Childhood Autism: A Separate Reality

Health professionals and parents of autistic children are interviewed about the diagnosis and day-to-day raising of autistic children in this well-meaning but low-budget overview. Viewers will learn the "Chinese menu" of symptoms autistic children present, hear coping stories from parents, and get a brief introduction to medication options (there is no cure). Background audio noise is partially masked by a musical soundtrack that is insultingly cloying (it sounds like something from an episode of Lassie), lending an amateur feel to the production. A superior, though more expensive, program is Day By Day: Raising the Child With Autism (VL-11/92). An optional purchase. (R. Pitman)