Autism Soccer: Autistic Teens

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Atypical: Is It Relatable to Autistic Individuals or not?

"Atypical" tries to show us what is like to be an autistic teenager on a daily basis.

It’s not easy doing a portrayal of the lives of families with autistic children. And it’s even harder to show how it would be in the media. Most parents could find it insulting that their sons are shown as disabled, or in any other way that's totally out of what autism really is. “Atypical” is a television series produced by Netflix that has received positive reviews on almost every website.

But there’s an important group that is not being taken into account: autistic individuals.With neurotypical users covering the reviews, it’s hard to tell what people with autism really think about this show. Before getting into that, we’ll give a short overview of what this show’s about.

Atypical, is a comedy television series that focuses on the life of Sam, an 18 years old autistic teenager. The storyline focus on his daily experiences and the struggles of being autistic and dealing with an environment that’s definitely not suited for him. Overall, Sam’s desire is to fit in while embracing his condition.

The comedy source in the series is the reactions and behavior of Sam, due to the traits of his condition. You can tell the show tries to demonstrate the people around Sam understand well his condition and try to help him be accepted.

Atypical tries to portrait what is like for autistic teenagers to deal with life, interacting with others, finding someone to love, and being understood. Details like his overwhelming dislike for clothes with too many zippers are perfectly portrayed.

Is it relatable for autistics or not?

After doing some research on forums and social media, I’ve found that most autistic don’t relate to Sam’s way of portraying autism. Most opinions are based on how he represents a stereotype (how society sees autism) and how far he’s from what actually means being an autistic individual. Sam just doesn’t seem to care about being the “comedy” in the show.

Autistic teenagers who did receive treatment early on are more aware of their actions and tend to be quiet most of the time. Sam is completely the opposite. He is openly factual and doesn’t miss a moment to share things with everyone he comes across. That’s a major stereotype of autism, and with a deeper research, the character could’ve been played differently.

On the other hand, Sam displays an abusive behavior that’s totally different from the average autistic people behavior (again, autistic who received treatment early on). It looks as he’s more a bully than the commonly portrayed victim, which puts him in a strange position from the eyes of viewers. Again, this only adds to the wrong perception some people have about the autism spectrum.

Still, there are some factors that do represent autism. Atypical does show that besides having a difficult condition, Sam is a person with dreams and thoughts, just like everyone else. He is an autistic teenager going through one of the hardest stages of growth, and its creator did its best to let others know what it means.

Before getting fed up with reviews, my advice is that you go and watch the series. But while you do it, try to put yourself in the shoes of those who live with this condition. Try your best to see it from an atypical perspective, and you’ll come up with your own opinions about it.

The series might not be the perfect portrait of what it means to be autistic, but directors tried their best to create and develop each character.

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Monday, July 31, 2017

5 Handful Tips for Autistic Teens

It's important to keep in mind that autistic teenagers and adults can be workers as capable as any other person.

Growing up is a challenge on its own. Kids in their early years get to enjoy the freedom of just being themselves and let their imagination loose. But as they grow up, responsibilities appear and things that used to be fun turn into serious activities. Before you know it, you have become a teenager, and another phase is in front of you.

Autistic teens do not have it easier, facing society and the future workplace you'll be at can pose difficulties because of others lack of understanding. If you feel like you could use a hand, here’s a handful of tips to help you out:

1.- No one knows you better than yourself

Accepting who you are is the main defense against people who don’t understand autism. If you’ve been through therapies before, you know it’s not easy, but you made it! You’re here now, ready to go out there and do things you didn't think you would.

Don’t let others discourage you from trying new experiences only because of their own misconceptions. You know very well what you’re capable of doing!

2.- There are good people out there

This is the first thing that could daunt you from going out there, the feeling that people won’t be as friendly or aware as you thought. It might feel like you’re going out there all by yourself, but it turns out it’s not that way.

By good, I’m not only referring to communities and people willing to help you but autistic folks that are already facing the world just as you are. Don’t let the fact that only a 1% of people have autism let you down. You’ll be surprised when you notice 1% will be enough. You are not alone.

3.- School isn’t that bad

Perhaps this is the most common fear of teenagers, mainly because school represents a significant part of their lives. Don't fear secondary or high school. There’ll be people who will accept you for who you are. Bullies are a general concern, of course, but if you manage to deal with their bad intentions and focus on your grades and friends, they’ll mean nothing to you.

After leaving school, it will just be another challenge accomplished and lots of lessons learned. If you build strong relationships, you will have some good companions for life. On the contrary, if you didn’t manage to get friends, there’s always the chance of meeting new people in the future (your workplace, for example).

4.- Keep up the pace, but your own

Imagine life as it was a race, but not one you need to get first or second. Just a race where, no matter which position you get, you’ll win. Autistic or not, each person has its own way of doing things. At this point, you know what you’re capable of as an individual, so you should never try to follow someone else’s pace.

Life’s not hurrying you to go and do everything in one day. This is your life, so you might as well just enjoy it at your rhythm.

5.- Hone your skills. Prepare yourself

Autistic people have a unique set of skills and capability, like any other person, and sometimes even more. But as much as you’re good at something, there’s always room for improvement. Find a place where you can use your capabilities while also improving them.

People often believe that academics are everything (math, English, and science), but when it comes down to the value you have as an individual, your grades mean nothing but a number in a piece of paper.

Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t study or prepare at school, it means that, if you work in what you’re good at, there’ll be more value to it.

Nowadays, people are starting to become more aware of what it means to be autistic in society. Even though there’s much work to be done yet, there’s a definite improvement. If you feel like fitting in it’s still hard for you, remember there’ll always be people willing to help you.

Autism Soccer stands today as an important asset for autistic children to develop their skills, grow and become a new voice for those who are still not heard. If you’re a parent looking for a friendly space for your children to improve, you’ve just found it!