A concerned mother has given her son the nickname ‘Wreck it Ralph’ as she seeks assistance for his uncommon condition that compels him to wreak havoc in their household by consuming the walls of his bedroom.
Leigh Murphy, aged 29, is in a constant state of vigilance with her six-year-old son, Steven, to prevent him from ingesting potentially harmful objects within their home. Just four months ago, the young boy was diagnosed with severe autism and a disorder known as pica, which causes cravings for non-food items. Steven’s unusual diet includes substances like sand, mud, and even the walls of his room, resulting in exposed electrical wiring.
Leigh and her partner, also named Steven and aged 28, are currently residing in a privately rented residence. For the past three years, they have been pleading with North Lanarkshire council to allocate them a council home that can be adapted to create a safer living environment for their son.
Their plan involves installing protective padding in his room to prevent him from consuming the plaster, setting up a wet room, and fitting vents to ensure proper air circulation while preventing any escape attempts.
Expressing her distress, Leigh, who takes care of Steven in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, stated, “It’s a terrible situation – there’s no secure area to place him. He destroys everything. He’s incredibly strong, easily overpowering me. It’s frightening. Where do we go from here? I walk in, and he has wires hanging out of the wall.”
Steven’s grandmother, Lesley McCrann, aged 48, observed potential signs of autism in Steven when he was just one year old. Lesley, who is training to be a social worker, has experience working with autistic children.
She remarked, “I noticed his lack of eye contact. He avoided making eye contact.”
Despite being under the care of a multidisciplinary team for the past five years, it wasn’t until May 2025 that Steven received official diagnoses of autism, pica, and intellectual disability due to long waiting lists and delays in referrals.
Leigh made the difficult decision to step back from her role as an A&E clinical support worker when Steven was four-and-a-half years old. Lesley explained, “He has no concept of danger. You can’t take your eyes off him for a moment. He has always consumed inappropriate things – at home, in the yard, or at school. He simply eats anything that’s not meant for consumption.”
She added, “His recent fixation has been picking at the walls in his bedroom. There are large holes in the walls, with electrical wires hanging out.”
Due to Steven’s destructive tendencies, his bedroom is almost empty except for a mattress, as everything else is at risk of being consumed or destroyed.
Leigh shared, “He eats the carpet, his own waste. He frequently has a hoarse throat. You can’t turn away for a second. If you do, the wallpaper is stripped off the walls.”
The family has been striving to secure a council house for the past three years but remains on a waiting list. They currently occupy a two-story, three-bedroom private rental property, unsuitable for modifications to accommodate Steven’s needs. For safety reasons, they have to lock his bedroom door at night.
Lesley expressed concern, stating, “The current house is inadequate for Steven. Steven’s life is in jeopardy. He’s pulling out electrical cables from the walls. She [referring to Leigh] urgently needs assistance.”
Leigh remains at home with Steven, who is nonverbal, except when Lesley is present to offer support, as her husband Steven works full-time as a lift installer.
Steven attends a special educational needs school from 9 am to 3 pm, yet Leigh still feels tense, ensuring the house remains immaculate with nothing accessible to Steven that he could grab or chew on.
Leigh mentioned, “We call him Wreck it Ralph. In the living room, we have only two couches and a TV – nothing more. In the kitchen, everything is secured.”
The parents also care for their daughter, Isla-Mae, aged nine, and they explain that due to Steven’s behavior, she cannot have friends over.
Lesley described Steven as highly sensory, requiring all items to be removed from the bath to prevent him from biting or pulling them in. She emphasized, “He is extremely quick and strong. His bedroom is nearly empty because he destroys things. He ripped a radiator off the wall.”
Leigh struggles to get adequate rest as Steven’s erratic sleep patterns mean he may sleep at 9 pm but wake at 1 am and remain awake until the next night. She hopes that a new specially adapted home will provide the family with peace of mind, knowing that Steven is secure.
Leigh expressed, “Just having him enter his room and knowing it’s a safe haven will allow me to sleep.