Play on Autism Awareness

Scene 1

Narrator: Reehan, age 10 years, is the only child of his parents. Reehan is a very shy child and has been bought up by his parents with great care. The only close friend Reehan has is a teddy bear. He spends his day playing with his Teddy and thinking of it as his friend.

Rehan returns from school)

Reehan: Mama I’m home!

Mama: Reehan change your clothes and come have your lunch

Reehan:  Ok! I’ll be right there let me grab Teddy, also to lunch.

(Rehan enters the room, takes off his bag, and starts looking for his Teddy. Reehan was shocked to see that his Teddy was lying on the floor with his head torn apart from its body. After seeing that Rehan becomes agitated and starts walking in circles, crying and mumbling “teddy!! teddy!!”)

(Reehan lets a loud shriek. His mother, after hearing the shriek, hurries to his room.)

Mama: Reehan what has happened?

{Mother notices Reehan terrified, sitting in a corner with his hands covering his eyes}

Mama: Reehan are you alright? What are you so scared of?

Reehan: Mama look! Somebody has killed Teddy.
[The mother looks at the Teddy]

Mama: No beta Teddy is not dead. Your younger cousin came earlier today when you were at school. And he had torn your Teddy while I was sitting with your aunt in the guest’s room. Teddy is alright.
Reehan: No, he is not. Teddy is dead. He will never be the same.

[The mother tries to calm Reehan but he won’t listen. Becoming herself worried she calls his dad to come home and look at his son]

Dad arrives at home

Dad: Reehan beta! Mama told me that you were worried, and why is that?

(But Reehan gives no response to the dad.)

Dad: Teddy is alright son. Your mom can sew it and he will be live again.
Reehan: No! He will not.

(Mom picks up the Teddy so that she can sew it up again. But as the Teddy was lifted all of its stuffed cotton came out; and the miserable state of Teddy became worse. Seeing this, Reehan started to cry again)

Mama: I think we should take him to a doctor.

(Dad agrees and they all leave the house immediately)

Scene 2

Narrator: Reehan’s parents take their child to a doctor

(They enter the doctor’s office. The doctor could also sense that something is wrong with Reehan)

Doc: Aslam-o-Alaikum! Can you please tell me the problem that your child is facing?

Dad: Doctor sahib we are also not sure what has happened to our child. He was totally normal when he came from school today. But later he saw his Teddy torn up and from that moment he is crying.

(Doctor examines Reehan carefully. But when the doctor tried to get close for inspection Reehan started to resist. )

Doc: Externally, he looks totally fine. I think he is traumatized because if his torn Teddy. Was he really close to his toy?

Dad: Yes!

Doc: Did you try to sew the Teddy or buy a new one for Reehan?

Dad: Yes we tried, but he doesn’t listen to us. He keeps saying that Teddy is dead

Doc: Then I think that your child is facing some kind of psychological issue. Because such emotional attachment to a toy is not normal

(After hearing this mom gets angry and reproaches the doctor)

Mama: How can you make such speculation about my child. Are you saying my child is a retard.

Doc: This is not what I mean. Might the issue be a really minor mental problem?

Mama: Such nonsense.! I guess we should leave.

(The angry mother grabbed her child and left the clinic and the dad hurriedly followed them, while gesturing to apologize to the Doctor)

 

The doctor comes at front of the stage and addresses the audience

Have you all seen the typical Asian reaction of parents towards such sensitive issues? It’s easier for them to accept that their child is suffering from fever, ache, or some other physical issue.

Scene 3

Narrator: To make Reehan feel better, his parents took him to his aunt’s house so that he can play with his cousins and feel better.

Aunt: Asalam o alaikum! Bhabhi, how have you been? And Reehan byta how are you?

Mama: We are fine. Reehan why not you go and play with your cousins.

(Reehan leaves the room to play with his cousins)

Aunt: Where is Bhai Jan? Why hasn’t he come?

( The aunt and the mother start conversing, but after a few minutes Reehan and his cousin came to them, and the cousin complains about Reehan, that he is not playing with him.)

Mama: Reehan please play with you cousin.

Aunt: Reehan byta what has happened?

(But Reehan gives no reply)

Aunt: Bhabhi! What has happened to him?

Mama: Nothing, he is just stressed out these days.

Aunt: How can that be possible for a such young boy to be stressed?

Mama: I don’t know? Doctor says he needs to see a psychiatrist?

Aunt: No need for that. He will be fine. He is perfectly healthy.

( The mother and Reehan spend a few time at her house then leave for their home)

Scene 4

Narrator: A Few days have gone by and there is still no progress in Reehan’s mental status. So in order to cheer him up, the Dad took him to a park.

While they were strolling there, a stranger passed by, and in his hand was a teddy very similar to Reehan’s teddy. At the sight of this Reehan hurries toward the stranger and grabs his teddy. The dad on seeing this hurties towards Reehan and apologizes to him.

Dad: I am really sorry for my son’s behavior. Reehan! Let go of the uncle’s teddy.
The Stranger: No problem. The teddy is actually for my younger sister, but if your son wants to play with it he can have it. I can buy my sister a new one.

Dad: That is very generous of you but he already has one that was accidentally torn apart a few days ago, and for some reason, my son, can’t let go of that. As soon he will realize that your teddy is not the one that he used to own, he will toss this teddy away.

The Stranger: The issues seem quite serious. Have you consulted any psychiatrist for this?

Dad: We don’t think he needs a psychiatrist for such an issue.
The Stranger: I can see that this problem might seem minor to you. But behind it can be something serious that might be hidden. My sister used to face the same issues. But after her diagnosis and proper treatment she started getting better with time. So I will suggest you seek a psychiatrist for your beautiful child.

(The dad after a few thoughtful moments)

Dad: I think you might be right.

( The dad thanked the stranger for his advice; grabbed Reehan’s hand and went back to the home. He then discussed the scenario with his wife and they both finally decided to seek a psychiatrist for their son.)

Scene 5

Narrator:: The family arrives at the psychiatrist’s clinic.

(As the family enters the psychiatrist could sense the tension on Reehan’s face. As for Reehan, he was carrying a drawing book of his along with him in order to distract himself from the outer world)

The Psychiatrist: Asslam-o-alaikum! Can you please inform me with the issues that you child is facing?

Mom: Our son was very close to his teddy bear, even more then his friends at school. But accidently that teddy was torn and from that moment our son is behaving abnormally. We bought him new stuffed toys, but would not play with them.

The Psychiatrist: I can see that your child faces social anxiety and to escape that he communicates with his imaginary friend in form of the teddy bear. And because, unfortunately, his friend is gone, your son has to keep all his anxiety towards himself.

Dad: But why is it that he likes to communicate with stuffed toys and not actual humans.

The Psychiatrist: To summarize it simply, he has a unique way of thinking. A child of his age cannot fully understand him unless Reehan is fully comfortable with them. Reehan is comfortable with you guys or his teddy because you and the teddy have been with him when he was just a baby.

Dad: So us this unique way of thinking is like a curse or a disease for our child?

Rehan: Absolutely not! In psychiatry well call it autism. It can be troublesome for Reehan, but if you provide him the right care and the right environment; Reehan can excel in life, like every other kid.

(The psychiatrist then looks at Reehan)

The psychiatrist: Reehan would you like to meet my friend? He is also a teddy.

(Listening to this, Reehan lightens up and after a little bit of hesitation says “yes!”. The psychiatrist shows him his teddy and the three of them start talking to each other. The parents on the sight if this become very delighted)

(The family then leaves the stage)

(The psychiatrist picks up Reehan’s drawing book and starts to show the audience the fascinating pictures made by Reeha)

DOC2 ADDRESSING THE AUDIENCE

Being different is not a curse. In reality, it is a gift. Such minds can accomplish something that the very of us can think of. It is not just the duty of parents or the doctors to look after them. On the other hand, it is the duty of society to encourage such children to express themselves; and to make the children as comfortable as possible, in society. So that we can bring harmony and can witness the art and beauty expressed by the person who can actually feel and think, a lot more extra than us. Thank you!

The End