Touch

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Just curious.....What do you think of the new American tele programme, 'Touch'? I hardly watch television (my lifestyle is way too busy) but here in the UK 'Touch' has just premiered. The main character, a mute 11 year old boy, is on the autisitic spectrum. He's an extreme pattern thinker and this is the premise for the programme.

What is curious is that 'Touch' is touted as supernatural-themed; this autistic kid is supposedly in touch with 'the beyond' and sees the very pattern of time. Comment? Do you think autism is being presented differently to the general public audience? And, are we in touch with the great beyond, given our unique qualities?


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My mother and I watched the pilot film a week or two ago and plan on watching the series (starting next week in Germany).

We both liked the pilot film.

From what I can tell, the film didn't capture a lot of autism beyond the basics. I immediately thought that the boy was made to appear extremely normal. My mother also did not let on if she happened to think that he was particularly autistic.

Of course, he has not been shown to talk so far but other than that, he struck me as hardly autistic. I don't mean that in a bad way, I actually liked how normal he was portrayed to be in the pilot film. I hope the series can help take away the stigma for some people that autism is so confusing and alien that it's impossible to understand.

I can't comment on the series yet and how they'll continue to handle the topic of autism, but I like the way that autism is integrated into the other themes of the pilot film and thought that it fits rather nicely.


There are two more things of note that we talked or noticed about the pilot film.

Among the very first things that my mother said was that a father can't interact with their autistic child like that and expect to succeed.

I asked her to clarify what she'd said because I have seen a lot parents interact with child like that after all (isn't that called normal communication?). Then she just repeated that you don't connect with your kid like that.

I thought it was an interesting statement because I always thought that one of the catalysts that got me on starting talking, that got me paying attention and later listening and responding was her intuitive way to try to connect to me and interact with me even when she got no response, not even a look or a gesture. When I had okay communication skills for at least half the time or so, I still had next to no communication going on with other adults because I couldn't understand them to begin with.

Touch got me thinking: how much does the way a parent communicates with their child starting at birth influence how well the parent and child can get communication going?


The other thing about Touch that my mother and I were okay with but ended up pointing out over and over were the (true) stereotypes.

Autistic kid climbing up high? Check.
Parent/teachers uselessly calling autistic child's name? Check.
Autism in combination with savant-like abilities? Check.
Social services nagging a single parent who managed well about their parental performance of taking care of their (autistic) child? Check.


I just realise that when wanting to talk about my impression on the pilot film, I ought to be talking about the others people and the plot but to tell the truth, I'm not sure I could. I did pay attention and listened intently but with these series and films no matter how interesting... I wonder just what makes it so difficult to understand?

It is something like this in my mind:

Three pink teddies, each with two stars and holding a heart.
The mobile phone was in Japan!
The numbers in the boy's book form a pretty spiral. The mobile phones do too.
890109203111, very orange.

At least I am fairly sure that the average viewer does not remember most of those.

Having asked about it, I also know that the daughter of the guy who lost the mobile phone with photos of his daughter and who is searching for it is dead. I'm going to watch the pilot again on Sunday, I usually end up with a pretty good grasp on the people and the plot suddenly if I watch films or episodes another time.

I looked this up for a while before, technically he is not autistic. I thought it looked pretty interesting

I like it so far but I see it getting old really quick.

Yes, admittedly I'm not much of a tele fan & I don't care for 'touchy-feely' dramas much. But the premise is interesting.

Sora, I like your comments - very astute. In private, I'll share something from when I was little. For background: I am/was always very high-functioning and may not have overtly appeared to be on the spectrum. Nevertheless, when I was about 8 years old I quit speaking, entirely, for 9 months.

Anyway, I lived in a nice neighbourhood and my upstairs bedroom overlooked our big backyard. I loved my backyard - woodsy, with my own sandbox and a little swingset. Our whole yard was about 1 acre. Also, our dining room overlooked this backyard, over the deck. It was gated but no reason to lock this gate - our neighbourhood was very private/secure. It was past midnight and I heard my father (he must have gotten up to get a glass of milk from the kitchen or something). I was standing in the dark dining room, resolutely pointing outside the window. My father said, "Amy?!? What are you doing up?" Then he asked what I was pointing at so intently. My father always listened to me, even when I did not speak at all, and he always understood.

He turned on the deck light and there was a man, a prowler/peeping tom, standing in our backyard in total darkness, facing our house! My father gasped! I remember him whispering, "Amy, get back away from the window - get down." He dialed the police and they were there within minutes where he reported the whole creepy incident.

I do know that any autistic spectrum individual (regardless of level of functioning, etc.) has a blindsight. By analogy, those who are visually blind do have other senses which are heightened to compensate. Similarly, I know we have a blindsight. I do not know how I could have known there was a silent prowler in the dark. But I knew and my father listened.

I think maybe this tele programme is about our blindsight.

Thanks to all for your comments, I'll jump here to post my views.

While this is clearly a "Hollywood" attempt at drama, as a parent of an autistic child it does make me feel it puts autism in a better light to the general public.

The primary thing is this. I am sick of hearing NTs (and high functioning Aspergers) refer to kids with "real" autism as "disabled". My daughter may be non-verbal in public but she is a damn side more intelligent than 90% of the population out there.

The perception of a disability masks great potential in our children and hopefully make people look at non-verbal kids in a different light. Thats all I have to say.

Yes, I really know what you mean. Oftentimes what may appear to an outsider as 'weird' or even a deficit can be a blessing in disguise. There are advantages and this is what ought to be highlighted. Your daughter has a good dad.

Thanks

On the topic of the TV series, it would be good for Hollywood to make a program that highlights the success of autistic individuals in the field of mathematics, astronomy and IT (given the success of the Big Bang theory).

Apart from Silicon Valley a number of mathematics departments in universities are disproportionally represented by individuals diagnosed with autism or Aspergers. It would be a good TV tale of going against the odds to achieve something meritorious that would resonate with all viewers.

I have come across a story of a prominent Australian mathematics university professor who was diagnosed as a non-verbal HFA as a child. His mother recalls he was written off by the doctor due to his developmental delay. He proved the medics wrong. Although still a painfully shy individual with other people, his talents as a mathematician and public speaker outshone his deficits. A great story for a inspirational TV drama.

I have not seen the show does anyone think it is good?

In actuality, it wouldn't be going against the odds but instead I believe Aspies can and do achieve in ways another cannot. Anyway, regarding TV characters who are 'on the spectrum,' I found this last evening. I really don't watch much TV as my time is limited (& I'm not much of a TV person) but now I sometimes watch the American TV drama 'Criminal Minds'. It's quite well done! I had spotted Spencer - I appreciate the character. I was curious, after reading this thread, and I googled the programme. And.....well, Spencer has been labelled an Aspie. No real surprise.

Copy & Paste from Wikipedia, re the TV programme 'Criminal Minds':

"Dr. Spencer Reid, portrayed by Matthew Gray Gubler (Season 1–present), is a Supervisory Special Agent. He is the youngest BAU member. He is a genius who graduated from a Las Vegas public high school at age 12, and holds PhDs in Mathematics, Chemistry, and Engineering, as well as BAs in Psychology and Sociology, and, as of the fourth season, is working on a BA in Philosophy. It has been revealed that he has an IQ of 187, can read 20,000 words per minute, and has an eidetic memory. Reid joined the FBI in 2004. Most of the members on the team are intimidated by his profound knowledge. He is habitually introduced as "Dr. Reid", in contrast to the other agents' introductions as "Supervisory Special Agent". The purpose of this, as explained by Hotchner in the pilot episode, is to create a respectable first impression of Reid, deflecting judgments about his age. His mother suffers from schizophrenia, and is currently committed to a mental institution. Reid is also the godfather of fellow Supevisory Special Agent Jennifer Jareau's son Henry. Matthew Gray Gubler stated Reid has mild autism, Asperger's Syndrome.[8]

See? We do exist in Hollywood I like how this programme portrays Spencer; he's both talented, likeable and good role model.

Last weeks episode I watched until about 5 min in... then it started making extreme mistakes/leaps/etc...

Main character (Keifer) was chasing someone who stole his laptop and it shows the number 22 (which is the episodes connection number) so I'm following along... then it looses me.

He yells to stop the man with the laptop, apologizes to the bus driver and pays for the ride (who pays to ride a bus when you have chased a thief onto it... you just want your stuff back, not a ride, no??) when nobody stops the laptop thief he simply leaves through the rear door of the bus. The main character doesn't follow and the bus driver starts to move off. Okay. Hello? Thief... exits, paid for an unwanted ride and bus driver and all passengers ignore the entire situation and keep on like neither two people exist... ridiculous and unrealistic, wouldn't happen in real life. Irritating.

I've officially stopped watching.