How do you tell a child that he or she has Asperger's Syndrome? That is the question NBC's Parenthood is clearly attempting to answer this week (the last new episode for awhile, based on their promos). Did they accomplish that feat? It's debatable, but we get both a good example and a bad example of how to tell a child, and the emotional journey of the parents involved is heart wrenching. So whether or not the episode is educational, at least we get good TV. Which, after all, is the cynical goal of all television production, right? I wish tone transferred better to text...
If you watch Parenthood, you already know the child at the center of this conundrum is Max (Max Burkholder), young son of Adam (Peter Krause) and Kristina (Monica Potter) Braverman. Shortly after the series began a year ago, Adam and Kristina found out that Max had Asperger's. They also decided he was too young to be told, even as they began making accommodations for him in all areas of their lives. Adam is clearly not ready to tell Max when, last week, Max overheard Peter blurt it out in a fit of anger at his brother Crosby (Dax Shepard), who through his infidelity had driven away Max's special tutor. This week, we pick up as Adam and Kristina sit Max down and try to explain to him what he has.
The first attempt is a disaster. Kristina cries, Adam calls it a 'disability', and both clearly send the signal to Max that he has something bad wrong with him. Dr. Pelikan (Tom Amandes) recommends they try a do-over and gives them a script to follow. Adam hates the script, which is a listing of "Qualities and Difficulties," as the episode title suggests. He thinks Pelikan is just trying to put a positive spin on something not positive. Instead, Adam pulls Max out of school and takes him to a theme park, where Max has a meltdown after his favorite roller coaster breaks. Chastised, Adam goes back to the script and he and Kristina try again.
Article comments
1 - Christi
I am the parent of a 17 year old daughter with Asperger's. My experience was a little different because my daughter was diagnosed as "autistic" at the age of 2. The diagnosis was not changed to Asperger's until she was around 12 years old. I told my daughter about Asperger's in small pieces, more as different issues came up. She now says that she was relieved to find out that her feelings of being different had a name and she has since spent a great deal of time researching the syndrome. She does not feel that she has a disability and gets angry when it is described as a disorder. She says she is "different just like everyone else." When she was first diagnosed with autism another mother gave me a poem that helped me a great deal through the years. It's called, "Welcome to Holland" by Emily Perl Kingsley. We both love this poem.
Since they first mentioned Asperger's on Parenthood I have been a loyal viewer. Many times crying right along with the Bravermans. I especially related to their dilemmas when Max was first diagnosed and they had issues with getting him into another school. I feel the writers have done an excellent job portraying and educating about Asperger's. The only criticism I have is that sometimes Max’s behavior seems to be a little over the top. But maybe that’s the point?