Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:00 pm Post subject: Autism x 6 documrtary on family with 6 autistic kids
on the the discovery health channel
Oct 01, 8:00 pm
Autism x 6
Episode 1
TV-PG
Imagine a family with six children under 14 living in an 1100 sq. ft. house, with one bathroom. Now imagine that all 6 of those children are autistic. This program will explore the everyday reality of John and Robin Kirton and their six autistic children.
description
Discovery Health Profiles the Inspiring Kirton Family in Autism x6
- Hour-Long Special Chronicling Life With Six Autistic Children Premieres
Wednesday, October 1, at 8 PM (ET/PT) -
SILVER SPRING, Md., Sept. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- When John and Robin Kirton
first married, they knew they wanted to have a large family -- but like
many couples, they had no idea what they were in for. Today, the Kirtons
are the parents of six children -- each of whom has been diagnosed with
autism. Discovery Health presents an intimate view of life with multiple
autistic children in AUTISM x6, an hour-long special premiering Wednesday,
October 1, at 8 PM (ET/PT).
To say the Kirtons live modestly would be an understatement. The entire
eight-member Kirton family resides in 1,100-square-foot house with a single
bathroom located outside of Salt Lake City. Caring for the children's
special needs requires round-the-clock supervision, making it impossible
for either parent to have a permanent full-time job and causing financial
resources to be scarce. Autism x6 takes viewers into the Kirtons' world and
offers a view of John and Robin's daily struggle to maintain order in the
midst of chaos, where the household can spin out of control the moment they
turn their backs.
Considered to be a spectrum disorder, autism ranges from severe to mild
-- and the Kirton children span the entire spectrum. Viewers will meet --
-- Mary, 3: Diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder-not
otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) -- the least severe form of autism
-- Ammon, 4: Diagnosed with classic autism -- the most severe end of
the spectrum
-- Sarah, 6: Diagnosed with classic autism
-- Nephi, 9: Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome -- a high-functioning
form of autism
-- Emma, 10: Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome
-- Bobby, 14: Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome
AUTISM x6 is the portrait of a resilient family coping with the
struggles of each day by rolling with the punches and maintaining their
sense of humor. The documentary also serves as a profile of the
unconditional love that parents feel for their children.
"We did not choose to have autistic children, but they are here," said
John. "We love them, and we want to do the best we can for them. That's the
right thing to do."
Online at discoveryhealth.com, visitors can learn more about the Kirton
family as well as access a variety of resources for more information on
autism.
AUTISM x6 is produced for Discovery Health by Figure 8 Films. For
Discovery Health, Alon Orstein is executive producer. For Figure 8 Films,
Bill Hayes is executive producer and Monica Lange is producer, writer and
director.
Discovery Health Media includes the Discovery Health and FitTV
television networks and online assets including
http://www.discoveryhealth.com, as well as its Continuing Medical Education
(CME) business and Discovery's first stand-alone VOD service, Discovery
Health On-Call. Discovery Health Media is part of Discovery Communications,
the number-one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion
cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Discovery's 100-plus
worldwide networks are led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, The
Science Channel, Discovery Health and HD Theater, with digital media
properties including HowStuffWorks.com. Discovery Communications is owned
by Discovery Holding Co. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB), Advance/Newhouse
Communications and John S. Hendricks, Discovery's founder and chairman. For
more information, please visit http://www.discoverycommunications.com/.
I have heard of this show, but not seen it. I think because I have anxiety attacks sometimes, and hearing about that poor girl who gets them a lot and is crying just is so sad. The girl with the long blond hair with bangs looks a lot like I did when I was a child.
Spokane_Girl I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more
Joined: Jul 17, 2007 Age: 23 Posts: 3853 Location: Benny & Joon town (I wish)
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 1:02 am Post subject:
I wonder why it says "a high-functioning form of autism" about one of the kids diagnosed with AS while the other two say "Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome" only? I guess Nephi's is very mild and the other two are low functioning AS? _________________ http://www.factcheck.org/
It's superfluous to add the information again. It's just saying that Asperger's is a form of Autism that's "high-functioning" in relation to level of impairment. If another child had PDD-NOS, it wouldn't have the "the least severe form of autism" applied again.
Joined: Apr 21, 2007 Posts: 537 Location: On a cloud floating above Loughborough
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:46 am Post subject:
It's nice that the parents seem so positive because my Mum went nuts with just two kids! I have low-functioning AS (I know that sounds weird) and my brother had AD/HD as a little 'un. Thankfully the 'H' has since dissapeared but he is still crazy! _________________ I am a Tourettey, Aspie obsessive compulsive!
Joined: Sep 16, 2006 Age: 20 Posts: 2854 Location: Europe
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 11:50 am Post subject:
I wish I could see this. The video above was very interesting and seemed to be a very fair representation of the children and parents. _________________ The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. Terry Pratchett
I like how it showed the various symptoms of the children, and that the two labels cluster into two groups; Kanner's and Asperger's (PDD-NOS will be closer to Asperger's in this case). Those two groups are pretty much how it is for the majority of those with an ASD (there's also some people with mixed features, but that's rarer).
I have it set to record on my DVR. I'm anxious to see it. My son who is profoundly autistic peels off wallpaper, sheets, and curtains. We can't leave anything lying around or he'll eat, or tear it up. I also have to put his clothes on backwards to stop him from getting undressed, and pottying on the floor. I can relate to what those people are going through to an extent, even though I only have 2 children on the spectrum. The blond girl reminded me of myself as a child.
Spokane_Girl I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more
Joined: Jul 17, 2007 Age: 23 Posts: 3853 Location: Benny & Joon town (I wish)
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:54 pm Post subject:
$500 dollars a month for one autistic child. Do they mean for aspergers or for plain autism or PDD-NOS or all?
In that case at least I know it doesn't always cost $60,000-80,000 a year. The lowest cost I have heard of having an autie kid is $30,000 a year. _________________ http://www.factcheck.org/
I watched it last night. I liked it. It did a good job of displaying both ends of the spectrum. It wasn't a show about the "horror's " of raising a LFA child or the" wonders" of raising a HFA child. It had a little bit of both. It also didn't even hint at curing autism, it just discussed helping those with it. Another Plus for the anti-Autism Speaks crowd, no talk of vaccines & all that still. It focused on the kids and family, and not about getting a message across.
Joined: Apr 08, 2008 Age: 12 Posts: 144 Location: Texas, the hellhole of America.
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 6:01 pm Post subject:
Fayed wrote:
I watched it last night. I liked it. It did a good job of displaying both ends of the spectrum. It wasn't a show about the "horror's " of raising a LFA child or the" wonders" of raising a HFA child. It had a little bit of both. It also didn't even hint at curing autism, it just discussed helping those with it. Another Plus for the anti-Autism Speaks crowd, no talk of vaccines & all that still. It focused on the kids and family, and not about getting a message across.
Finnaly, a show about autism that doesn't bend the truth.
I thought it was a good show. I would say I am most like Bobby on the spectrum, a good student, but somewhat of a "nerd," and like Emma, prone to anxiety attacks.
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