For those who’ve by no means watched PBS Youngsters’ Carl the Collector, you’re lacking out. The sequence is about in Fuzzytown and follows Carl, the titular raccoon who has autism, and his particular curiosity is in creating collections. It’s the network’s first sequence to star a personality on the spectrum, and embody extra neurodiverse characters round them, like Carl’s bestie Lotta the fox who can also be autistic. And on Monday, Carl goes to attach with a brand new furry good friend representing one more type of child with autism spectrum dysfunction (ASD) — and Scary Mommy has the unique first look.
ASD appears totally different for everybody, and Carl the Collector does a beautiful job of displaying simply how a lot range exists on the autism spectrum. In a brand new episode airing Monday, October 13, Carl will meet Paolo, a brand new good friend who loves outer area and accumulating issues simply as a lot as Carl does. Paolo has autism and is “largely non-speaking/preverbal,” in response to a press launch from PBS, so he communicates with the assistance of a speech pill (often known as an Augmentative and Different Communication system). Paolo is voiced by Odin Frost, a voice actor who’s autistic and non-speaking, and makes use of an AAC system himself.
This episode, titled “A New Good friend,” is the primary time a personality with an AAC is being represented on a PBS Youngsters present. It’s clear a lot thought went into Paolo’s introduction, however that’s to be anticipated from PBS Youngsters and the present’s workers of neurodiverse writers, actors, manufacturing crew, and advisors. By way of Carl and Paolo’s interplay, viewers get a have a look at how AAC gadgets look and work, and even a bit of etiquette lesson from Paolo — he’s typing! Give him an opportunity to reply, please. Right here’s a more in-depth have a look at Paolo’s AAC system in comparison with the true factor:
“There’s a saying, ‘For those who’ve met one autistic particular person, you’ve met only one autistic particular person,’ which is one thing this present authentically demonstrates in each episode,” mentioned Carl the Collector workers author Ava X. Rigelhaupt in a press launch saying the present’s debut final yr. “I’m hopeful that Carl the Collector will develop views of autism and neurodiversity, creating a greater understanding and additional acceptance for future generations.”
Whereas extra neurodivergent characters are being written into youngsters’ media, Carl the Collector has probably the most inclusive casts of characters I’ve seen, particularly now that Paolo is becoming a member of the enjoyable. AAC customers on display screen have been only a few and much between outdoors of ABC’s Speechless and Disney’s Out of My Mind. However Paolo is right here to repair that for Carl’s audience of youngsters ages 4 to eight.
Carl and Paolo’s episode kicks off a full week of name new Carl the Collector episodes, culminating in a full half-hour Halloween particular the place Carl can’t wait to trick-or-treat with all this buddies and accumulate as many sweet wrappers as potential in a single night time. We will’t wait to tune in.
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