Jan 15, 2025, The Sun: MUM'S BATTLE I’ve been failed, cries ‘abandoned’ Dublin mum of 3 autistic boys as she admits ‘extreme’ safety fears for adored son, 8
Louise outlined the challenges she faces on a daily basis as she cares for her kids at home
A MUM has said she feels “abandoned” by the HSE as she struggles to care for her three autistic children.
Louise Lawlor has blasted the State for the lack of adequate support for her kids Aidan, 11, Charlie, eight, and Matthew, six.
The 43-year-old says oldest lad Aidan was only diagnosed by the HSE two years after approaching them for an assessment.
And the exasperated single mum revealed she is still waiting for assessments for Charlie and Matthew, with Charlie’s paperwork with the HSE since 2021.
Heartbroken Louise last night slammed the HSE and accused them of “totally failing” children with special needs.
She declared: “I have been totally failed by the system. The HSE has totally let me down.
“Early intervention is key but there are too many kids with special needs on waiting lists waiting for the support they need and deserve.
“My kids deserve the best support but I feel abandoned by the HSE.
“Aidan is coming 12 on January 21. He was only diagnosed by HSE two years after approaching them for a diagnosis, and a year and a half after I had to pay for a private assessment.
“I’m still waiting for assessments for Charlie and Matthew, with Charlie’s paperwork with the HSE in October 2021.
“I’ve had to pay to have the boys privately assessed myself but I’m still waiting for the proper support from the HSE.
“It is a constant battle with the HSE. It is just not good enough.”
Louise outlined the challenges she faces on a daily basis as she cares for her kids at their home in Cherry Orchard, Ballyfermot, Dublin.
And she fears adequate support from the HSE might arrive too late for middle child Charlie, who she described as “the most extreme case” out of the three boys.
Louise told us: “I need support now, not some unknown time in the future.
“Aidan is 12 in a week’s time, Matthew is my youngest at six and Charlie is eight.
“They all need support urgently but Charlie would be the most extreme case.
“Charlie did not eat until he was three-years-old. Charlie would bang his head off a concrete floor.
"Sometimes Charlie would sit in my shower playing with sensory toys for an hour or two a day because water soothes him.
“At the moment poor Charlie is really suffering. His self harming is extreme, Charlie would get his head and bang it off his knee.
“Now his school is extremely supportive. The teachers are fabulous people, I could not speak highly enough of them.
'VERY SCARED'
“But I’m not going to lie, I’m very, very scared.
"I’m doing what I can for him but I’m scared that the HSE are not going to intervene on time, that the HSE are not going to give the help that’s needed to get Charlie to where he needs to be.
“His paperwork was sent to them in 2021 and Charlie is still in a queue waiting to be seen. I paid for a private diagnosis for my three boys.
"It is my pleasure to do that, but I’m not getting adequate support from the HSE.
“There should be regular therapy sessions for them. They need those supports.
“I’m just getting on with it but I feel like I’m between a rock and a hard place.
'NEGLECTING CHILDREN'
“The HSE is basically neglecting children with special needs.
“I will keep fighting for my kids. But I shouldn’t have to constantly fight.
"There should be help and support there for autistic children.”
As she pleaded for assistance from the State, Louise revealed she is now fundraising to build a sensory shed in a bid to help her kids.
She told us: “I’m trying to raise money to build a sensory shed in my back garden for my boys.
“Because unlike other mothers, I cannot take these boys to the cinema or to the zoo.
“I cannot take them into shops because they do not have the capability to handle the situations.”
SPACE THEY 'DESPERATELY NEED
'
Louise’s GoFundMe appeal has a target of €5,500.
The GoFundMe page says: “As a single mother of three incredible children with autism, I am reaching out for your help to create a sensory shed that will provide my kids with the safe, calming space they desperately need.
“My oldest son, who is 11, has limited speech and struggles with sensory overload, especially with noise.
"He is also prone to violent tendencies during moments of frustration.
"My middle child, 8 years old, experiences violent outbursts and self-harms, he requires a safe, calm space to retreat to when these moments arise.
"My youngest, 6 years old, has trouble managing his emotions and is quite prone to frequent daily meltdowns.
“As their mother, I want nothing more than to give them the best possible childhood, but simple things that many families take for granted like going to the cinema, days out, or even enjoying day-to-day activities are not always an option for us.
"These experiences can overwhelm my children, making them anxious, scared or frustrated, which is why I’m seeking to create a sensory shed that will give them a place of peace, where they can retreat and regain control when needed.
“This sensory shed will be a specially designed space to help my children manage their emotions, providing sensory tools, calming lights, noise-cancelling features, and a safe environment to help them cope in overwhelming moments.
"It will be a place where they can feel calm, safe and understood.
“Your generous donations will make this dream a reality for my children, offering them the space they need to find comfort and stability in a world that often feels overwhelming to them.
“Thank you for supporting us in providing a better, more peaceful life for my three boys.”
A spokesperson for HSE Dublin and Midlands said it does not comment on individual cases.
However, they added: “We acknowledge that regrettably the children’s disability network team (CDNT) service in many areas are managing significant waiting lists.
"The CDNT is actively recruiting through local, national and international channels and working hard to increase staffing levels to meet the service demands.
“The HSE are also working through waiting list initiatives to improve timelines for access to intervention.
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