BBC1 ::::::::::::::::The A WORD:::::::::::::::::::::::

[RTKangaMummy]

I think this is going to be good

www.radiotimes.com/episode/d2ycmd/the-a-word--series-1-episode-1

Five-year-old Joe is a smart, musical kid. He spends his time with headphones on listening to alt-rock classics and knowing every line of the lyrics. He can be a bit quiet and uncooperative but nothing that overly troubles his parents – or at least, nothing they’ll admit to…

As we meet Joe and his clan in Peter Bowker’s well-worked drama (adapted from an Israeli series) it is the day of Joe’s birthday. Around him a wider family battle simmers nicely as Joe’s interfering grandfather (Christopher Eccleston) and humiliated uncle strike sparks off each other.

That domestic cut-and-thrust might be enough in itself, but we know the real driver of the story will be Joe’s condition. It’s only the slightest of spoilers to reveal that, as the title hints heavily, Joe has autism. His grandfather’s attitude is old school: “If there’s a problem with my grandson, we need to get it fixed.” It won’t be that simple.

ABOUT THIS PROGRAMME
1/6. New series. The various generations of the Hughes family, who all love, work and fight like any other clan, find they must learn to communicate all over again when the youngest member is diagnosed with autism. The opening episode of the drama sees the extended family reunite in the Lake District for Joe's fifth birthday party, but tensions soon rise among Alison, Paul and patriarch Maurice. Starring Morven Christie, Lee Ingleby and Christopher Eccleston.

CAST AND CREW

CAST
Alison Hughes Morven Christie
Paul Hughes Lee Ingleby
Eddie Scott Greg McHugh
Nicola Daniels Vinette Robinson
Joe Hughes Max Vento
Rebecca Hughes Molly Wright
Maurice Scott Christopher Eccleston
David Nowak Adam Wittek
Pavel Kaminski Tommie Grabiec
Linda Michelle Tate
Jane Joanna Bond
Sea Lily Verity Henry
Ralph Wilson Leon Harrop
Louise Wilson Pooky Quesnel
Martha Catherine Kinsella
Terry George Bukhari
Dr Eshell Siri Ellis
Dr Waite Mina Anwar
Receptionist Denice Hope
Dr Graves Daniel CerqueiraCREW
Director Peter Cattaneo
Executive Producer Patrick Spence
Producer Marcus Wilson
Writer Peter Bowker

I thought I'd really like this but came away from it without being too impressed. The boy that played Joe was an excellent actor and I'm glad it's spreading awareness of autism.

However I thought the sex scene/ repeated sexual conversations were unnecessary and uncomfortable. I get the feeling the writer was trying to show other aspects of family life etc but sometimes it came off as awkward. Also some situations were unrealistic - I doubt Joe's parents would have stayed in the same park where the birthday party was happening for example.

It's a shame the parents are being portrayed as head in the sand types when in reality most parents of undiagnosed children know something isn't quite right but don't know what and often think it's their parenting because the media/society likes to blame parents when their children aren't like children in adverts.

It's just a bit too stereotypical. Parents wincing/shying away from the word autism.

I'd prefer it if at least one of the parents was a bit more SN savvy but then that wouldn't make much of a TV drama.

I hate any sex scenes / talk in dramas. There was a lot in this and it spoilt it for me a bit. All dramas are at it lately.
I am a prude.

I can't seem to find the uncle's marriage believable. They don't seem to fit somehow.

.

Can anyone explain what was going on in the very first scene? Why was he walking all alone in the countryside and who were the two fellows who picked him up?

I wondered that. I think he was allowed to roam around but was needed back for his party? One of the men was his dad.
The landscape was stunning. Not sure where it was set.

I thought it was quite good. Obv won't portray a wide range of expetiences and the SN boards show how much diagnosis and provision vary across the country without considering the range within ASD. I do think the main drama will be around the reactions to the diagnosis not the diagnosing process itself.

The mother mentioned he had audiology Ax and seen a SALT previously. So he was further along the pathway than youprivate thought but parents were in denial. Also he was filmed in the Ax with the paediatrician (for viewing by MDT for diagnosis while parents sat in waiting room discussing weekend away? )

I have seen the ADOS being done by while team watched though a two way mirror and then parents sent off for coffee while a decision was made diagnosis. It wad designed that way to make it less stressful waiting for the family.

I know some of you didn't like this but I think it is quite good as a drama fictional story rather than a factual reality programme

It only has 6 episodes to show the fictional story of a pretend family

Our son has dyspraxia, hypermobility and other SPLD but not ASD so don't obviously have your experiences so I am watching it purely as a fictional story

So anyway, if you want to watch episode 2 it is on tonight at 9pm so this is a reminder

Thank you OP had forgotten. Going to watch it. Can I ask you please, only if you don't mind answering something personal of course, how you got the dyspraxia diagnosis/what you noticed first. Thanks. PM me if you do not want to reply here/obviously please do not feel obligated to rep!y. Thanks again for the reminder. Getting

No I don't mind DS is nearly 21 years old now but he was born at 27 weeks so very premature so had SPLD from that, too many to list, and everything was delayed anyway

Anyway, apart from that he didn't speak at all at infant school to his teachers, he would speak or rather ROAR like a lion in the playground, his friends just saw him as xxxxxxxxxxx and accepted him as that

He had SALT but as he could read and spoke fine at home didn't really work out with the homework from them

Riding a bike didn't happen, climbing trees didn't happen or gates or styes when on walks, we got a 5 bar gate in the driveway for him to practise also catching a ball was hard

His teachers suggested he went to OT and they (can't remember who actually gave the DX as it was a blur of different doctors and clinics) then he got DX of dyspraxia, we didn't know anything about it but when we read the books they gave us we were like - crumbs that is him, we put everything down to being so premature

We are talking about 16 years ago so not much was spoken about

He had lots of exercises and taught ways of working stuff out in slightly different way

Anyway, he is about to finish 3 years at University and he is an actor,

everything turned around in juniors when he was given an IEP which said that due to his slow processing he was to be asked a question then given thinking time while teachers asked other people questions then come back to him for his answer and it worked

He now has an adult tricycle that he rides to Uni from his house where he shares with friends as he still can't ride a bike but is really pleased that he can be like his friends rather than walking

Uni isn't easy but he was given a dictaphone so he didn't have to make notes while listening to lectures and so it can be done with help and determination

Thank you OP. He sounds a tenacious young man bloody good on him, and you. Xx

So the walking on the road bit is something he isn't meant to be doing? Think I'd go a bit more ape than his mother!

I want to like this programme but I'm finding it hard. My son is currently being assessed for autism and i just find the parents so I unrelateable.

Also, am I wrong or would the school not be informed about Joe's diagnosis automatically? I thought schools and healthcare professionals had a duty of care to share information??

Also I know it's a TV programme and it has to have an element of drama but it all seems so rash and knee jerky on the parents behalf. Pulling him out of school before having any discussion with the school about meeting his needs? Unless that's just been missed out?

I know everyone reacts differently and they are understandably devastated but I'm just not feeling it.

Don't like the mum. Really not getting this weeks and I was one of the fans of last weeks. Too much crap with the sister in law affair and stuff.

I am finding the mum really hard to like.

I get it, I do, but she is annoying me.

Cross posted! It isn't just me then.

Not just you U2!

So teen daughter ignored and gets pregnant?

So disappointed. I really had high hopes last week. But this isn't a drama about autism. It's a drama about a highly disfunctional family