Neighbours call autistic child ‘it’ and claim he’s ‘screechy’
NEIGHbouRS sent a mother a letter complaining about her ‘screechy’ autistic son – and referring to him as ‘it’.
Jessica Green, 27, received the anonymous note about three-year- old Henry from someone claiming to represent the ‘residents and neighbours in the local area’.
Referring to the youngster, who cannot speak and often communicates through noises and shrieks, the typed letter said locals were ‘ sick to death’ of hearing ‘it playing outside’.
They even threatened to call social services if the noises continued.
Miss Green, of berkeley, Gloucestershire, posted the note on Facebook and described it as ‘revolting’.
The letter, which began ‘ Dear Neighbour,’ read: ‘ Can the parent responsibly ( sic) for the screechy, screaming child, who screams continually while it is playing outside be advised that the rest of the residents are sick to death of hearing your child scream continuously.
‘It gets on everyone’s nerves and there is no need of it (sic). To allow your child to do that is selfish.’ The letter added: ‘Everyone is talking about it and beginning to wonder if the child is actually neglected, as no one in their right mind would allow their child to
‘No idea what we go through’
scream all the time without doing something about it.
unless you take action and address the child’s continually (sic) screaming, a group of us will be talking to tenant services at Stroud Council and making a noise complaint against you, as this is now a anti- social issue (sic). It’s up to you.
‘People can no longer sit out in their garden to enjoy the weather because all we hear is your child shrieking from across the street.
‘We put up with it last year, all through the summer and hoped your child would have grown out of screaming but it seems not as it still does it all day every day and louder and shriller than before.’ Miss Green, who also lives with her partner Josh Smith, 29, and seven-year- old daughter Halle, said: ‘In this situation you’d like to think the neighbour would come and address you personally.
‘It’s appalling – they should have common courtesy to ask if the child’s okay and I’m sure it is just the thoughts of one individual because other neighbours have come to my defence.
‘I want to make people aware of autism – they were too quick to make a judgment.’
In a post sharing the letter on social media, Miss Green hit back: ‘To whoever hasn’t had the balls to knock on my door and send me this letter, please feel free to come and chat to me before you start judging.
‘My child is autistic and nonverbal, if I want to let my child play in the garden and be happy I will do so. If your child hasn’t got special needs you have no idea what a parent or a family with a child with special needs is going through. You can carry on and report myself and child to social services and the council but I can assure you my child is looked after a lot better than most children.
‘Please share this so whoever has a problem can come and confront myself or Josh!’