Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

Autism Series April 18-26, 2011

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

thanks...will set the DVR

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

Thanks!

I will set the DVR too.

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

I can't find it on my program channels.

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

It's tonight.

Does someone know which channel it is on Fios???

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

I think it is 21

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

What time?

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

6pm.

It's hard to hear that little girl.

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

I missed it

I couldn't find it when I got home then saw this - we were too late. I am going to try to see if I can find it online.

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

Posted by dpli

I missed it

I couldn't find it when I got home then saw this - we were too late. I am going to try to see if I can find it online.

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

It's not a separate show. It's part of the newshour at 6pm. It's on all week and next week.

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

What did you think?

I can really relate to his daughter Alison. Autism has become her full time job. She is so clearly frustrated about "what happened" to her son and the medical community.

My heart also broke for Nick's sister Neeley. I can see how it seems just so unfair for her....

That being said, DH watched with me and he just kept saying, "Where is the $$ for research???" It's so hard to understand and to explain and to surmise what exactly is going on in Autism today....

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

I can't remember where I read this but autism is the fastest issue with children, growing more and more and yet it is STILL at the bottom of the list for any research. I believe leukemia is getting the most $$$ And the $$ difference between what is giving to other disease research is such in disproportion to how quickly autism is becoming a problem. 2 years ago the number were 1/154 children. Now it's estimated at 1/110 children.

Everybody is turning the head, but this is going to affect our society as a whole very quickly. We won't be able to ignore it for too long.

I was only working weekends when DS was diagnosed. It was almost a blessing. I don't know how I would have managed all this therapies. I felt I really got to see what was going on. Learn about the therapies, who was good. who was not. As some point in EI, we had a team of 9 therapies. DS has over 25 hours a week of therapies between ABA, OT, PT, Speech, family training, social worker for me. I had renamed myself a project manager. I was almost like an HR manager. Who wants to take vacation, who wants to change their schedule, who will be out that day and if they will make it up or not. It had absorbed our entire life. My life revolved around DS schedule.

I don't think people understand about the amount of time parents of autistic children require. I tell people. It's like having a young toddler FOREVER but in a bigger body. They need you constantly. You cannot leave them alone, everything is a BIG deal/production. You just never grow out of that phase. It's draining!

Message edited 4/19/2011 6:58:58 AM.

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

Posted by AJandCJsMommy

Posted by dpli

I missed it

I couldn't find it when I got home then saw this - we were too late. I am going to try to see if I can find it online.

THE ENTIRE SERIES

you can watch all the episodes here

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

I'm glad we had the chance to see this last night and DH and I plan to watch the rest of the series.

We are still so new to this world, but the first episode does raise important questions about the medical community and it's response to autism, and I think it does illustrate the sacrifices families make. I did feel so sorry for his sister, how hard for her, but how can her parents do otherwise either?

We have a very new diagnosis as I already said. But I feel as if his pediatrician dismissed the signs I brought to her which were not glaring, but they were there. Her advice to wait he would probably drop some behaviors was not good advice. EI gave us speech services but there was no concern over the social issues I brought to them at the time (which are more noticeable now, but they were present at the time of his EI evaluation). Again I was told to wait and see. I was complicit in the wait also, but I do think there is a tendendy to brush aside parental concerns. All I can say is I am very glad he started daycare when he did and his teachers there brought their concerns to me. They are the people who pushed me into action, otherwise I might still be waiting.

All of this is my long rambling way of saying that I would agree with his daughter. This disorder is not well managed or understood by the medical community at this time.

Re: Robert McNeil to do a PBS series on Autism

Watched last night.

OMG that father who said his son wakes up at 3am and laugh and acts like it's the middle of the day and does it at least once a week. How I relate!!! That's MY kid. We are so sleep deprived.