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Should Autism been shown in one of the soaps?


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Old 16-02-2016, 18:51
Zeus89
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As the title says, should it be tackled in one of the main soaps in a sensetive manner of course. And people lets not bring Roy Cropper or Tammwar into this, its never been confirmed.
I think if done correct it could be a good stoyline and become one of those legacy stoylines.

P.S No offence intended to anyone
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Old 16-02-2016, 18:57
Mark_Washingto1
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The US soaps have done stories about autistic children before with Lily on All My Children and Theo on Days of Our Lives, the stories were good at first but after awhile there wasn't much to do and All My Children really didn't know what to do with Lily as an adult, now Days has just SORASed Theo so it will be interesting to see what they do with his character.
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Old 16-02-2016, 19:02
kitkat1971
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A character with Aspergers has just been introduced into Holby City - not as a Patient but as one of the Staff's nephew in a recurring role. He is also played by an actor with Autism and his performance in his first episode last week was very good.

I've never seen any suggestion that Tamwar is Autistic. Roy Cropper yes, the actors and writers have confirmed that they believe he is undiagnosed Autistic and write/act him as such but Tamwar?
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Old 16-02-2016, 19:13
Scrabbler
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A character with Aspergers has just been introduced into Holby City - not as a Patient but as one of the Staff's nephew in a recurring role. He is also played by an actor with Autism and his performance in his first episode last week was very good.

I've never seen any suggestion that Tamwar is Autistic. Roy Cropper yes, the actors and writers have confirmed that they believe he is undiagnosed Autistic and write/act him as such but Tamwar?
Ive never seen Tam described as being autistic either. He is just a bit socially awkward, that's all.
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Old 16-02-2016, 19:46
Mr_David_Brent
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Roy Cropper surely?
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Old 16-02-2016, 19:54
Zeus89
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A character with Aspergers has just been introduced into Holby City - not as a Patient but as one of the Staff's nephew in a recurring role. He is also played by an actor with Autism and his performance in his first episode last week was very good.

I've never seen any suggestion that Tamwar is Autistic. Roy Cropper yes, the actors and writers have confirmed that they believe he is undiagnosed Autistic and write/act him as such but Tamwar?
It was a few other posters who suggested Tamwar was
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Old 16-02-2016, 20:19
kitkat1971
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It was a few other posters who suggested Tamwar was
Oh right, I've just never seen anybody suggest it before either within cast and crew or online but I'm not doubting that you've seen it.

Beyond everybody being somewhere on the Autism spectrum, i can't say i see anything in Tamwar's behaviour to suggest it. He just seems shy, insecure and socially awkward to my mind.
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Old 16-02-2016, 21:28
The_Axeman
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With all the babies born in DTC's reign it would be interesting seeing one of them growing up with autism
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Old 16-02-2016, 21:30
Zeus89
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With all the babies born in DTC's reign it would be interesting seeing one of them growing up with autism
I suggested Mick and Lindas son Oliver on another thread i think it could be a good storyline.
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Old 16-02-2016, 22:08
Nesta Robbins
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As the title says, should it be tackled in one of the main soaps in a sensetive manner of course. And people lets not bring Roy Cropper or Tammwar into this, its never been confirmed.
I think if done correct it could be a good stoyline and become one of those legacy stoylines.

P.S No offence intended to anyone
Sorry, but I would like to mention Roy! I remember reading an article by David back in 2013, when he confirmed that although it's never been mentioned directly in a storyline, it was his wife that came up with the idea that David could play a character with Aspergers Syndrome. She herself is a special needs teacher working with youngsters on the autistic spectrum.

Initially only signed up for 6 episodes, the character was a bit menacing at first - stalking Deidre, but instead they decided to keep Roy on and David decided to make his character more of a colourful eccentric. David felt he didn't need to reference Aspergers directly, other than to give him his character and his unique idiosyncrasies.


Oh also, it was the actor's decision to have Roy carry the bag, which belonged to his mum for 30 years - he carries his script around in it!
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Old 16-02-2016, 22:20
kitkat1971
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Yes, I do think that Roy is relevant as it has been confirmed offscreen that he is written and performed as Autistic but it has never been referenced on screen because he has never been diagnosed - which does actually make sense for somebody of his age with his kind of Mother. Letks face it, Sylvia is not the type of person that might have considered a medical possibility for her child being 'different' or unable to connect to other kids, she will just have put it down to him being 'difficult' and got aNnpyed that couldn't behave better. And it is not as though Teachers were looking out for signs 50 years ago so he would have got referred to a Doctor that way.

I'm not saying that older people never got diagnosed but it was much rarer than it is now, especially if low on the Spectrum.
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Old 16-02-2016, 23:46
Kirsty_Warren
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YES!! My brother has high level autism. depending on where the child is on the spectrum.
Getting a child diagnose with autism is extremely hard and stressful so t would be interesting to see the child with autism but also the family and how they cope.
Eg Arthur. how would Lilly cope with her mum having to spend more time with arthur or be less strict with arthur. My younger sister did struggle with my brothers autism when she was younger. now she's a teenager,she understands better.
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Old 16-02-2016, 23:54
SULLA
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I just want to be entertained.
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Old 17-02-2016, 01:26
Wolfsheadish
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As the title says, should it be tackled in one of the main soaps in a sensetive manner of course. And people lets not bring Roy Cropper or Tammwar into this, its never been confirmed.
I think if done correct it could be a good stoyline and become one of those legacy stoylines.

P.S No offence intended to anyone
No, why should it? There are millions of disorders out there, why do we need to concentrate on this? Is it because it's flavour of the month right now?
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Old 17-02-2016, 04:14
imawotsit
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It's too late for Tamwar to have it. Since he's been with Nancy he's changed a lot and become very 'unautistic', if that makes sense.

The ideal person to develop it would be a child, like Denny. Or maybe write in a new teenage character with the disorder just because it would be difficult on a child actor.

It would be really difficult for a soap to deal with because it's a spectrum disorder. Autism or aspergers would be really difficult to write because they're both so vast. It would be so easy to make the storyline a huge failure because there would be too much to it and they would have to continue it for the entirety of the character's future. I can't imagine EE doing good with this sort of thing. They tackle big things like rape, bipolar, depression well when they're dealing with how it affects family and friends of the sufferers, but when it comes to continuity in the sufferer themselves, they're really bad at that.
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Old 17-02-2016, 08:11
sorcha_healy27
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Well corrie do it brilliantly with Roy. It doesn't define him at all but it's clear he is on the spectrum
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Old 17-02-2016, 11:07
Janet Plank
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Autism is a very serious subject. and I would like to see it explained in a well-researched documentary; but I would not find it entertaining in a soap.
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Old 17-02-2016, 11:20
CindySharlena
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They should raise awareness for Aspergers more in soaps. Speaking as someone who already has Aspergers I feel there's not a lot of knowledge on it which saddens me.
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Old 17-02-2016, 12:05
MR_Pitkin
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No, mental illness is not in the slightest bit entertaining.
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Old 17-02-2016, 12:21
joe gillott
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Ive never seen Tam described as being autistic either. He is just a bit socially awkward, that's all.
This. Many people including myself are socially awkward.
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Old 17-02-2016, 12:24
bass55
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I've never suspected Tamwar to have any kind of ASD? He's a bit awkward but that does not mean he's autistic
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Old 17-02-2016, 12:43
Zep45
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It's too late for Tamwar to have it. Since he's been with Nancy he's changed a lot and become very 'unautistic', if that makes sense.

The ideal person to develop it would be a child, like Denny. Or maybe write in a new teenage character with the disorder just because it would be difficult on a child actor.
Nonsense it's not too late for Tamwar to have it and it would be more realistic if he was not have formally diagnosed his mother is Zainab after all and I don't think she would have seen anything 'wrong' with her 'perfect' children and I doubt he would have being diagnosed without her involvement as a child now let alone in the 1990s where there was still teachers who saw left handedness as the biggest 'defect' effecting children and he is not rain-man so it would not have being in your face obvious.

It would be really difficult for a soap to deal with because it's a spectrum disorder. Autism or aspergers would be really difficult to write because they're both so vast. It would be so easy to make the storyline a huge failure because there would be too much to it and they would have to continue it for the entirety of the character's future. I can't imagine EE doing good with this sort of thing. They tackle big things like rape, bipolar, depression well when they're dealing with how it affects family and friends of the sufferers, but when it comes to continuity in the sufferer themselves, they're really bad at that.
Firstly people with autism are not really suffering directly at least and the way he is currently being written is fine and people with autism (inc. Aspergers) can learn to behave like neurotypicals (NT) even if some NT behaviour is mysterious and illogical.

Nancy working it out and understand it would be a good storyline. As well as some else's child (Stacy, Linda or Kat) I cannot decided who would be best in the long term being diagnosed with autism.
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Old 17-02-2016, 13:24
Oldnjaded
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Autism is a very serious subject. and I would like to see it explained in a well-researched documentary; but I would not find it entertaining in a soap.
Exactly, and there have been plenty of such documentaries/news items/newspaper and magazine articles etc over at least the last 10 - 15 years.

Frankly, if the subject still requires 'awareness raising' then those people who apparently live in caves and are still not aware of this, (and many other serious and quite widespread issues), need to start watching/reading these factual items and stop expecting the purely for entertainment soap operas to spoonfeed them the basics in easy to digest chunks.
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Old 17-02-2016, 13:35
Zep45
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No, mental illness is not in the slightest bit entertaining.
The mental illness (Unsure of your meaning but disability would be a better choice of or word ) is not what is meant to be entertaining it is the background to it as make it relatable to the average person where comedy can be squeezed which is perfectly fine if it an accurate portral and the idea is to raise awareness. Some people won't bother to look for the facts themselves but a soap, reality show or drama could good examples include
• Mark Fowler HIV storyline and made ignorance like Peggy's socially unacceptable
• Hayley Cropper (Julie Hesmondhalgh) changed the view on the transgender community and resulted in Gender Recognition Act.
• Stacy with bipolar disorder and postpartum psychosis.

A good start would be to make sure people know Autism isn't a mental illness and a developmental disability.

Autism is a very serious subject. and I would like to see it explained in a well-researched documentary; but I would not find it entertaining in a soap.
Why not do both? We need to raise awareness that Autism is a spectrum so we can challenge the inaccuracy of the stereotypes (by influencing the stereotypes) which are based on fictional characters like Rain man or Sheldon Cooper or worse in the real world the person tend to be unhinged in some way if it mentioned. While it can be as varied the characters of Roy Cropper shows.

This. Many people including myself are socially awkward.
But have your asked yourself why? Are the autism but don’t know it yet? http://mindchecker.channel4.com/test-autism.html

I've never suspected Tamwar to have any kind of ASD? He's a bit awkward but that does not mean he's autistic
Yes but it believable especially with his botched attempts at expressing emotion without giving him a complete personality transplant.

They should raise awareness for Aspergers more in soaps. Speaking as someone who already has Aspergers I feel there's not a lot of knowledge on it which saddens me.
Exactly we need to remember it ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so as a result we need the stereotype view to be more accurate or at the very least make it apparent Autism is a spectrum.

Well corrie do it brilliantly with Roy. It doesn't define him at all but it's clear he is on the spectrum
Exactly perfect example

Last edited by Zep45 : 17-02-2016 at 13:55. Reason: typo and clarification
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Old 17-02-2016, 13:44
Lucie_Girard
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No, mental illness is not in the slightest bit entertaining.
First of all Autism is not a mental illness. It is a disability. My daughter is autistic and I don't see her mentally ill. It depends of the degree. These children are absolutely brilliant in certain fields. My daughter learned to read at 3 1/2 without anyone teaching her. And she has a lot of musical skills even if she never learned. Autistic children learned differently than us but to say that are mentally ill is not right and it bothers me a lot hearing that.

People are so misinformed about it. It is pretty difficult for a parent to accept it trust me, but these children are so amazing. I wouldn't change my daughter at all. She is like she is and that's the beauty of it.
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