When life gives you lemons…
Dedra Stevenson produced the documentary, Lemonade, based on her son Ibrahim’s condition
Now 25, Ibrahim was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disability when he was 18 months, and autism at five years. When his mother Dedra first heard of his condition it shook her very core. ‘I looked up the symptoms in my [psychiatrist] husband’s professional reference books and Ibrahim checked almost all boxes. I could barely look at him without crying,’ she recalls.
The first hurdle was to convince the extended family, who refused to believe that there was anything wrong with the child. Then came the dilemma of finding health care professionals in the UAE who knew anything about autism as awareness was almost nonexistent back then. ‘His behaviour in public seemed extra “odd” and people would stare,’ says Dedra.
When he was nine, Ibrahim started having rage attacks – spontaneous seizures where he would become uncontrollably violent.
‘He would attack me, his father, siblings and anyone else who came too close. Once when we were in the US, his CT scan appointment came on a day that happened to bring with it a hurricane. I drove Ibrahim through a hurricane to get to the appointment. He had the CT scan, and that test, along with all the others came back “normal”. We started to
hate the word normal because it didn’t explain Ibrahim’s symptoms. By that time, we were also exhausted from severe sleep deprivation, and still feeling so depressed due to a lack of answers,’ says Dedra.
Afew months later, they saw a neurological psychiatrist who helped cure his seizures. Ibrahim was enrolled in the Al Noor Centre for Special Needs when he was 11. He didn’t enjoy it because he was treated differently from the other kids. He was much larger, and when other kids felt afraid of him, he would get angry and attack. ‘Ibrahim never felt happy about going to school and even as a nonverbal autistic kid, he protested getting on the bus almost every day,’ says Dedra.
When Ibrahim was considered too old to be attending the school, Dedra came up with the idea of making a home schooling programme for him, with two qualified male nurses from the Philippines were appointed to help him. They organise his schedule with Dedra and oversee his daily learning and therapeutic activities. Together they work as a team to research new methods for managing problem behaviour and helping Ibrahim to thrive. ‘He’s happy with his home schooling setup and I’m happier saving on the tuition money.’
According to Dedra, the worst misconception about autism is that all affected individuals are the same. ‘That couldn’t be further from the truth. Each one is different and what works for one may not work for another.’
Ibrahim’s three siblings are quite accommodating to the odd noises he makes in public or his ‘strange’ behaviour. ‘They know that he cannot enjoy the things they take for granted. And they love it when he shows affection in his own way. For instance, if he is trying to feed you something by putting it in your mouth, that’s a big sign that he loves you. My kids compete with each other to get a French fry or titbit from Ibrahim in their mouths.’
In 2016, Lemonade the documentary was made based on Ibrahim’s experiences with his caregivers, with the desire to raise awareness about the lack of services for adults with autism in the UAE. It was made with Dedra’s friends and acquaintances acting as videographers and directors, and won an award for best Executive Producer in Ireland. The director, Sarah Al Hashimi, won an award for Up and Coming Director in Dubai at the WOW Film Festival. It was also an official selection for film festivals in Miami, France and Ireland. It has been screened all over the UAE, in VOX Cinemas and Novo
‘Ibrahim’s siblings know that their brother cannot enjoy the things they take for granted. And they love it when he shows affection in his own way’
Cinemas, as well as for the Dubai Government, where it served as an example of services that should be offered for families with adults that are not in employment.
Ibrahim’s problematic behaviours have reduced by 80 per cent, thanks to the intensive attention he receives from his family and caregivers. ‘I think home schooling is a winning solution for autistic adults,’ says Dedra. ‘I would love to make more movies like Lemonade , as it is a great way to illustrate areas that need improvement in society.’
Lemonade can soon be viewed for free on Dedra’s website. bluejinnimedia.com