'It feels like parenting a square child in a round world'

Parents of autistic boy tell of their determination to help him thrive

- PAIGE OLDFIELD

AS a baby, Clarke O'Connell was hitting all his milestones until his family noticed a worrying decline in his speech.

His parents Leanne and Wayne initially thought a hearing issue was to blame. But as time went on, loved ones began observing a shift in his behaviour.

Clarke, now seven, was attending a party when family members noticed he was playing alone, didn't hold eye contact well and appeared to be "in a world of his own".

These traits were also picked up by nursery staff who believed the tot, from Middleton, was showing signs of being autistic.

Leanne, 36, and Wayne, 34, decided to get Clarke assessed and he was later diagnosed with the condition. Autism is a life-long neurological and developmental disability that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn and behave.

The couple have now opened up about being special educational needs (SEN) parents from struggles out in public to getting Clarke into school.

"It's really difficult with Clarke because he's not typically autistic," NHS worker Leanne, also mum to Cora, 12, told the Manchester Evening News.

"People often think he's older than he is because he's very big, but mentally, he's around three-years-old.

"He has no understanding of danger.

"He will run out into the road and won't come back if you shout him.

"He only started wearing ear defenders over the last few years. It's amazing when you're out in public.

"People who don't know you in public can assume he's naughty or he's having a tantrum. They don't understand that it's none of those things.