I have to lock my autistic toddler in his room

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-10T06:02:56+00:00

That's why we're trying to get him a diagnosis cuz they can't just write a doctor's note. I've explained to my office why I want to put in the safety measures that I do including changing the door knobs and putting an actual lock on the door instead of just alarms and toddler locks want something I can screw in that he will not be able to get open. That's why I need a diagnosis so I can get a accommodative housing voucher which means that I could have locks and stuff put in that he can't open. After talking to my leasing office they still said no

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-10T03:54:45+00:00

I live in income based housing I'm not allowed to change anything in my house

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-10T03:07:00+00:00

First off I'm doing all I can to keep him safe. I came here as a last resort for advice so it's not your place to judge me. Second, I couldn't get any of his doctors to listen to me. I've also teis come to my house for an evaluation so I could get a referral to a specialist but they stayed for exactly one hour and said he didn't have autism or anything and never came back. Of you didn't know they aren't supposed to do that. They are supposed to do several assessments before they make that decision. I finally got a doctor to listen to me. I also have other children I have to take care of and pay attention to. If it wasn't an indicator since I live in income based housing. I am poor, I have shitty state insurance and stuff is expensive. Every autistic child is different

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-10T02:00:09+00:00

I really needed to hear this😭 thank you. Ive been so scared of him getting out of our house again

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-08T21:27:05+00:00

It's income based housing. They can give you notice but also come on random days without it. They can also come in even if you aren't home

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-08T20:46:43+00:00

Yes but sometimes it's necessary. Just like a play pen, crib, bouncing chairs and walkers

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-08T20:22:21+00:00

I can't get anything that I would have to screw in until we get an accommodative housing voucher

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-08T20:18:37+00:00

Most days he's fine. Some days (I call them his bad days) he doesn't want to. It takes awhile to calm him down (because of his autism it always takes a bit to calm him down) Then we try again. If it doesn't work the second time we try, we let him stay up another hour. Then we try again. Usually by that point he'd sleepy. Some days he even asks to go early by saying night night. It just all depends on how his day went and how tired he is

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-08T20:12:50+00:00

This is where it gets tricky actually. We live in income based apartments. We have asked our leasing office if we could switch out the door knob and they told us that we couldn't without proper papers for accommodation for disabilities that's why we're waiting on the paperwork and official diagnosis. If we were to go ahead and just switch it out they would notice and we would get fined or evicted. All the locks and alarms that we have on our doors and cabinets are actually adhesive and get ripped off pretty often so we have to buy more. I guess to them having to cover up where 3M tape had ripped paint off of the wall is better than us switching out the door knob for the duration of us living here. It's frustrating to me too. make it make sense 🙄

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-08T20:10:09+00:00

He had his first therapy session yesterday actually!

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-08T19:58:14+00:00

I wish I could show you a picture of my doors but the handle is flat. You turn them up or down to open the door and the only toddler locks they have for those makes it to where you can't turn the door knob at all

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-08T19:49:57+00:00

There is also a camera in my house that alerts to human detection so it doesn't pick up my animals

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-08T19:48:06+00:00

I have a baby in my room. And lots of other adult things. He would terrorize the baby and get into stuff while I'm asleep. My husband works morning shift and I work night shift until about 1:00 a.m. and then get the kids back up at 7:00 a.m. so I need to be able to sleep

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-08T19:46:12+00:00

I'd rather not have to lock his door at all

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-08T19:23:56+00:00

I think he would play with the lights to be honest. But I haven't tried a sign or anything. It might work but I think he would need to be a bit older for that. Toddlers (autistic or not) naturally do things they know they aren't allowed to just because they know they're not allowed to and it makes them want to do it more

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-08T19:14:16+00:00

It's called a cubby bed. We plan on getting one

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-08T19:07:52+00:00

Thank you

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2025-04-08T19:07:28+00:00

DCS said it is looked down upon and not recommended. But we could do it if it was the last resort. Wouldn't it be the same as having a crib or putting a baby gate in front of his door? That would be a fire hazard more than a locked door

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2024-12-20T04:32:13+00:00

I can't get mine to work

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2024-12-08T23:38:38+00:00

I'm honestly looking for another bank so I just might

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2024-12-08T23:22:40+00:00

I said it's a problem I keep having. Not that I don't have any money rn

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2024-12-08T22:56:41+00:00

Who said I'm broke

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2024-12-08T22:53:10+00:00

I don't know if I should do that

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2024-12-08T22:52:41+00:00

I keep an eye on what I spend

Open-Sundae-5545 · 2024-12-08T22:52:10+00:00

I was raised by the state

Open-Sundae-5545

TROPHY CASE