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AIBU?

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Screaming Child (ASD)

153 replies

BlackBean2023 · 03/05/2026 16:08

I feel I ABU but honestly, it’s driving me potty.

we have neighbours who have moved in three doors away who have a child of about 7 who I believe is ASD. He loves being in the garden and jumping on his trampoline - if it’s not raining, he’s bouncing!

however he is also almost constantly stimming vocally and it sounds like a constant scream. I’m not exaggerating when I say constant. It’s stopping us enjoying our garden, I can’t work from home with the back doors open as it can be heard on a teams call it’s so loud.

I know there’s nothing I can do, and I should think of his parents, but I miss the quiet calm of my garden in the sunshine

Sad
OP posts:
asdbaybeeee · 03/05/2026 21:01

canuckup · 03/05/2026 16:37

No. The OP can't use noise cancelling headphones. No.

Let's start selling a spade and a spade shall and get the parents to actually bloody parent, rather than inflicting their feckless attitude towards their offspring I everyone else?

Or we could call an idiot an idiot

Starblind19 · 03/05/2026 20:50

As much as I understand noise intolerance and I am sorry you are having difficulty with this i think this situation is part of living in a community and showing compassion and understanding for one another. Really any of us can have neighbours who move in and are loud however this child is trying to regulate and vocal stims can feed in to that as they may be under or over stimulated. Mum may have few options if the garden is this child's safe space and maybe there are siblings and limited space for stimming. I think maybe you are best trying to organise sorting your garden in school hours and using headphones to get on with your day. Headphones might be a minor inconvenience to you but stopping him going on a trampoline in the garden might be a big event for the child and may cause him to have meltdowns and end up hurting himself. This sounds like it presents as quite an obvious learning disability this is not a parenting issue or an issue with not respecting neighbours this is not having the capacity to understand that your need to stim trumps someone else's need for silence.

What i find concerning on a mothers forum is the lack of compassion from other posters for what is quite clearly a child with a disability.
This mother very likely already feels stressed and isolated as do lots of parents with special needs children do and I think this thread is really quite sad that this stigma for having a child with a disability is a burden for society. The truth is what actually makes a civilised society is how we treat our most vulnerable members and quite frankly these mothers and fathers need a medal for the sacrifices they make daily for their children to thrive and be happy.

KindCompassion · 03/05/2026 20:48

Buy a directional microphone. He wont be heard on teams with it.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 03/05/2026 20:40

StartingFreshFor2026 · 03/05/2026 19:43

I mean, back in the day my autistic children with learning disabilities would have been in residential schools, that's why no one would have heard the stimming etc.

Back in which day though?
I have a severely disabled DS myself who's coming up to 40, and even when he was small residential placements were rare, so though this seems the go-to "reason we didn't hear the screaming " on the thread I'm not convinced

There has to be another reason, and even if the most sadly extreme sufferers are still in care that doesn't explain the explosion in the numbers of screamers who "can't help it"

As I said, if they scream now they'd have screamed then - even if not diagnosed - and it simply didn't happen to the extent it does now

Sidebeforeself · 03/05/2026 20:39

Hiddenhouse · 03/05/2026 20:05

The poor child and poor parents - have some compassion is my advice. It does sound annoying for you but this is their life and they have no choices. They will have tried everything under the sun and their child is bouncing to cope - what’s he supposed to be locked up inside?!

It can be more than “ annoying “ though. It can be distressing to hear as well as having impacts on OPs daily life. I think the OP is being compassionate but that doesn’t solve the problem for her.

Sidebeforeself · 03/05/2026 20:33

It’s such a cruel condition . Can’t imagine how kids must have been treated in the days when most people were unaware of conditions like this.

My neighbours boy emits such a horrible sound I can’t image how his family cope.

Icecreamandcoffee · 03/05/2026 20:32

kscarpetta · 03/05/2026 19:19

They were probably screaming in an institution instead. Ah, the good old days!

This. Most visibly disabled people in the "olden days" were shipped off to institutions or locked away in basements or attics if kept at home.

Even nowadays, we live a couple of doors down from a care home that supposedly specialises in adults with profound disabilities and offers respite. According to their advertising it's a lovely small home with plentiful access to a well equipped garden. It is pretty much silent at all times and residents are rarely in the garden (I know, the way the gardens are all neighbours have sightlines of the garden). The only times residents are in the garden are when they are been inspected, social services visit or a prospective client's family visit. As soon as the visit ends, residents are brought back inside. Whenever a resident is outside they are usually restrained and brought back in very quickly. They take them for a "walk" down the road - i.e they walk them 100m up and down the same path for half an hour.

If I was been very generous I would say the revolving door of agency workers with very little English (the workers walk past my house very regularly and take their breaks on a green area very close to my house) are very inexperienced in providing care for people with profound disabilities. One person I know who picked up an odd agency shift there in the school holidays (actual qualified carer who loves working with people with disabilities) told me that they heavily sedate the patients pretty much all day and night. She did report them after her shift ended as she witnessed numerous safeguarding concerns.

Yes the care quality commission and social services are aware - multiple neighbours including us have reported them, the group that owns the home are very good at saying the right things, putting on a show and having the right paperwork.

As for what can the parent do, very little I imagine. They can bring the child in after so long or only let them jump for a set period of time each day. They could try and find other activities that provide the same stimulation/ regulation as bouncing on a trampoline does. A good OT will be able to give alternative activities that provide the same feedback. They can hope that the child "grows out of it" - they don't need/ seek that feedback and move onto another activity to regulate instead.

jinglejanglescarecat · 03/05/2026 20:28

Sidebeforeself · 03/05/2026 20:20

Well yes. I meant will they continue to scream etc as adults. Because that’s not something you often see I think

Maybe. Everyone is different. Some will get support to learn skills, communicate differently etc. Some people will not. Or won’t be able to due to complex situations and needs. Some will live with families. Some people will need residential or supported living support.

x2boys · 03/05/2026 20:26

Sidebeforeself · 03/05/2026 20:20

Well yes. I meant will they continue to scream etc as adults. Because that’s not something you often see I think

Some will it depends on how their autism impacts them ,my son is 16 next week and has been a persistsnt screamer for years
Hes severly autistic with very limited understanding though
Some will grow out of it ,some maybe able to control it.

Kirbert2 · 03/05/2026 20:25

Moonnstarz · 03/05/2026 19:57

I don't know what you mean by saying about perfect parents and imaginary children but the reality is there will be some children who will scream all day. Working in a mainstream primary school I had to cover another TA and was with the sen children - one child basically screamed or cried all day long. I asked the other TAs what I could do to help them, but was told nothing!! That is how they are all day long. It was a very long day.
So I have total empathy for the neighbour but also the parents if there is nothing they can do to stop the noise.

I mean that on threads like this, some people who clearly don't have disabled children seem to think they have all of the answers and parents of disabled children clearly just aren't as good parents as them (with their imaginary disabled child who stops screaming when you tell them despite their severe learning disability).

jinglejanglescarecat · 03/05/2026 20:23

I feel for both sets of neighbours here.

so hard for the parents of the autistic child. It’s likely the only thing that regulates him and may be one of a few things he enjoys. He may not speak so this is how he communicates an shares his joy. He’s got a right to be in his garden.

however, even with as much compassion and empathy in the world, listening to screaming all day is all incredibly hard. Nobody is a winner here.

tough for both ❤️

Sidebeforeself · 03/05/2026 20:20

jinglejanglescarecat · 03/05/2026 20:17

They become adults!

Well yes. I meant will they continue to scream etc as adults. Because that’s not something you often see I think

jinglejanglescarecat · 03/05/2026 20:17

Sidebeforeself · 03/05/2026 17:16

I have exactly the same problem OP.I feel sorry for the boy and his family but Id be lying if I didnt say it drives me up the wall. I just have to accept it though and shut the windows. If Im outside I have to put up with it.

I do wonder what happens though when children grow up

They become adults!

mumofoneAloneandwell · 03/05/2026 20:08

swqa · 03/05/2026 20:07

We'll have to agree to disagree, as I'm the one with well wishes for both the parent/child and the OP.

And I've reported your post for troll hunting, just so you know.

Yes lets

I've reported your post calling me nasty 🥰

swqa · 03/05/2026 20:07

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

We'll have to agree to disagree, as I'm the one with well wishes for both the parent/child and the OP.

And I've reported your post for troll hunting, just so you know.

mumofoneAloneandwell · 03/05/2026 20:05

Avantiagain · 03/05/2026 19:54

"Yes you can help it - you tell her to stop screaming- it's easy."

Well done you for finding the 'cure'. Thousands of parents of disabled children will be thanking you for your wisdom.

This - like thank you very much for that magic answer 🙄🙄

Sarcastic Schitts Creek GIF by CBC
Hiddenhouse · 03/05/2026 20:05

The poor child and poor parents - have some compassion is my advice. It does sound annoying for you but this is their life and they have no choices. They will have tried everything under the sun and their child is bouncing to cope - what’s he supposed to be locked up inside?!

mumofoneAloneandwell · 03/05/2026 20:03

This reply has been deleted

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swqa · 03/05/2026 20:01

StartingFreshFor2026 · 03/05/2026 19:58

I feel very sorry for our neighbours but we do everything we can to limit the noise. Sometimes for long periods it's not even safe or possible to take the children into the community. We just do what we can to balance everyone's needs. There's no instant fix, there really isn't.

And there never will be an instant fix Flowers

But at least you have understanding and sympathy/empathy for all involved.

StartingFreshFor2026 · 03/05/2026 19:58

I feel very sorry for our neighbours but we do everything we can to limit the noise. Sometimes for long periods it's not even safe or possible to take the children into the community. We just do what we can to balance everyone's needs. There's no instant fix, there really isn't.

Moonnstarz · 03/05/2026 19:57

Kirbert2 · 03/05/2026 19:52

It's amazing how perfect parents of imaginary disabled children always appear on threads like this.

I don't know what you mean by saying about perfect parents and imaginary children but the reality is there will be some children who will scream all day. Working in a mainstream primary school I had to cover another TA and was with the sen children - one child basically screamed or cried all day long. I asked the other TAs what I could do to help them, but was told nothing!! That is how they are all day long. It was a very long day.
So I have total empathy for the neighbour but also the parents if there is nothing they can do to stop the noise.

ThatLemonBee · 03/05/2026 19:56

Avantiagain · 03/05/2026 19:54

"Yes you can help it - you tell her to stop screaming- it's easy."

Well done you for finding the 'cure'. Thousands of parents of disabled children will be thanking you for your wisdom.

The person that wrote that is clearly an ableist. The same kind that would push someone using a cane out of the way if they were to slow . It’s amazing the nastiness here

swqa · 03/05/2026 19:56

This reply has been deleted

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x2boys · 03/05/2026 19:55

Kirbert2 · 03/05/2026 19:52

It's amazing how perfect parents of imaginary disabled children always appear on threads like this.

Indeed and their litte pearls of wisdom
So helpful....

Steeleydan · 03/05/2026 19:54

BlackBean2023 · 03/05/2026 16:33

in the week it is evenings and early mornings before school. Weekends, it’s all day depending on the weather.
Yesterday it was 8am - 11am, 12-12.30, 1-3 and 4-7.
Today it started at 10am and he’s still going. if I wasn’t frustrated I’d be impressed by his stamina!

I could do all of those things but I bought a semi rural house with a nice garden for a reason - I like to hear the birds rather than have to wear headphones and I work from the kitchen which has bifold doors to the outside. He is so loud that even with a window opening you’d hear him. Like I said, it is unreasonable as he can’t help it but I’m not looking forward to the summer at all now.

What do the other neighbours think about this, hell be disrupting the whole street!