A MOTHER is determined to tackle discrimination after teachers and doctors said her autistic son was “too disabled”.

Mary Busk, her husband Chris, and three children Alex, Edward, and Alice, have lived in Grove Hill in South Woodford for 14 years.

But as their 16-year-old son Alex grew up, the parents soon realised things were not quite right.

After receiving minimal support from their GP and other services, the Busks were eventually referred to the Redbridge Child Development Centre where they were on waiting lists for years.

Eventually a clinical psychologist diagnosed Alex with autism.

But as time went on his needs became more complex and his parents were told he also had severe learning difficulties, sensory processing, and complex language disorders.

Alex went to Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School in Wanstead, where he was helped by a specialist speech and language therapist and weekly occupational therapy sessions.

Mrs Busk said: “His assistant at school was just the loveliest person and completely devoted to him.

“She believed in him because someone close to her was disabled, but its people who know nothing about disabilities like Alex’s who are the hardest to convince.”

When he was younger, Alex’s condition was so severe that he rarely ate or slept.

Mrs Busk was advised to take him to a specialist clinic for children with eating disorders at Great Ormond Street Hospital, but when she got there she was told he was “too disabled” to get any help.

She said: “It was heart-breaking.

“You have this young person in front of you who you love and want to have the best life possible, but when you realise the system is against them, it’s really hard.”

More problems arose when Alex started at Oak View special needs school in Loughton where he was "too disruptive" to be in the school play at Christmas.

Mrs Busk said: “He was always allowed in the plays at mainstream school, so why would a special needs school not let him?”

When he was 14 he had to go to the Royal London Hospital for some tests that meant him going under general anaesthetic.

But when they arrived, Alex’s loud noises and sudden movements were labelled a “health and safety hazard” and he was turned away.

After six months, the Busks were allowed to return, but only to find staff had gone “completely over the top” and cleared the whole ward.

Mrs Busk said: “All we needed was a little side room.

“If they talked to us and understood him first they wouldn’t have needed to do all that.”

Mrs Busk is one of 123 parents and carers with severely disabled children backing a new report by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health called “Disability Matters”.

Launched last week (November 30) the report wants to break down discrimination barriers and achieve true disability equality by raising awareness of the complex needs of families like the Busks.

Mrs Busk added: “It’s so important disabled people are visible and part of society.

“I think a lot of people are afraid when they meet people like Alex.

“But they are people too and have such amazing potential if you just take the time to understand them.

“There’s a lovely lady at Marks & Spencers in South Woodford who always says hello to Alex when she sees him buying sweets.

“I feel so touched when people just acknowledge him as a person in his own right like that.

“So there is hope, there’s just a long way to go still.”

Barts Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Oak View School have been contacted for comment.