FIVE-year-old Bradley Hayes can’t speak but he can scream uncontrollably, causing massive distress to himself and his family.
Bradley is on the autism spectrum and is non-verbal, unable to put into words what hurts and worries him.
When Bradley can’t get to the outdoors to see trees and grass, he becomes overwhelmed and goes into meltdown – screaming, putting his fingers in his ears, lashing out, and unable to hear the comforting words his parents try to use to calm him.
A friend of the family this week posted a video of his terrible distress on social media, and no one who views it can fail to see how much pain little Bradley is going through.
But he and his mother and father and two sisters are living in a tiny student apartment, which was the only accommodation his family could find after their landlord sold the house with a big garden in Meelick, which they had been renting privately for ten years.
The only access to the outdoors from their current apartment has numerous unprotected alleyways leading to the main road. His parents cannot allow him out to play because he has disappeared down those alleyways and, because of his condition, Bradley has no sense of personal danger.
“There’s a hollow in the couch in his shape where he sits looking out the window at the trees and can’t understand why he can’t just open the door and go out,” his mother, Patrice Hayes told the Limerick Post.
“We bring him out several times every day and we walk miles with him, up to Woodcock Hill, back to the park. But he doesn’t have enough seratonin in his body and he wakes at two and three in the morning, needing to get out of the tiny space he’s in.
“When he gets outside he’s happy as Larry – he lies on the grass, he hugs the trees – these are huge sensory comforts for him. All he needs is a garden where I can safely open the door and let him out.”
Both of Patrice’s other children, Courtney (6) and Kimberley (3) are also on the autism spectrum and a garden would be of benefit to all of them, but in Bradley’s case, vital.
Having been on the housing list in Clare, the family transferred to the Limerick council list late last year, but so far they have no news of an offer of accommodation.
After a family friend showed the video of Bradley in deep distress to Limerick Fine Gael TD Kieran O’Donnell who contacted Patrice and is setting up a meeting.
Bradley is due to start at a special school for children with autism in September, but that will only take care of a few hours every morning.
“He goes to a preschool now but weekends are our nightmare. Every minute that he’s here, he wants to get out. The meltdowns that happen would break your heart. He’s in a terrible state and he can’t do anything about it.
“When he wakes during the night, he hides in the dark, screaming in a wardrobe. The only way we can control it is to get him out, because it’s frightening his sisters. We really need a garden. That’s all we want.”
Limerick City and County Council said it does not comment on individual housing applications.
