PBS Documentary on Autism.

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PBS

Autism 'crash course' offered in engaging new film, 'In a Different Key': 'Changing hearts and minds'

Interesting, I will look for this.......
thanks for the post.

The full documentary is available for streaming here: In A Different Key

I thought it was a good introduction to autism (ASD 101). Hopefully it will be widely viewed. I would expect some people to have a lot of questions that were not answered in this introduction.

We saw it last night.

It was good. Thank you for bringing it to my attention, ASPartOfMe.

‘In A Different Key’ included perspectives of High Functioning Autism (HFA) - three of a few examples including John Elder Robison, Valerie Paradiz, and Alex.

How many people feel that ‘In A Different Key’ will boost progress in better understanding (HFA) who are "not disabled enough, yet not quite able enough" - a difficult part of HFA to understand?

New Documentary ‘In A Different Key’ Follows First Person Ever Diagnosed with Autism:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/new-d ... ith-autism

I think everything helps. I thought it was good and was happy to be a part of it.

I'm going to look for the documentary on YouTube.

i think it was well presented, especially in regards to what support can and cannot look like, including for race, culture, region, etc. i like how it emphasized that everyone is unique and presentation will be unique (important to combat stereotypes). research has come a long way since that first official diagnosis, but there is so much more that can be done, there's still so much that is not known (and that is with anything) but this affects what support can and cannot look like -- so hopefully at the very least it inspires more research, striving for support, etc.

The PBS documentary on Autism ‘In A Different Key’ must encourage new WP membership!

I finally saw it. I agree pretty much with what has been said. Autism is a really complicated condition and they really got many varied presentations and prospectives into a two hour documentary without it feeling like it was being crammed in. That is really good editing.

Amy Gravino who moderated some the support groups I attended gave a very moving description of how bullying messed up her mind. Alex and others others talked about that on shorter segments. My major regret about the documentary was that these people did not get the opportunity to describe how they straightened out their minds enough to become successful adults(one never really totally gets over it) on air.

Can any of the people who were behind the production of 'In a Different Key' chime-in to this dicussion thread?

Not all HFA'ers are "Not able enough." I've been fully self-sufficient/independent since 22. Had no problem navigating college out of state from parents. Have had social difficulties, though, all my life especially as I got older: my greatest impairment caused by autism. Never fit in; no friends -- had to hire a medical transport company to drive me to my colonoscopy; never had a dating life; viewed as odd or eccentric, blunt, rude. But, very independent and take-charge. The idea of ever relying on people for adulting is absolutely sickening. This may be why I'm "hyper-sufficient."

I've been fully self-sufficient since I left home at 15. I have a PhD and own and operate my own business which is know as one of the best in the area.

But I wouldn't say I had no impairments. I am very intelligent, but most of my intelligence is used up trying to figure out how to live in a world not made for autists. It takes me much, much longer to do tasks than others because of impaired executive function.

So, I'm not sure I like wording, "not able enough" but there certainly was impairment. Whether anything could have helped, i'm not sure.

Finally saw it yesterday. Quite good, I thought.

Interesting that the one who did best had wealthy, influencial parents.

I noticed that practically all the subjects were somewhat recognisable (by their faces, speech or gait) as likely to have special needs. I suppose they mostly picked people who had ASD quite strongly. AFAIK I'm moderately Aspie. I tend to think my face, speech and gait are fairly normal, but I haven't heard any recordings or seen any films of myself for a very long time, and that would be a better way to notice those things. I might be in for a shock.

It's a good point that ASD is a mixture of strengths and weaknesses. I tend to think that's blindingly obvious, but I suppose not everybody knows it.