‘Nightmare lockdown’ for couple who care for sons with autism

A DERBY couple have described their “nightmare” of living with two autistic sons in lockdown.

Antony and Tracy Fearn said they have been left with little support for their two sons, one of whom has a rare brain condition.

The Spondon couple said due to their youngest son Zac’s challenges, they have “literally been locked in the living room” since the end of March.

Antony, 48, said their oldest son, Michel, 21, suffers from anxiety and has been awaiting an official autism diagnosis which has been put on hold due to coronavirus.

Antony had to give up a job which he “absolutely loved” as a school caretaker earlier this year to help his wife Tracy, 52, at home with their children.

He said: “Lockdown has been an absolute nightmare. Zac is nonverbal and he has a very rare brain condition. He likes to stick to routines and those routines have all been taken away.

“He’s been screaming, crying and thrashing about because everything was taken away from him overnight. It can be soul destroying some days.

“His school has only allowed key workers’ children to go back. But because of the nature of our son he needs 24/7 care from both of us. We’ve got no extended family help so it’s just us and our two sons.”

Zac, 15, was born with autism and a brain condition called agenesis of the corpus callosum.

At school, his parents were told his autism was “off the scale”. Zac cannot be

Antony Fearn left alone due to his tendency to put things in his mouth. Antony said: “Normal families can do home-schooling with their children. Zac can’t do anything remotely like a child of his age can do, he is still in nappies.

“It takes two teachers to keep him sat down at school and he has had behavioural problems since lockdown started.”

Zac’s respite care at The Light House, in Chaddesden, was also stopped before the lockdown began.

The centre for disabled children

He’s been screaming, crying and thrashing about because everything was taken away from him overnight.