Teenager was left hungry and dehydrated

"The family of a teenager who was denied food at a Stirlingshire care centre fear he will not recover from the experience."

"Lewis Mahony, a 19-year-old man with autism, severe learning disability and epilepsy, was repeatedly left in his room without food and water at Camphill Blair Drummond."

"Although he suffered anxiety in crowded rooms, staff insisted he was not allowed food or drink until he dressed and entered the communal dining room."

"This meant he was often left hungry and dehydrated, and received his medication on an empty stomach, which medical guidance states should always be given with food."

"Now the Care Inspectorate has upheld the family's complaint about his care."

"It was only after his mother Christine Mahony visited with a friend that she decided to remove him from the centre."

"She said: `I found him in his room in dirty pyjamas, hungry and thirsty, and when I tried to encourage him to get dressed, he went white with fear and resisted desperately`."

"The staff had given him nothing to eat or drink that day. Although it was after 1pm, the house leader continued to refuse to give Lewis anything to eat in his bedroom, saying he was 'just being a stroppy teenager'."

"Officials from the Care Inspectorate visited on April 27 and found many areas of concern, particularly that on the days when he refused to go into the dining area he was deprived of food and water, became hungry and thirsty and was at risk of dehydration..."

"In a statement, Camphill Blair Drummond say the welfare of people they support is of the highest priority and they take all complaints very seriously..."

"We regret that the outcome for the family did not match our usual high level of parental satisfaction."

http://stv.tv/news/stirling-central/1361150-autistic-teenager-denied-food-and-water-at-care-centre/