Father of autistic teenager warns hotel quarantine is damaging son’s health

Nelio Salles De Siqueira (left) with his son Caique Pires Salles
PA
Leah Sinclair26 February 2021

The father of a teenager with autism has said quarantining in a hotel at Heathrow has left his son feeling depressed, physically unwell and unable to eat.

Nelio Salles De Siqueira, a chef from Peckham in south London, said 16-year-old Caique Pires Salles will barely leave his bed after being forced to stay at the Holiday Inn near the airport following their return to the UK from Brazil.

Mr De Siqueria begged for his son to be taken home but was refused despite notes from his psychiatrist and school warning that the experience would be "psychologically unhealthy".

"It’s quite frustrating that he had to go through it," Mr Salles De Siqueira told the PA news agency.

Mr Salles De Siqueira travelled to Brazil with his wife and son to attend a family funeral and, while they were there, the Government introduced their quarantine hotel rules from “red list” countries.

Before coming home, the family looked into whether it would be possible to get an exemption from the hotel stay because of the effect it would have on Caique’s wellbeing, but were unable to find anybody who could help.

"We got notes from his psychiatrist, from his school saying it’s psychologically unhealthy, because his mental health is not great,” said Mr Salles De Siqueira.

"But even like that, nobody would listen".

Mr Salles De Siqueira said it’s been extremely challenging for his son to be confined in an unfamiliar environment.

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"He’s got his routines, he’s got certain foods that he doesn’t eat," he said. "Here we can’t get any of (the foods he eats).

"He actually hasn’t eaten much since he arrived".

Since their arrival at the hotel, Caique has had two visits from a medic because of diarrhoea, and is "quite depressed", his father said.

Mr Salles De Siqueira said Caique barely got out of bed for the first three days they were in the Holiday Inn, adding that he has "never ever seen" his son do that before.

"He’s begging us to do something, to take him out of here," he said. "That’s when you feel that you are just unable to help".

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We recognise the impact restrictions have on many and are grateful for people’s continued efforts to tackle this global pandemic by following the rules to protect others and save lives”.

The spokesperson added that "wellbeing support is in place at all government-managed quarantine facilities, which includes daily welfare checks” - however, Mr Salles De Siqueria has said this statement is "laughable", saying the only medical support they had received was in relation to his son’s diarrhoea.

"There are no wellbeing checks and no support either," he claimed.

Despite the difficulties the family are facing, Mr Salles De Siqueria has praised the hotel staff saying that "whatever you need they are there for you", but added, "still there’s that feeling of a prison".

And he said that, while they were in Heathrow Airport, some staff were "rude" and "unfriendly".

"People were actually scolding you... really, really afraid of you running away, as if you have committed a crime".

Mr Salles De Siqueira said he understands the need to quarantine after arriving back from Brazil, but said he does not understand why it has to be in a hotel rather than at home.

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The family changed flights in Madrid on their way back from Brazil and in doing so mixed with passengers who were not returning from red list countries.

"We spent two hours in the same environment, breathing the same air, eating, talking to each other throughout the flight," he said.

"Then we arrived here and the people that came from a red-listed country had to go to a queue and the other people, that were in contact with all these other people, could go through.

"Based on that, it kind of defeats the purpose of the hotel quarantine."

Mr Salles De Siqueira said that, although any change is likely to be too late to benefit his family, the Government should reassess the rules so others do not find themselves in the same situation.

"I just don’t want any other family with the same issues to have to go through it," he said.

"If we create this awareness it might be a way out."

Dr Adrian James, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, told the Standard that adjustments should be considered when taking into account those with any health conditions or disabilities.

“When considering implementation of policies such as quarantine, it is important that appropriate reasonable adjustments are made that take account of any health condition or disability that a person may have,” he said.

“These will need to be done in a way that minimises any infection risk to the individual, or anyone else, but might include adjustments such as the type of room made available and the facilities within it."

Heathrow Airport has been approached for comment.

Additional reporting by a PA Media

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