I’m amazed at your restraint — if I saw an adult trying to assault my child I think I would have hit them — regardless of gender. I may have been in the police station for a completely different reason than the one you were trying to avoid.

My son isn’t disabled, but he finds noisy environments difficult too —less so after a lot of OT — and it was most helpful, after one difficult episode in a restaurant, when he explained to us the next day that the noise and movement was was too much for him. When I asked what he would like us to do if it happened again, he said to take him outside. Then I suggested that he tell us when he needs to go outside. He does that now. And we reciprocate by being more aware of the environment too. I know that if I’m finding it annoying, he’s probably finding it excruciating.

Baby steps.

Also — don’t take your daughter to the Lego Batman movie — that experience kept us out of cinemas for three years!