Autism & Diet

During my Master’s program I did a project on diet and autism. I interviewed 10 parents of children with autism and was surprised that the belief of diet being beneficial is not overwhelming.  In fact, it seemed to be fifty fifty.  The parents I interviewed didn’t solely rely on medication to help their child.  Many have tried diets (Gluten Free/Casein Free, elimination diets, supplements and a Korean/Japanese based diet), they have done therapies including: behavior, speech, occupational, cranio-sacral, music, audio-integrative, play, enzyme, and auditory, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Floor time.  Therefore, those interviewed were willing to try alternatives to medical stances on autism.

Of the participants, sixty percent believed their child’s school would accommodate a special diet for their child if requested.  Perhaps this is reason enough that some parents would not be willing to partake in a diet.  If the school would not help, it could result in being pointless.  This raises another question in my mind as to whether or not school should be required to accommodate children’s dietary needs.  

There were many positive comments regarding diet in relation to autism.  One parent said they wish they knew of diets sooner as they assume it would have helped their child even more if they started it earlier.  Another parent said she will notice a change in autistic symptoms within hours if she doesn’t follow the diet.  The realization that autism is a “spectrum disease” was brought up and that diet may work for some and not for others.  The last comment that was positive was that of a mother of a 3 ½ year old with autism that has many allergies.  The diet is more intended to alleviate acid reflux symptoms rather than specific autistic symptoms.

Not every parent was convinced that diet is the way to go.  One parent feels it is enforcing a cure that is not proven to work and feels it is cruel to impose such dietary restrictions on her child.  Another parent is weary of diets because of a belief that it stems from parent desperations.  The belief that we are experimenting on autistic children discourages other parents, especially since there is a belief that diet connections with autism have not been proven by science as of yet.  Lastly, the try and fail issue is another reason parents think negatively of diet.

I truly expected to hear all the parents being in favor of diet.  So I was surprised to hear that it is not as favored as I expected after reading up on the may diet options out there.  Does anyone have further experience with any of these diets?

Disney - Snow White

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves has a large array of media portrayal of disability.  To start, it is about 7 dwarves.   A whole book can probably be written on the disability associations seen in this movie.  These seven dwarfs appear to be outcasts of society that are all living together in an area outside of society.  Is this to say that being a little person makes you an outsider?  And each dwarf had some disorder as well: Grumpy (depression), Sleepy (narcoleptic), Happy (is there a disorder aside from mania perhaps?), Sneezy (severe allergies), Bashful (social anxiety), Doc (speech disorder) and Dopey (intellectually disabled and mute).

By naming each character after their disabilities, they are allowing the individual to be defined by their disabilities.  A disability does not (and should not) define a person.  Plus, they act like they needed Snow White (who symbolized perfection in appearance) to be present to bring order to their lives.  She did their cooking, cleaning, sewing, washing, etc.  As if individuals with a disability cannot take care of themselves.

I grew up watching Disney movies and love them just as much as the next.  I am not suggesting one bans these movies or revolts. And I don’t believe Disney intentionally put out these subliminal messages.  I just a trying to prove why false assumptions exist in regards to people with a disability.

2008 Interview With Chris Burke

Below is an interview I had with Chris Burke - actor with Downs Syndrome from "Life Goes On"

TW: How did you start acting? 

CB: Actually, let me keep the story short.  Seriously, when I first started I was about 22 or 23 years old, really. I did a TV pilot called Desperate, but it didn’t get picked up as a series, a regular show.  And then from there, Then I went on my own to do the Life Goes On series, which went very well. 

TW: Did you take acting lessons?

CB: I really did, but not professionally,  I did some workshops with other actors with disabilities.  But it didn’t work out for me really.

TW: Did you use a job coach?

CB: You mean a dialect coach? Yes, It helped me a lot, which is really great, and really taught me so much.  When I first started to do the pilot – the women I worked with is Star Groman and then from there it was Kailey Goldberg. When she got married to her future husband, Chad Hummel, and her name is Kailey Goldberg Hummel. She’s really nice. It really helped me a lot, it was really great because it is cause of her I was there.

TW: So they pretty much help you remember your lines and stuff like that?

CB: I didn’t have any trouble, it was more understanding the character.

 

TW: Right, you were good at memorizing the lines?

CB: Well, I am not as good as Elvis Presley can.  But, what I am saying, very seriously, because as an actor, you have  to understand the thoughts behind the line.

TW: So you can show some emotion…

CB: Yes, exactly

TW: Do you have a favorite episode of Life Goes On?

CB: I like all of them, very hard to say.  But, I love the early years of those episodes.  It went really well for me.  One of my favorite is the title of the actor that had Down Syndrome, David McFarlane. He was in an episode titled Arthur.  Its about a young man in his 40s that has Down Syndrome.  And his mom actually didn’t want to send, because Corky is real experienced and went to school.  And Arthur really did not cope with that, you know, and then he was told to be placed in a group home.  He has obstacles in life, it’s a great picture of an ordinary episode.

TW: What has been the most difficult situation you have had to deal with at work?

CB: That’s a good question (laughs) – that’s a personal question.  It’s just that uh…nothing really you know but obviously it was very difficult.  But I didn’t find it very difficult cause you know what it’s like. I’m not an actor with a disability; I am an actor with ability. That’s my message

TW: Did you have to deal with discrimination when you were acting?

CB: Actually I did, I did face obstacles, but I never took my eyes off goal to make my dreams come true to be an actor, really.

TW: Do you see things getting better or worse (or staying the same) for actors with disabilities?

CB: Well actually, now I would say its moving so slow.  I would like to say that they should bring back some family tv shows. Seriously.  So I will be able to watch them.  But now I watch them on dvd so its good.

TW: What did you think of the movie, ‘The Ringer”

CB: Yes I did, actually I liked it very much.  It was a very good movie because they did hire actors with disabilities to be in the movie.  Which is really great because it shows a message that this guy, that what he did wrong, he didn’t give up on his people. He became good friends with them

TW: I used to have an internship at Special Olympics

CB: O really, I used to participate in Special Olympics.

TW: What sports did you play?

CB: Different events, very seriously.  Meter dash, basketball, jump, softball throw, and etc.

TW: Who is you favorite actor?

CB: Tom Hanks and Philip Costner – he played Frank Sinatra on the mini series called Sinatra the mini-series.  I have the DVD now so its good.

TW: So, now you are in a band that is touring the country.

CB: It’s called Chris Burke with Joe and John Demassey – We are a singer with a band.  We have a positive message about ability to focus on our disabilities. We do songs of inclusion, we have very interactive songs that we perform which is really great.  We also try to look on a positive outlook of ourselves.  You know? We also do songs of inspiration so we can inspire people.  Which is really great

TW: Have you been able to see a lot of the cool places because of this?

CB: I can’t wait.

TW: Have you toured a lot?

CB: Yes I have. You know what, please go onto our website which is chrisburke.org 

TW: Do you know of any other bands that have members with an intellectual disability?

CB: Actually, that’s a good question.  Some of them yes, seriously.  One of them, they’re from Boston, Massachusetts and it’s called Potentials Unlimited.  They are two friends of mine who are in the area.  They have a group that focus on disabilities.  Two friends of mine, one is James and his wife, Cindy Stride.

TW: I am living in Los Angeles, and there is a band here called The Kids of Widney High.  They all have intellectual disabilities.  They were in the movie The Ringer at the end.

CB: O Ok

TW: So I went to visit their school before and they are a good band too

CB: O really

TW: You should check them out, they have a website.

CB: Actually, wait a minute, what is the name of that band

TW: It’s called the kids of Widney High.

CB: O o ok, ok.  I guess you might have heard of them, The High Hopes.  

TW: No I haven’t heard of them

CB: They are from California, I think they are from LA.

TW: O cool, I will have to look them up too.

CB: They’re great. (laughs)

TW: So do you have any future plans for acting?

CB: Who knows what’s going to happen.  You know.  But I am still working at the National Down Syndrome Society and I still have my singing group which is really good with John and Joe Demassey. I am really enjoying it very much

TW: If you could make one change in the world, what would it be?

CB: Oh that’s a good question. (laughs)  I would have to say…uh, to do behind the scenes work in show business and come up with ideas for the other writers and producers to help with the National Down Syndrome society so they can get actresses that can give birth to babies with Down Syndrome. And also other projects with the writers and other producers, but who knows.

Disney Disability - Evil (Peter Pan)

I have always been intrigued with media image of individuals with a disability, especially in Disney movies.  Much of  my focus in these blogs will be in reference to this very topic. Today will be in regards to Peter Pan - specifically, Captain Hook.  He is the movie's antagonist and it's no surprise a disability was added to create his image of evil.  Hook has a missing hand.  You see this all too often in media - a characteristic of evil associated with a disability.  Somehow adding a disability to an evil character makes them more evil. This brainwashes society to associate people with a disability and evil.  In reality, that is obviously not a legitimate comparison.  You see this connotation time and time again: Loveless from Wild, Wild West is in a wheelchair; Twoface from Batman has bad burns, Freddy Kreuger is scarred and burned.  It is unfortunate that disability and evil often goes hand in hand in film and it begins at an early age in moves such as Peter Pan.

Introduction

My first blog - how exciting!  My name is Theresa Roma (formerly Theresa Wagner) and I am passionate about Disability Studies and the equal treatment of people with a disability.  I grew up in a very open family that was accepting of everyone.  My grandmother worked as a recreational therapist at the West Seneca Developmental Center, where I would often come volunteer.  Growing up, I was always taught to ignore and not believe all the media and common stereotypes associated with members of society that had intellectual disabilities.  My cousins and I were quick to learn that "retard" was not a term to be used in our slang conversation.  I guess I never realized that this was an intro to my focus and passion in the field. 

I moved to California and attended University of California, Los Angeles.  In the last trimester of my junior year, Disability Studies became offered as a minor.  I jumped on the opportunity and became the first person to graduate with this minor from UCLA.  I loved these classes and really enjoyed learning the history, the laws, and the misconceptions of people with a disability.  By senior year I made a realization that I wanted to direct my career in this field - specifically as a professor.

I moved back to my hometown of Buffalo, NY and started working in the insurance industry.  I completed a Master's Degree in Adult Education with a concentration on Disability Studies from Buffalo State College.  Unfortunately, now, the closest thing to my passion is issuing disability policies for people that become disabled outside of the workplace.   Not at all what I anticipated.  But, I am fortunate to have a good and stable job and still able to pursue my passion in a different venue such as this.  I am also hoping to start teaching a course on Disability Studies under the Sociology Department within the year.

I look forward to continuing these posts and sharing with you much of the research I have done and will continue to do in the field.