmberLeaf · 23/04/2012 12:52

Please Smile

Voidka · 23/04/2012 12:57

Here

MushroomGeorge · 23/04/2012 13:14

I watched this programme on iplayer yesterday and really enjoyed it. I have never seen or any programme that reflects our life with ds (11)
I liked it because it showed the reality of caring for a child with the most severe form of autism. I have seen many programmes in the past which have concentrated on the children on the higher functioning end of the spectrum and found them difficult to relate to.
Ds is virtually excluded from mainstream society today, his extreme behaviours and the severity of his asd mean that very few people 'get it', this programme got it and I loved seeing the relationship that Louis made with some of the children.
I very rarely post on the sn's board and my reason is a very difficult one to explain but I will try. I don't know whether I am ultra sensitive I feel that some people don't think I have'nt tried enough with ds, that if I had tried other therapies or different interventions that he would be more high functioning. Honestly, I feel made guilty for not doing enough for him.
This is not about a specific poster and perhaps it is more about the huge difficulties I still have in accepting ds's asd nine years later. I don't know, but this is how I feel :(

AmberLeaf · 23/04/2012 13:34

Thanks Voidka.

MushroomGeorge im sorry you are struggling, I would hope that nobody here would judge you and some will quite probably understand where you are coming from.

AmberLeaf · 23/04/2012 13:48

Interesting article.

saintlyjimjams · 23/04/2012 13:48

mushroom - there was a thread on here a few months ago for those of us with severely affected children www.mumsnet.com/Talk/special_needs/1347560-A-thread-for-those-with-dc-with-severe-very-low-fuctioning-ASD?pg=1 maybe time to bump it?

bialystockandbloom · 23/04/2012 14:38

Perhaps it's the case that all of us would like our own situations to be broadcast to the mainstream, so that millions of people see exactly what we are going through.

In my case, I would like this or any documentary on asd to show what I and ds and the rest of my family go through - in my case atm the utterly relentless and exhausting continual, constant and never-ending teaching that goes on - I often feel that I'm not a mother to ds so much as a teacher, and it's tiring and dispiriting.

But I for one, and I think pretty much everyone here, have never compared my own unique circumstances to another's here, except to share experience and advice. It hasn't crossed my mind that we are 'luckier' or 'unluckier' than another family with an autistic child/children.

I also did feel that certainly the first part of the programme (and also the trailers I saw) focussed on the violence above many other aspects of asd. Which to me felt that it was sensationalising it, and (yet again) presenting autism as something to be feared by society. Yes, there is of course a need to show the 'ugly' side (hate that expression) of autism, but also that people with autism are not just violent freaks locked in their own world. Hard to achieve in a single hour, but actually I felt by the end that LT had done a good job.

I also said on another thread that I'm never too enamoured by the "sn parents are awesome" thing though. As if a) there is a choice, b) 'normal' parents somehow couldn't/wouldn't cope, and c) we're special. We're not, we're just normal people cope because we have to. And no doubt many of us don't cope so well - and as pp have said, we shouldn't feel guilty about it.

AmberLeaf · 23/04/2012 14:58

I also said on another thread that I'm never too enamoured by the "sn parents are awesome" thing though. As if a) there is a choice, b) 'normal' parents somehow couldn't/wouldn't cope, and c) we're special. We're not, we're just normal people cope because we have to. And no doubt many of us don't cope so well - and as pp have said, we shouldn't feel guilty about it

hear hear.

sphil · 23/04/2012 18:11

Hear hear from me too!

OP posts:
Oblomov · 24/04/2012 15:49

I watched it. I thought it was a bit 'weak', as in a bit 'for show', but then I expect that a little from LT.
I just adored Nicky's book. My ds is a little bit like him.
I appreciated more, how mild ds1's autism is, compared to some children, who have it very severly.
I nearly didn't watch, becasue I was sure I had seen it beore. I thought it was a repeat.

Toni27 · 24/04/2012 15:56

in all fairness he probably had to go to america cos no english parent in their right mind would allow louis theroux to make a documentary featuring their child and hes not so well known over there.

saintlyjimjams · 24/04/2012 16:01

He is American though isn't he, he has dual citizenship I think, as his father is American.

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