Sensory rooms: How lights, sensations and surfaces make an oasis of calm for Harry

Noise and brightness are harsh for children with autism, like Harry McGregor, nephew of MMA fighter Conor. So Harry’s mum had a space built at home for him to relax

Erin Mc Gregor with her son Harry, 7, who is autistic, in his sensory room at their home in Dublin. Photograph Moya Nolan

THE sensory room at Tallaght Hospital has made a world of difference to seven-year-old Harry, who is autistic.

He was three when he was diagnosed and his mum, Erin McGregor — a sister of MMA fighter Conor — and her partner, Terry, had to confront something they knew little about.