The woman, who did not want to be named to protect her son’s identity, reached out to the Dunedin City Council to have Dunedin Railway Station and Toitū Otago Settlers Museum lit red last night on the disorder’s awareness day.
It was important people knew about the highly stigmatised-against disorder that about 3000 children were born with every year in New Zealand, she said.
It was not as well supported or recognised as other spectrum disorders including autism and ADHD in New Zealand.
However, the foster mother had got the assessment for her son as a proactive measure in case he had issues with the criminal justice system due to a lack of impulse control that came with the disorder.
She said children with the disorder appeared normal and were often punished for their behaviour without consideration for their brain injury.
"Punishment doesn’t work because of the way their brain is affected."
Her 14-year-old foster son who she cared for since he was 6 weeks old found it difficult making friends and reading social situations hard to do.
"It’s frustrating for him as well because he just wants to play and he doesn’t realise how irritating he’s being and the other kids get really worked up when he doesn’t stop."
A few months ago she started a support group for parents of children with the disorder that met once a month at St Mark’s Church in Green Island.
She said people were quite judgemental of birth parents.
Recently, when she mentioned to some people that her other foster child was being monitored for the disorder at the doctors they responded by saying "oh you must be the foster parent".
"I was like wow, how would I feel if I was the birth parent?"
Having the council oblige and light the Railway Station clock and Toitu in red was a meaningful gesture because it would help raise awareness for the disorder in the general public, she said.
