Short Documentary Film on Autism Online UNTIL SUNDAY

[Davros]

Documentary Film on Autism Stuns Internet Viewers
"Autism Every Day" produced for Autism Speaks.
From the Autism Speaks Website: Autism Every Day is a new film produced by Lauren Thierry and Jim Watkins of October Group and Eric Solomon of Milestone Video. The film was screened at A New Decade for Autism, a fundraising event held May 9, 2006 in New York City, and subsequently broadcast by Don Imus on his show on MSNBC.
Can't get the full link to work so go to this one and you'll see a link after the Intro.
\link{http://www.autismspeaks.org\here}
It can be seen until Sunday.

I know Jimjams, it stinks, it really does because society isn't perfect, anomalies are just as much part of its' fabric as the etiquette-aware and/or able bodied "nt". To my mind there seems to be a widening gulf - everywhere I turn I'm bombarbed with Baby Einstein, Brain Gyms, eye-q etc etc etc. which just reinforces the fear. Woe betide anyone who has a less than perfect child in this day and age!

Have you seen fio's thread about the Daily Telegraph- now that;s scary.

This film has really moved me, because I have used most of those same phrases the mother's on the film used, and although they're in the US my life is more similar to theirs than the NT mothers down the road. Frighteningly similar.

no I've not seen it but I'll have a look tomorrow, I'm going to bed now so best not fill my head with anything that might keep me awake - it's hard enough getting to/staying asleep as it is!

I saw a young man with (probably) his mum when I was out walking the dog yesterday. He had, from the looks of it, quite severe Autism, and he was so tall and powerful, towering above his mum.

Lord knows what the future holds for us, but my heart went out to them, alone in the rainy woods. It made me think that people like them (us) are the last people that should have to deal with social exclusion on top of everything else - we need community support, integration and empathy more than anyone

yes, but unless you live it, it doesn't really feature does it. I love the film because it shows it how it is, but I think that still people have to relaise that is 24 hours all the time, and you don't understand that unless you live it. The size thing struck a chrod with me, I am going to start a thread soon as I was struggling with ds1 outside today and have no idea what we will do, or how we will manage when he is older and bigger.

yes, this thread and the one about respite has just reminded me - I MUST organise SN coffee mornings through the local NCT. Isolation is a big problem, although its OK once you've found others in the same boat, even if you don't see each other a lot, there's the phone.

The other thing to do is get as much help and extra pairs of hands as possible (esepcially if you have other children). SS provided me with 30 hours a week over the last school holiday and it meant that I could take ds1 out, which resulted in a much happier ds1. Without that help we would have been stuck in the entire holiday (becuase I had at least one other child here with me the whole time and can't go out with ds1 + other child(ren) alone.)

Jimjams, I am working up to organising some Teach Teach training for parents (not to be confused with TEACCH). Look \link{http://www.team-teach.co.uk\here}. I NEED to know how to manage DS already, he is big and heavy and has recently decided to sit/lie down and not move
I also agree that people in our situation must get other people to help, whatever that means and however you do it.

Your child's must be a worry - if the guy I saw with his mum the other day decided he wanted to do something dangerous, it certainly looked as though there'd be no stopping him. Do the NCT do sn coffee mornings as a rule? or is it up to an enterprising mum have to organize them? I'm not a member of the nct, but would consider doing something like that around here.

I'm involved in a group locally which is looking to set up a parent/toddler SN group. The idea is that parents get a chance to meet and talk and there would be some activities for kids - sensory stuff, interactive story-telling, music etc. The group was started by our very enterprising HV (who has an adult son with Down Syndrome)and is made up of parents and professionals in the field. There's also talk of getting some SLT/OT input, though I'm not sure how realistic that is.

We may also try to organise a similar group for school age children (prob primary to start with) on a Sat. I'm really excited about it, mainly because of all the issues raised in the film - just feel it will help with the feelings of isolation.

So if anyone lives in the Lewes area or roundabout, CAT me and I'll let you know the details (when they're finalised, which may not be for a while - but idea is to have something up and running by Sept.

If anyone on here has any experience of anything similar I'd be grateful for tips on what works and what doesn't!

enterprising mum ntt- only doing it through the nct as it's far less work (I provide a list of dates, they do the rest).

That's interesting Davros- I'll look at that website in a mo. It does seriously worry me now, because most of the incidents leading to the lying down/refusing to budge/running across the road etc are (in 99% of cases) linked to ds1's compulsions (someone opens a door, a window that is usually shut is open etc), and I can't really see me being able to do anything about that. Reinforcers are far less rewarding than following through a compulsion.

Davros- will they teach you (and do these courses assume that more than 1 person is always available). We should set up a parental equivalent! It is a worry isn't it. DS1 has taken to kicking me (as a joke), which I am completely ignoring, but if he starts attacking me in meltdowns (he did actually headbut me for the first time ever yesterday) then I am well and truly stuffed.

I met a Team-Teach trainer and he said they are just getting into parent training so some of the info on the website may not seem relevant. He is very flexible, on price too, and will run the course over several days, across weeks etc.
For me, the key to going to a SN playgroup is that there is at least SOME time when you don't have to follow your own child around and you can talk to the other parents, have a cup of tea etc. Even if the staff are not there to babysit and there aren't enough per child, to at least rotate so you can take your mind off watching your child is essential imo.

Good point Davros - will bring that up at next meeting.

excellent davros- has anyone actually managed to copy it to a cd yet...i am struggling...i really want to have it on cd so i can show 'those who need to know"

Thanks for posting this Davros...glad I had chance to see it.

brill , this should be shown on tv here.