autism

autism, developmental disability resulting from a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. It is characterized by the abnormal development of communication skills, social skills, and reasoning. Males are affected four times as often as females. Children may appear generally normal until around the age of 24 to 30 months, although studies have identified signs of autism in children under a year of age.

Symptoms, which vary widely in severity, include impairment in social interaction, fixation on inanimate objects, inability to communicate normally, and resistance to changes in daily routine. Characteristic traits include lack of eye contact, repetition of words or phrases, unmotivated tantrums, inability to express needs verbally, and insensitivity to pain. Behaviors may change over time. Autistic children often have other disorders of brain function; about two thirds are mentally retarded; over one quarter develop seizures.

The cause of autism remains unclear, but a psychological one has been ruled out. Neurological studies indicate a primary brain dysfunction, perhaps related to abnormalities that appear to occur in the way the autistic child's brain develops. A genetic component is suggested by a pattern of autism in some families, and the condition also appears to be more common in children born to older mothers or older fathers. Treatment in which autistic children are intensively and repetitively taught skills and behaviors from a young age appears to help some children with the disorder.

Neurobiological disorder that affects physical, social, and language skills. First described by Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger in the 1940s, the syndrome usually appears before 212 years of age. Autistic infants appear indifferent or averse to affection and physical contact. They may be slow in learning to speak and suffer episodes of rage or panic; they may also appear deaf and display an almost hypnotized fascination with certain objects. Autism is often characterized by rhythmic body movements such as rocking or hand-clapping and by an obsessive desire to prevent change in daily routines. Autistic individuals may be hypersensitive to some stimuli (e.g., high-pitched sounds) and abnormally slow to react to others (e.g., physical pain). The disorder is three to four times more common in males. Though postnatal factors such as lack of parental attention were once blamed, it is now known that autism is the result of abnormalities in the brain structure. About 15–20percnt of autistic adults live and work independently; “high-functioning” autistic people may have special abilities based on their unusual ability for visual thinking. Seealso savant syndrome.

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Autism: The Musical is an award-winning 2007 documentary by Tricia Regan that premiered at the April 2007 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. The film recounts six months in the 2005-06 lives of five autistic children in Los Angeles, California as they write and rehearse for an original stage production.

Synopsis

The film recounts six months in the 2005-06 life of five autistic children and their parents in Los Angeles, California as their children write and rehearse for an original stage production. Among the children, Henry Stills is an expert on dinosaurs and a budding comedian; Adam Mandela Walden is a music savant who plays the cello and sings in the film. The other children featured in the film have one or more things they excel at doing if only given the training they need to communicate and develop those skills.

Several of the parents appearing in the film are well known in their own right. For example, Rosanne Katon-Walden was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for its September 1978 issue and her husband Richard Walden is the president and chief executive officer of Operation USA, an international organization that shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for its work as part of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. American guitarist and singer/songwriter Stephen Stills is "Stills" in the renowned rock band Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young), who recognizes autistic attributes in himself through observing his son Henry. They and the other parents round out a cast of real-life parents struggling with their strained marriages while on the verge of being overwhelmed by the needs of their autistic child.

Background/Production

An idea for the film was first raised in July 2005 as a potential 48 Hour Film Project, but did not materialize. However, in that same year, noted acting coach Elaine Hall founded The Miracle Project, a nonprofit, Sherman Oaks, California based theater group for children with autism and other afflictions. In late 2005, Tricia Regan began filming the six-month rehearsal process at Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services recreation room in Los Angeles. Regan is said to have collected more than 400 hours of raw material, winnowing the documentary to five complimentary family narratives. The title of the film emerged only in the late stages of editing.

In March 2007, reality show producers Bunim/Murray Productions expanded its business into films and made "Autism: The Musical" its first acquisition. Bunim/Murray Productions came on board toward the end of shooting to join In Effect Films in producing the film.

Distribution

After its premiere on April 18, 2007 at Robert De Niro's sixth annual Tribeca Film Festival, the film enjoyed a limited theatrical run in several US cities in 2007. Among its many awards, the film received the best documentary award at the 10th annual Newport International Film Festival in June 2007. The film was purchased for broadcast beginning March 25, 2008 by HBO.

Reception

On November 19, 2007, "Autism: The Musical" was named by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as one of 15 films on its documentary feature Oscar short list. The film has won awards at 7 major film festivals in the U.S. Following its television broadcast on HBO, the film garnered two 2008 Emmy awards, for nonfiction film editing as well as "Outstanding Nonfiction Special".

See also

• Improvisation in music therapy
• Music therapy
• Stanley Greenspan - His floortime approach to engage Autism inspired Elaine Hall to create The Miracle Project, the subject of Autism: The Musical.

References

Further reading

• Hart, Hugh. (March 23, 2008) New York Times A Season of Song, Dance and Autism. Section: AR; Page 20.
• Whipple, Jennifer. (July 2004) Journal of Music Therapy Music in Intervention for Children and Adolescents with Autism: A Meta-Analysis. Volume 41, Issue 2, pp. 90–106.
• Wigram, Tony. (July 2000) Music Therapy Perspectives ' A Method of Music Therapy Assessment for the Diagnosis of Autism and Communication Disorders in Children. Volume 18, Issue 1, pp. 13–22.

External links

• Official website
• The Miracle Project - Official film location for Autism: The Musical.