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News and up-to-date commentary from the Action for Children team.

Dan's story

Fiona Lydon 28 January 2009
Hi all. Thanks for all your comments here. I work in the communications team at Action for Children and I thought I'd respond to some of the posts here so I can be clear about the aims of Action for Children in producing this advert.
 
The monster in the advertisement is absolutely not Dan's autism. It is the way that he himself described how he felt his behaviour was before getting this support. Dan wanted to talk specifically about his autism and we believe it would have been wrong for us to censor him or his ideas in any way.
 
Dan’s story talks about the strong contrast between how he and his family felt before and after his diagnosis. He feels strongly that he now has support and people who are helping him with aspects of his behaviour, behaviour that previously he did not understand, and which was unintentionally creating difficulties for him in his relationships. He says that he feels more at peace with himself now, and we are very pleased to have helped him achieve this through his work with us over a period of time.

The parents and young people on the autistic spectrum referred to our services have almost always spent years battling to get proper diagnoses, statementing and support. The great majority of the parents we meet have spent years struggling on their own. Many of them have told us how their child needs professional help and time to achieve their potential in the broadest sense but our experience is that children are failing to get this until much later than should be the case. In the meantime, both child and parents have been under enormous pressure and we believe that this needs to be highlighted because of the avoidable stress it puts on children and their families. Our campaign is about realising potential in all children, drawing attention to the iniquity of this from the perspective of someone with autism and highlighting the positive impact of properly resourced, long-term support.
Tags: tv adverts  as long as it takes 
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35 comments

Jane -
15:02, 23 Feb 2009
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My gorgeous son has Asperger, ADHD and depression. Words could not express the battle we have had getting support for him and my other children. We have had all too often to fight the misguided opinions of both professionals and society.
My son and I stopped when we heard this add and it made me sad but happy that Dan had found a way and I hope it helped my son who is currently in Hospital feel he too may find a way and a place where people accept him for what he is and stop punishing him for something he cannot control.
S Smith
16:02, 19 Feb 2009
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This advert upsets me everytime it comes on. It is a poor example of a child with Autism.

My daughter is non-verbal, she has severe autism (classic autism) and severe sensory processing disorder. And by no means is agressive. I have been around many autistic children and have many friends with autisic children and none of them display agression.

The child in the advert is made to look like someone to be afraid of.
Maddy
16:02, 15 Feb 2009
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Contrary to many people, I think this advert is brilliant. I was able to see from the advert that the monster wasn't how Action For Children portrayed autism - it was how Dan saw it when it was out of control. I agree with Action For Children, it would have been wrong to change what it said. If that's the way he saw things, then that's the way it should be shown, so well done to AFC for a brilliant advert. I thought the young carers one was brilliant too - I am a young carer myself and it was very very effective.
Rachel
18:02, 14 Feb 2009
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When I first saw the Dan advert, I cried. I felt angry and sad that it was Dan who had to 'correct the errors in his behaviour' and not those who 'pushed his buttons'. Every one of us is required to moderate our behaviour to a certain extent in order to function in society. Those on the autistic spectrum are valuable members of society. Let's have an advert that raises public awareness of how others can 'correct errors in their behaviour' so as not to 'push the buttons' of a diverse and important group of people.
Fiona Lydon
10:02, 10 Feb 2009
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Hi Catriona

Thanks for posting here. Rather than have a conversation on the website, it's probably best if you give us a call on 0300 123 2112 - I'm sure we can give you some advice on how to access support.
Catrina Lumley
21:02, 9 Feb 2009
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My son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder over 3yrs ago and yet we still cannot get any help from Social Services, I am a single mum, on benefits, and need some minor work carrying out around the house to benefit my son and his condition. I feel like screaming some days because no-one seams to be listening! are you listening Action for Children, or is this just some site to make it look like the Government are doing something to help? Regards, Catrina Lumley.
Denise Field
13:02, 9 Feb 2009
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I believe that the reason parents don't get enough support for Aspergers is because it's a hidden disability, and often put within the realms of low level need. Especially in Mainstream education, over time some of the comments that have been made to me are often in the arena that we as parents aren't responsible enough to bring our children up properly, well hey Aspergers is not the fault of the parents.

Any parent who has to deal with the challenge on a daily basis will tell you how hard it is to keep our youngsters out of trouble, and avoid the stigma the behaviours ellicits. Having said that this advert I believe has got people talking and for that I am greatful, and only good can come of it. The children often are not supported and the parents have to fight so hard to get any help it beggars belief that we are sane.

My son is now 10 and within the year will be in transition to senior school I am dreading it. The condition itself is one of social and communication difficulty and often attached with behaviour and sensory challenges, allied with litracy problems and you have a potent mix of issues. I myself have had to fight tooth and nail, and I am not sure I have succeeded, in educating those that come in to contact with my son how this condition makes him behave and how he views the world.

In the last 3 years I feel that its a wonder I am sane! and having do it on my own, as my family and my other half also don't really appreciate how far reaching this diagnosis is and the impact it can have on the world and the school community.

Having said that my son's intellect is not affected we are trying our level best to ensure he is armed with the tools that will enable him to make sense of the world, and not act inappropriately, like Dan's story, this can only be in my opinion and it is only my opinion, a good way of raising the profile of these often forgotten children and young people.

Regards Denise
Sara
13:02, 9 Feb 2009
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".... we believe it would have been wrong for us to censor him or his ideas in any way. "

What a cop-out. He is a child, and by definition has communication problems. You are the communication professionals. Helping him to get a clear message across isn't censorship !

This comment, is however a good example of abdicating responsibility.
mike stanton
22:02, 8 Feb 2009
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Fiona,
some of us like to be precise about meaning as it helps autistic people to understand us. In the quote that follows are you suggesting that the behaviour and the autism are he same thing or did you mean that the monster represented he anger he used to feel when his autism was not given proper support?

"The monster in the advertisement is absolutely not Dan's autism. It is the way that he himself described how he felt his behaviour was before getting this support. Dan wanted to talk specifically about his autism and we believe it would have been wrong for us to censor him or his ideas in any way."

I take this to mean that the monster imagery is how Dan used to feel about his autism. As he is still autistic now but a lot happier according to your ad, perhaps we need a follow up showing how Dan feels about his autism now he is getting some much needed support.

And I keep seeing references to censorship as if what you did was morally justified. But there is a world of difference between censoring someone's ideas and deciding to present them to the world in a TV campaign with no comment or explanation. I hope you have taken steps to protect his identity. It may be that a future Dan will not want his childhood distress broadcast to the world.
hannah
20:02, 8 Feb 2009
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hi my name is hannah and i am glad that you have give people a indecation of children with autisum because my brother has autisum and it is difficult sometimes to help my brother with his problems.as he sometimes he keeps them away from us. he also keeps saying he is stupid and hates himself as i am doing well at school and so is he now but earlier this he kept getting into trouble and being naughty i hope that all the money you raise helps peole like my family help kids like my brother and hope that all the people that you have help apreashiate this and hope that they het all the help that they need

thankyou
crybaby
00:02, 8 Feb 2009
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AUTISM - the advert by Dan?


My son wanted to know if that's how people see him....
couldn't helping thinking .....
not till they saw the ad!
sam
19:02, 7 Feb 2009
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when i first seen this advert i was v.shocked, being a mum of a a beautifu 4 yr old with autism i found it quite harsh....i can now understand that dan said these words himself and its how he felt, but now i feel sad that he would feel he is a pain in the bum and that he had to become a better person, i hope with all my heart that my rhys never feels like that, i feel the advert is easier for adults to understand but i feel it portrays autism in a harsh way and not in a way children would understand.... to all of u with asd...u r all perfect and far from bein a pain in the bum....x
Fiona Lydon
16:02, 6 Feb 2009
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Thanks very much to everybody who has commented on and contacted us about Dan's story.

We had always scheduled the advertising campaign to finish on 8 February and so Sunday will be the last day that the advert runs. I wanted to let everyone who is interested know that we have genuinely listened to the different perspectives that have been expressed. We have been and will continue to take these views into account and learn the lessons as we go along. We do appreciate that people feel strongly about the areas in which we work - as do we - and it's essential that we listen to these views.

Thanks again for all your feedback.
Helen
16:02, 5 Feb 2009
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I want to congratulate you on your recent ad.

I was touched by the honesty and awareness with which Dan expressed himself - I think anything which draws attention to autism in a sensitive and compassionate way is good. Even now at 50+ I doubt I would have the courage to do what Dan has done. I don't quite understand the confusion about the ad though - I thought it was very clear. We all have demons but having autism makes it more challenging to deal with them - hence the need for support.

From a design and brand perspective it was clear, simple and left a powerful impression on me. I had never heard of Action For Children before - I now doubt I will forget it.

michelle
12:02, 5 Feb 2009
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What you have said about Dans story certainly rings true. My son is 11 and only recently been diagnosed with Aspergers and ADHD.(We were suspicious he had this since he was 4 after a report from an educational psychologist) We are still fighting what seems like an endless battle trying to get our son statemented and help for us as a family. I have also sttruggled with family members who do not bel;ieve there is such a thing as Aspergers or ADHD.People need to be made aware that Aspergers and ADHD ARE REAL and not an excuse for a childs behaviour.
susan
01:02, 5 Feb 2009
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I am shocked at the bad comments about this add. My son reece, age 10 has aspergers and i think anything that brings asds to the publics attention as to be good.Diagnosis of asd is still relatively new and many children with asds are thought of as being naughty or bad. I have on numerous occasions had to explain to strangers who glare dissaprovingly at reece when he runs around asda shouting and screaming that he has aspergers and is not naughty. The large majority have never heard of it, i now find their embarasment rather amusing as apposed to previously feeling very hurt and upset. We get no help from any where so i shall be contacting afc to see if they can help my wonderfull Aspy son.
Bruce
23:02, 4 Feb 2009
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I am diagnosed with Aspergers' and have a son diagnosed with high functioning Autism. The frustration and anger that Dan clearly dealt with reminds me of my son. It was clear to me what the 'monster' was, but I appreciate that perhaps it wouldn't be clear to some.

I think the one thing we can all agree on is that this is raising the profile of AFC. To be honest I hadn't been aware of the work they are doing before seeing this advert and looking them up online.

It's wrong that we should hide who we are and how our ASD affects us on a day to day basis. I know that for some people it's hard to be open because of their occupation and possible prejudice, but we must do what we can to raise awareness and understanding of what an ASD means and how varied its affects can be. I would also say that a charity like AFC has a duty to balance its output, so that if they produce an advert like this which is open to misinterpretation, then they should perhaps follow it with more detail on Dan and the positive elements of his personality and his life so that people understand that people with ASDs aren't to be feared or shunned. More needs to be done to show the positive.
Kate Isham
16:02, 4 Feb 2009
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I recently attended an Aiming High conference and everyone there had heard of Action for Children through the most recent advert featuring Dan. The advert has raised awareness of the organisation and we have sinced received a phone call from a mother who said that her son was just like Dan and that she would like us to help her as she was struggling to cope. This is a very positive step for Action for Children if it is showing parents and carers that there is help and support available if they need it.
DamoSumo
12:02, 4 Feb 2009
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Well intentioned, poorly thought out!
Unfortunately the world isn't full of parents of ASD kids so the "normal" people get the wrong picture again of what autism is. Negative to say the least.
Can't believe you took any advice about the finished product prior to going to air.

Better luck next time, or will you just use a clip from "Rainman" after all that's what autism is isn't it?
lisa
10:02, 4 Feb 2009
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I saw your Ad last night and was horrified. The effect of the Ad was to demonise children with ASD or behavioural problems whether this was the intention or not the Ad should be pulled.
j
22:02, 3 Feb 2009
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hi. i have just seen your advert for the first time, and it made me sit up - i have seen that! i recognise it and i wanted to shout out aloud about who it reminded me of! i hardly heard the 'autism' word mentioned (but as im sure you all agree as soon as its said about your child you hear it anywhere) my son has aspergers syndrome, hes 9 and was diagnosed at 4. he does have problems with his emotions and how to control them (insert drawings by dan). if this site can help us at all we will be grateful. i think everyone at action for children should be proud. you are trying to help others and address the issues that need to be said. you cannot possibly describe everyones own personality on the spectrum, but give one example and hope that other people will share theirs bringing ideas and help to others. i support anyone trying to help.

also, im sorry ian, but you are saying that your friends daughter is 'different' and 'not scary', but YOU dont want to admit out loud that YOU are 'different' and 'not scary?' yet you think thats the message that is supposed to be said and yet you, yourself wont say it? if you honestly want people to stop beig afraid of the label you have to think theres nothing to be scared about. hiding it away and being too scared to tell anyone isnt conveying a very good image to the rest of us. ok its work related, but how again are employers supposed to feel if your hiding it from them? to me thats making it scary not just that you are different.

i hope that this advert makes people realise that there are other people like themselves out there. so they dont have to feel so alone and that there is support and help if needed.
Mary
22:02, 3 Feb 2009
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I totally agree with John Burns. I found the advert most distasteful to anyone who has autism to be portrayed by 'cartoons'.

These adverts must be costing the charity a huge amount of money at a time when they can ill afford it. If you are attempting to raise the new profile of Action for Children then in my opinion this does absolutely nothing to engage anyone watching and certainly nothing for service users.
Anita
21:02, 3 Feb 2009
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I am really angry about this advert. Dan my not see the monster as autism and see his anger as the monster but the way the advert has been edited and put together does NOT give that message.
As a mother with a child on the spectrum we face ignorance about autism EVERY DAY. I am VERY angry that this has been used as a basis as an advert for what exactly? not for autism awareness that's for sure. to be 'saved' from autism that's not possible is it??
If I have missed the point tell me exactly how this advert is going to make my or my childs life any better. How is this charity going to help us deal with the ignorance this is fuelling about autism. I feel UTTERLY betrayed. In a world that we receive hardly any support it feels like a knife in the back,.
Ettina
21:02, 3 Feb 2009
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"People who are themselves on the autism spectrum, or who live or work with people who are, will understand regardless of the ambiguity in the advert that what Dan sees as his monster is the anger and frustration that goes with having to work so hard to make sense of the world, and yet being misunderstood, mistreated and bullied anyway."

Oh really? I'm autistic, and I didn't understand that. If in fact that's actually true - sounds like a cop out to me.
Autism is so commonly portrayed as a child-stealing monster that there's no reason why not to assume the same in that ad. Have you read the poem 'My Name is Autism'? Here's a link:
http://www.asohalton.org/My%20Name%20is%20Autism.pdf

When portrayals such as that are common, why wouldn't we assume that the monster represents Dan's autism? It's the only interpretation that actually makes sense.
Jo
18:02, 3 Feb 2009
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This advert describes our daughter exactly. She has aspergers and has tremendous anger fits (meltdowns), which can be very violent, but can then return to a wonderful loving child in the blink of an eye. Thankfully now at special school she is getting all the help she needs after being excluded and branded as an extremely naughty and unacceptable child in mainstream school. However this took so much blood sweat and tears to get there because the local authority refused to acknowledge her condition thus putting so much more pressure on us. We, therefore, wish to thank you for this advert.
John Burns
11:02, 2 Feb 2009
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I am the father of a young woman who has problems on the ASD spectrum. I think the Dan advert is totally unacceptable, not only does it display an ignorance of the problems faced by autistic people it also damages the public perception of Autism.

It should be withdrwn immediately.
joy
11:02, 2 Feb 2009
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Your advert reallt struck a cord with us as we have a son who is currently struggling in mainstream secondary school, he is 13 years old. Although school are trying there hardest to help they don,t really understand the difficulties and we really want him placed in a specialist unit but our LEA won,t fund it. He is currently at school part time. We are struggling with issues of self harm, destructive behaviour, aggression and almost constant tantrums. Although i can see my boy is really struggling and really want to help him it is a very difficult situation to deal with and is impacting on the lives of ny other children. The relationship between my son and his stepfather has totally broken down and this is in itself extremely stressful for me. Thankyou for the advert it made me realise i am not alone. My son has seen the advert and can see himself in Dan.
Ian
10:02, 2 Feb 2009
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I wish you hadn't taken down the previous blog post and the comments associated with it. Aside from stripping some of the context from my own earlier comment, you have deprived us of a discussion that was useful in explaining both why the Dan advert was made in the first place and why the reaction to it has been so mixed.

People who are themselves on the autism spectrum, or who live or work with people who are, will understand regardless of the ambiguity in the advert that what Dan sees as his monster is the anger and frustration that goes with having to work so hard to make sense of the world, and yet being misunderstood, mistreated and bullied anyway. They will also understand that, as Joshua's mum rightly says, the spectrum is broad.

Sadly those people represent only a small percentage of those who will see Dan's advert. From what I have been able to gather, overwhelmingly the perception that everyone else has taken from the advert is that Dan's autism is his monster, and that when it was somehow "slain" he learned how he should "correct his thinking" and thus emerged into a land of flowers and sunshine.

If anyone is at fault for that misconception it is those who made the advert, and who juxtaposed Dan's words and his artwork in such a way that the general public would be led to that interpretation. This was a professionally made advert and the professionals who made it should have known better. Judging the public reaction to such things is what they are paid for.

Dan has clearly benefited hugely as a result of being around people who have treated him sensitively. He seems also to have had help (that I would have appreciated thirty-odd years ago) developing strategies to cope with the things in everyday life that are much harder work for him than for others. He has perhaps also had help to cope with some of the other issues that are so often associated with an ASD, especially depression and anxiety. Those are things that Action for Children can be really proud of, and that Dan is right to celebrate. I wish the advert had made them clearer.
Robert
16:02, 1 Feb 2009
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Fiona, I beleive that due to the way the current public reacts, Having the "monster" of what Dan said he was acting like was a big mistake. I've had hell and back thanks to your advert, and all it has seemed to do is breed ignorance and hatered in my local area. I think you should research before you post such an advert.
joshua's mum - Sarah jane
11:02, 1 Feb 2009
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Hello Action for Children. I have just supported my son in writing a comment about your advert. I have also read the comments left by other people. Personaly the advert struck a cord and joshua's face the first time he saw the advert was something special. Joshua has described his anger to me in the past as a monster,fire in his head and has drawn it as a black scribble. For him to know that there is another boy out there who has felt the same in some way has given him some comfort. People seem to be forgetting that autism is so differant for each person and for their families and this advert was about Dan, his perseptions, his feelings, his family. Not every person in a wheelchair is the same, not everyone with red hair is the same. I use these analagy's because having an ASD can be as disabling as one or play a very small part in forming your character as the other. ( yes i have red hair and i was always expected to be a hand-full so guess what i became! ) If people stereo-type, if people are put in boxes because of who they are, their abilities their disabilites, then its down to a lack of understanding and isnt that what Dan was trying to tell us? Once Dan understood himself, his own limitations then life became barable, less confusing. I want to say thank-you to AFC for giving my child some comfort and giving other people something to talk about.
Joshua age12
10:02, 1 Feb 2009
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when i saw your advert about Dan it made me feel happier. i have a.s.d. just like him. Sometimes i feel angry too and i had to move schools because of bullies. i worry all the time. and i feel so confused by people. i have two younger brothers and i find it so hard to play with them because they are loud and dont play by the rules. sometimes they get hurt and then i get upset and angry with myself. sometimes i hurt myself and pull my hair out. this makes my mum sad.my mum tries hard to make us all happy but it makes me sad when she is sad. sometimes i hate being me.
Chris Brown
20:01, 29 Jan 2009
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Whatever Dan's ad was intended to do, whatever the good intentions, it has not done me any favours
"Dan: the real story" on youtube is much nearer my experience as a child, undiagnosed, at school forty years ago. And yet now, if I mention my relatively recently diagnosed Asperger's to someone who has seen your ad...

Asperger's is being different. Very much so even within the condition. Painting one picture distorts the perception of the others not painted.
You have done me no favour, whatever you may have done for ohers.
Barbara
17:01, 29 Jan 2009
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I have to agree with Ian. The majority of children on the autistic spectrum do not display this type of aggression. If, as you say, this was a question of late diagnosis, I should like to ask at what age was he diagnosed, and was it before or after he was placed in residential care? The diagnosis question has not been raised before today, either in the cartoon or in the ad, although it is useful to hear it, finally, as this is what I suspected. Therefore, a moment of careful editing at story-board stage would have been useful, just to point out that it was his 'anger' rather than his 'autism' that was the issue, at the time. It's funny, isn't it, how perceptions can be manipulated? So was it the school which 'saved' him, or his diagnosis? I suspect the latter.
Brian
10:01, 29 Jan 2009
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Dear AFC - My daughter is a highly functioning aspergers girl although this is not her defining characteristic. She is intelligent, attractive, funny and loving. But, she is not always popular as she can read social situations with catastrophic results sometimes. I think society is grossly discriminatory toward the neuro-diverse community. We are fortunate that through the years her friends and family have learnt to accept her, and the rewards of being with her are huge.

I support your organisations decisions to screen this advert because it has drawn attention to the issue. Advertising must be edgy to gain attention but the risks do not always pay off and in this case offence has been caused.

Can there be a happy ending to this? I hope so. I hope you can learn that you must consult advocacy groups who comprise and TRULY represent diverse groups before you take risks and cause offence. Please make a commitment to do this.

Brian Davis
Ian
00:01, 29 Jan 2009
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Thank you for clarifying the aims of the campaign Fiona. Your comments are reassuring in a way that the advert itself is not.

I'm afraid I don't think those admirable aims are being met by the Dan advert at all. Whether or not you intended it (and I believe you when you say you did not) it does give the impression that all Dan's problems are caused by some terrible monster called Autism which possesses him.

I see children shy away from my friend's daughter who is autistic. They don't know what to make of her. She seems strange to them, unpredictable. Seeing this sometimes reduces her mother to tears. But when these children get to know her they realise that she is not "scary", she is just different. THAT'S the message we need to convey to people.

I entirely agree with the comment posted by Susan about her daughter, who will (in consequence of this advertising) doubtless be trying to avoid telling potential employers that she has Asperger's Syndrome. I don't blame her. I have Asperger's Syndrome and have told nobody at work, and I am even less likely to now, though my position is much less vulnerable than that of a newly graduated hopeful looking for her first job in the midst of a recession. I am middle-aged, married with a family, a lawyer by profession, a Sunday School teacher at weekends, and (notwithstanding this advert) a contributor to Action for Children. And currently I am also very disappointed.