A MUM left “black and blue” trying to care for her three autistic children says she’s had “no help” from the State.
Louise Lawlor hit out at the lack of adequate support for her kids Aidan, 11, Charlie, eight, and Matthew, six.
The Dublin mum told how she’s still searching for help six months after she spoke out in the Irish Sun about being “abandoned” by the HSE.
And while fighting to get support for her three sons, Louise revealed that Charlie has become a danger to himself and others.
She told The Irish Sun: “Everything is aggravating him and upsetting him and causing him to hurt himself.
“He literally has himself, and me, black and blue.
“From December to April, Charlie self-harming went through the roof.
“I couldn’t be in a car on my own with Charlie because he would jump in the front, or he’d headbutt me, bite me. . . or he’d basically do something that could cause an accident.
“Then he might drift off to sleep, and then he’d suddenly jolt up and he’d attack me.”
In February, Charlie put his head through the bathroom window.
On April 7, little Charlie was hospitalised for self-harming.
Louise explained: “He has actually become a danger to himself and to other people.”
HEALTH CONCERNS
After being left in triage for two days, the mum-of-four was sent home and informed that Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services would be in touch in two weeks.
But Louise revealed: “I was home two hours. Charlie tried lifting up a chest of drawers in his room and throwing it at me.”
An ambulance brought the eight-year-old straight back to hospital.
Louise recalled: “So we went back to the hospital and the child walked the length and breadth of the triage area for six hours, just trying to regulate himself.
‘VIOLENT MELTDOWN’
“He fell asleep at 6pm and woke up at 9pm. He had an extremely violent meltdown, tried basically trashing and destroying the small triage room.
“Then eventually the doctor came down and they had to give him an injection.
“At eight years old, he had the equivalent of a mental breakdown.”
Louise recalled how Charlie was moved to “four different places in the space of one day”.
And the 43-year-old confirmed she has had no assistance from the State.
‘NO HELP’
She said: “I’ve had absolutely nothing, no help. The social worker might check in on me once every three weeks.”
Doctors promised Louise home help but she’s “still waiting on that call”.
Charlie is now on antipsychotic medication to help the violent tendencies.
“I couldn’t be in a car on my own with Charlie because he would jump in the front, or he’d headbutt me, bite me. . . or he’d basically do something that could cause an accident.”
Louise Lawlor
Louise said: “CAMHS have been very good to us. But it’s very difficult with the doctors only working two days a week.
“Last Monday I drove Charlie home from school. He put his head through my car window. Can you imagine what he’d be like at 18?”
Louise revealed she is still waiting for assessments for Charlie and his brother Matthew, with Charlie’s paperwork with the HSE since 2021.
Her oldest lad Aidan, who has limited speech and struggles with sensory overload, was only diagnosed by the HSE two years after approaching the HSE for an assessment.
PROTECTING HER BOYS
Her youngest son Matthew has trouble managing his emotions and is quite prone to frequent meltdowns.
Louise said: “Matthew is good. Matthew is more Asperger’s than ASD.
“I do feel a huge amount of guilt because Charlie’s needs are so severe.”
While Matthew “adores his big brother” Charlie, Louise wants to do all she can for her boys to protect their relationship with each other.
‘LASHING OUT’
Louise said: “If this continues, Charlie lashing out and destroying the house, that’s going to psychologically damage Matthew.
“Now, granted, since the medication, he doesn’t lash out at Matthew. He doesn’t lash out at his brothers, which is a good thing. But he will still try with me.”
While feeling totally abandoned by the HSE, Louise praised Charlie’s schoolteachers for their help.
“I’ve had absolutely nothing, no help. The social worker might check in on me once every three weeks.”
Louise Lawlor
She said: “Charlie’s schools have been fantastic. They have been the only ones that have not only cared for me, but for Charlie.
FUND PLEA
“Thanks to the principal in Charlie’s school Vivienne Wynne, Vice Principal Sarah Lynch and all the teachers.”
Louise is now fundraising to build a sensory shed in her garden in Ballyfermot in a bid to help her boys.
She said: “We are currently trying to raise money to put a roof on the sensory shed and have it plastered, insulated and electrics put into it.”
Doctors have advised a good sensory diet will help reduce her son’s self-harming and lashing out.
The HSE were contacted for comment on the matter.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help fund the sensory room with €3.7k raised of the €5.5K target.
