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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Neighbours hate my autistic child

438 replies

Screechywah · 04/05/2020 17:58

I have a seven year old severely autistic child with sensory issues and severe developmental delays, he is non verbal and functions on an 18 month old level. Special school is closed as is his respite, sen groups, activities, parks etc.

He's really struggling to cope now after seven weeks at home. He's shouting lots, self harming (head banging), kicking, hitting and struggling to sleep. I take him out in the car regularly for a drive and we go for a couple of walks every day but even on these walks now, he's having meltdowns because the park is shut. He's physically strong and I now struggle to keep him from running when he reaches crisis point.

The one thing he loves is being outdoors but my neighbours on one side are moaning about his loud shouting the last week, bouncing on the trampoline and throwing balls over their fence. They refuse to throw any sensory balls back over and instead pop them which is frustrating as they cost so much. I've offered to raise the height of the boundary (their fence which is only five foot) and they refuse. Today he threw part of his toast over the fence and they went ballistic at me. I was with him m when he did it but he's just so fast that I had no opportunity to prevent him.

I'm really not sure what to do. I watch him constantly but obviously have to go to the loo, answer the door/phone, cook and he unfortunately doesn't grasp the concept of not throwing. I'm on my own with him and his special school are only taking key worker children due to staffing.

OP posts:
Dontjumptoconclusions · 04/05/2020 18:52

Speaking as a neighbour myself who is right now struggling with hearing screaming, crying, shouting, swearing, banging next door, it's absolutely horrible to live with.

We are in a terrace house, and we hear the mother very clearly screaming and swearing at her children who are 8 and 3, who will scream and swear back. It's not even anything productive. It's horrible to hear on the other side, especially when I'm on a work call and the microphone is picking up next door's noise!

I just wanted to use this post to rant about how horrible it is. We are paying for soundproofing our joining walls and very tempted to send them the bill.

But to your post OP
If yours is a detached house, your child can only be heard from the garden and his balls are taken away, that's very horrible and cruel of next door.

SomeBunny · 04/05/2020 18:53

If you follow a sensory diet, does he have input from an OT? Perhaps they could suggest some functionally equivalent behaviours to match the feedback he gets from some of the stimming that’s causing the issues with the neighbours? Obviously it’s very unlikely to reduce to zero, but perhaps it’ll help?

JudyCoolibar · 04/05/2020 18:53

There are supposed to be alternatives offered to you if your son's school is closed. Has anyone been in touch about that?

WorraLiberty · 04/05/2020 18:53

Just put fence posts and panels/net on your side OP.

Or is there a reason you've been unable to do this so far?

Shadeslayer · 04/05/2020 18:53

Put up an 8 ft fence and ignore them. Everyone is struggling just now how do they expect him to cope? Arseholes total arseholes.

AHippoNamedBooBooButt · 04/05/2020 18:53

Not read the full thread as I agree with everything pps have said but you mention your son has a social worker? That classes him as vulnerable and entitles him as a place at school at the moment. Use it as a respite break if you are able to.
Flowers

SpilltheTea · 04/05/2020 18:54

What on earth do they expect you to do about it? They're intolerant twats and I wouldn't give them the time of day.

TitianaTitsling · 04/05/2020 18:54

Have you seen these op? Tethered sensory balls? Would these be any good? specialneedstoys.com/uk/visual/eye-candy/tethered-boing-visual-toy.html

Screechywah · 04/05/2020 18:54

Vanilla, the social worker showed them something similar to the tall posts on my land with net across after I asked for her advice last week. They told her it was above the council height for boundaries and would report me if I put it up.

OP posts:
Warsawa31 · 04/05/2020 18:55

Op don’t plant bamboo into the ground - it spreads everywhere will just give you another hassle.

ConnieDoodle · 04/05/2020 18:56

You need to erect the netting on your land to stop the balls going over. On your land is perfectly reasonable.

You need to take him inside with you when you go to make dinner / answer the phone or door and go to the loo, rather than leave him outside unsupervised.

You could also enclose the top of the trampoline netting with more net so he can’t throw the balls when he is bouncing.

You cannot control your neighbours actions but you can make adjustments to try to prevent it getting to that point.

Of course it is incredibly stressful for you atm, and he is your son whom you love. It must be hell for your neighbours day-in-day-out. Going into their own garden, during lockdown, is now incredibly stressful and they have little option too.

Screechywah · 04/05/2020 18:56

I also need to stress that he's never outside screaming. Yes, he shouts when on the trampoline but never for more than a few minutes. If he is noisy, he gets brought indoors. The only times he's really noisy is when he has a meltdown outdoors as it can take ten minutes of him screaming whilst I try to carry him inside to calm him.

OP posts:
bd67thSaysReinstateLangCleg · 04/05/2020 18:56

If the neighbours are so happy to threaten legal action if you attach anything to their fence, call the police when they next pop one of your son's balls.

Could you put tennis court wire mesh between two tall poles on your side of the boundary?

Your neighbours sound like utter arseholes.

He's shouting lots, self harming (head banging), kicking, hitting and struggling to sleep.

Is there any way that you can get the LA to provide some sort of respite or enrichment provision for him? On another thread, the OP's son has an EHCP and has been granted a lockdown school place because of it.

Screechywah · 04/05/2020 18:57

I do totally get that living next door to a disabled child can be frustrating, but in the current lockdown I'm stuck.

OP posts:
TabbyMumz · 04/05/2020 18:57

It's so easy to call the neighbours assholes, but to be fair, you dont know what life challenges they might be dealing with.

I used to have neighbours for who "throwing balls over the fence was their son's thing" I put up with it until one day I came home to literally 20 balls in my back garden and quite a few plant pots broken. He had a trampoline too, he would jump and sing on it from 6.30 in the morning, weekends too. I used to absolutely hate him.

TabbyMumz · 04/05/2020 18:58

"I do totally get that living next door to a disabled child can be frustrating, but in the current lockdown I'm stuck."

Unfortunately for them, so are they.

TheHoneyBadger · 04/05/2020 18:58

Maybe only play with balls when out in open space?

BobTheDuvet · 04/05/2020 18:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bd67thSaysReinstateLangCleg · 04/05/2020 18:59

They told her it was above the council height for boundaries and would report me if I put it up.

Definitely call the police the next time they pop your son's sensory ball.

PerfectPenquins · 04/05/2020 18:59

The tiny bit of understanding I had for your neighbours disappeared when you said about their selfish noisy hobbies and 6am loud phone calls in the garden. They want your son to be quiet but arent going to modify their own selfish behaviour? Yea they can get fucked to be honestly. People in general do not care and very intolerant towards children and adults with disabilities. Unless its effecting their loved ones they just dont give a dam. If you live near people as they have chosen to do then expect a mix of people, disabilities and cultures. Sending three men round to bully you is pathetic and those men are no better than worms behaving that way what an embarrassment they are. You are clearly trying your best and the solution isnt to just pack your son off to school to spare the neighbours 30 minutes a day of noise ffs he has every right to fresh air in his own garden. Its not excessive at all.

Whatsername177 · 04/05/2020 18:59

Thinking outside of the box here - could you erect a fence in the middle of your garden? Use some of your DS's favourite things to decorate it and let him throw his balls over his own little fence. I think he is probably fascinated with the object disappearing? He also might enjoy 'finding' them again.

PainintheholeSIL · 04/05/2020 18:59

@Screechywah I have no advice but I just wanted to say that sounds so stressful for you. They sound awful.

TheHoneyBadger · 04/05/2020 19:00

Also they don't hate your son and it's not that living next door to a disabled person is annoying as you say. It's the noise and the objects flying over the fence regardless of whether it's because of pure inconsiderateness or disability. They hate the noise and objects not your son.

Melroses · 04/05/2020 19:01

They told her it was above the council height for boundaries and would report me if I put it up.

Talk to the council first. They prefer to talk about things as it saves them time.

BobTheDuvet · 04/05/2020 19:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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