A Devon mother has said she worries that society is becoming less accepting of her disabled son. Darrell's son Dexter has autism, speech difficulties, and the mindset of a much younger child, but his disabilities are not immediately obvious. She described him as "the most lovely lad in the world" but said he had experienced unpleasant encounters in public.
"Adults have whispered about him, gossiping and judging him, and there have been young children calling him the most disgusting names," she explained. "It's just sad, really sad, and then I come home and think he's going to get it for the rest of his life."
The latest government figures, external show the prevalence of disability has been on the rise in the UK since 2002, with one in eight children and one in four adults reporting a disability. Experts believe that over that time the number of hidden disabilities has also risen.
Darrell said her son loved swimming but his enthusiasm for the sport had recently been tarnished by a bullying incident. "It's not the first time it's happened," she said. "But this time because adults were unkind, it's really affected me." She was so upset she said she started a campaign to include sessions for children with special educational needs and disabilities at a public outdoor swimming pool. In the end she was successful and sessions are now held every Saturday morning for those with additional needs. "I'm trying to make people aware that these children – these people – are humans too, and they're trying to navigate the world in their own way," she said. She said of her son: "He's so happy and kind but he's not like other 14-year-olds."
Charlotte, 17, from Plymouth, is also among those who have hidden disabilities and she documents her life on social media. She said she had a variety of conditions including ARFID – an eating disorder, a functional neurological disorder, external and a heart condition known as postural tachycardia syndrome, external. She said she was also autistic and had ADHD. Charlotte said she was currently out of education because her needs could not be met. "I've spent over 927 days out of full-time education," Charlotte said. "I was unable to sit my GCSEs and I missed out on a lot of opportunities that my peers took for granted. Even things like school trips, school discos, everything like that is something that I've not really got to experience because of my disabilities."
Devon Mother Fears Rising Intolerance Toward Disabled Son