Tanner’s mum speaks out on controversy surrounding Love on the Spectrum being problematic
The show has been facing backlash recently
Love on the Spectrum has recently come under fire for being potentially problematic in regards to its representation of the autistic community, alongside the reaction of some viewers towards the cast.
Tanner’s mum, Nicci, has addressed the criticism towards the show in an interview with TODAY, specifically towards the viewpoint that the show has an emphasis on those described as “high-functioning.”
She explained: “I want people to understand that Tanner hasn’t always looked or interacted the way he does now. It took decades of therapy — including applied behavior analysis, or ABA — to help him reach this point.
“And while Tanner is considered high-functioning, he has very significant challenges that become clear when you talk to him. That’s when you think, ‘Oh, OK — I understand why he doesn’t have a driver’s license.’”
Nikki says she knows that for a lot of families in the autism community, they are “living an unbelievably hard reality,” as their children may never speak or live independently.
She’s hoping to be able to share some of these experiences on her new Love on the Spectrum podcast, Talk to Me Sis, with Connor’s mum, Lise.
She explained: “We’ve got some exhausted, depressed caregivers — and their stories need to heard, too.
“I don’t want people to think we’re out here saying, ‘Autism is this happy, rosy thing with a bow on it, and look how far our kids came, we’re such amazing moms.’
“We’re just very lucky because our boys did have a lot of capacity for growth. They had a good prognosis.”
Nicci also wants to share some advice through the podcast for parents whose child may have only just received an autism diagnosis.
She commented: “When Tanner was diagnosed (in the early 2000s), they were pushing a gluten-free, casein-free diet — so we tried it.
“I thought, ‘We are going to beat this. I’m going to fix him.’ I kept reading about all these so-called cures.
“I really thought there was a finish line to this — there is a resolution, and I thought that as a mother, my job was to help him overcome his autism, and I really ran myself ragged.”
However, looking back, Nicci recognises that a lot of what they initially did was unnecessary and didn’t actually help Tanner.
The Love on the Spectrum mum added: “What he really needed was for us to slow down a bit, figure out his triggers, understand his sensory issues, and learn how to help him help himself.
“I was always thinking there was some expert out there who had the answer. But in autism, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
“What there is, is consistency, hard work over time, and realising that your best outcome might not be what you expected — but it can still be really good. And that took me a long time to understand.”
For all the latest reality TV cast member news, scandals, gossip and updates – like Reality Shrine on Facebook.