Bart

Bart is a one-time character in the American crime drama series Third Watch.

Biography
Bart is being raised by his mother, his father having been out of the picture since he was 3. While they're at a homeless shelter, his mother falls ill with pneumonia and emergency services are called. She does not want to go to the hospital since the shelter won't allow Bart to stay by himself, so they end up taking Bart to the hospital as well. He also gets treated for wounds on his hands caused by excessive hand-wringing. Doctors want to send him to a psychiatric institution while his mother stays in the hospital, which she does not want due to the institution's bad reputation. Paramedic Monte Parker manages to get him sent to a foster family for a few days instead, but Bart ends up having a meltdown because the foster mother took his Valium and a foster sibling stole his Walkman. Just as he's about to be sent the institution anyway, Parker pulls some strings at the hospital so Bart can stay at the psychiatric department of the hospital instead, so that he's not separated from his mother.

When his mother is discharged, he has also been enrolled in a trial for Asperger's syndrome at NYU, where he'll be able to receive free medication.

Autism
A doctor mentions that his mother confirmed that Bart has Asperger's syndrome. He has a special interest in Shaquille O'Neal and is always listening to his rap albums on his Walkman. He also has a keen eye for spelling and constantly spells out different words. He is extremely averse to touch and starts having a meltdown when doctors have to touch him to treat him. A paramedic can calm him down by getting him to talk about Shaquille O'Neal and spell out different words.

Bart stims in a variety of ways, such as rocking and scrunching his face. He also wrings his hands until they bleed.

When he gets frustrated, he starts to become violent and hits both himself and other people, including his mother.

Episode list
Third Watch
 * season 2, episode 20: "Man Enough"