'He would have starved,' says Walton-le-Dale mum after community helps to save five-year-old boy with autism

Sally Livesey says her five-year-old son Ethan can only eat Sainsbury's own tinned brand of spaghetti - and with supermarket shelves being empty, she was worried he would end up in hospital.

But after the 28-year-old's partner Tommy Southworth appealed for help on social media, offers to swap items or donate Sainsbury's tins came pouring in. The couple's message was even shared 6,000 times on Facebook and amassed a million views on Twitter.

Sally, who works for Lancashire County Council, said: "It's been a nightmare. We were really panicking, as Ethan can't just eat anything.

"It doesn't bear thinking about what would have happened if we couldn't get hold of this brand. We've had many sleepless nights.

"Some people say he'd eat something else eventually. But people with autism often end up in hospital on drips because of issues with food."

The mum-of-one first began to notice Ethan might be struggling with his development when he was just six-months-old. Ethan, who now attends Astley Park School in Chorley, was then diagnosed with autism at age two.

This lifelong developmental disability affects how people perceive the world and interact with others. People with autism see, hear and feel the world differently to others.

Explaining how his disability impacts his relationship with food, Sally said: "He doesn't eat salad food and he would only eat blended or smooth textures.

"It's taken years to get him on tinned spaghetti. Solid food has always made him gag, like he is going to vomit.

"It's also a visual issue. He's used to the Sainbury's brand now, and even if he doesn't see the tin, he just knows when it's a different brand. It has a slightly different texture, taste and colour."

When she first began to hear about Covid-19 cases in Britain, Sally began to buy extra supplies and even drove as far as Lancaster to pick some up.

But their worries began when she struggled to get hold of the brand last week.

She even showed retail staff Ethan's diagnosis letter and asked if she could shop during the time frame allocated to vulnerable people. Some stores are now allowing her to shop with the elderly but others have refused her request.

Several Sainbury's employees, however, have contacted Sally to say they will put some tins aside for her. People from Birmingham and Ireland have even posted a box to her, as has Essex charity Band of Builders, following the social media appeal.

"I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has helped us because it's been the difference between Ethan eating and starving," said Sally.

"It's overwhelming how nice people have been to us. The community has pulled together during a pandemic to help a little boy. It's saved us really.

"We're really grateful. It really has changed a little boy's life. It just shows the power of Facebook."

The family now has enough supplies to last approximately two months and plan to give some items to a food bank, if they become inundated with donations.

Sally hopes her family's experience will encourage people to be more mindful about how much they buy during the pandemic, and that supermarkets will put measures in place to help those with autism or other food-related issues.

Ethan is also non-verbal, which means he struggles to communicate his thoughts and feelings, and he regularly struggles with severe anxiety. The lock-down has therefore also had an emotional impact on him.

"He doesn't understand the days of the week and he'd only just got his head round it thanks to his school. But then it had to close," Sally said.

"He's now confused and frustrated."

His mum says it is difficult to explain why he cannot go to school, or why they have had to switch spaghetti brands.

She added: "He has progressed so much since he began attending Astley Park in September. He loves it.

"They have an onsite speech and language therapist who has helped him to become more comfortable with different food textures."

Ethan has intense sensory play sessions, as his issue with textures was so severe he would not touch sand or Play-Doh.

"The therapist said he'd need to accept different textures in his hands first, before he'd feel comfortable eating them," Sally said.

"Since starting school, he's gone from having his spaghetti pureed to chopped up."

To make a donation or swap items, please contact Sally on Facebook.