autism wandering

Emergency Responders: 7 Things You NEED to Know About Autism Wandering

autism wandering

As an autism mom, worry and fear can be my constant companions. My entire life can change in the blink of an eye, especially because my child wanders.

My son has been wandering since he could walk.

One particular time, he was playing with the hose in the front yard. Wearing no shirt or shoes, he didn’t have a care in the world. He loves water. Seconds earlier, I had checked on him through the kitchen window and he was fine. Then his sister went outside and they got into a small scuffle… she told him to “get lost.”

People with autism are very literal. That’s exactly what he did.

In less than two minutes he was GONE.

I activated 911 and had the whole neighborhood searching for him. 3-1/2 hours later he was found several blocks away under a bush. I shook him and hugged him and asked what on earth he was thinking! He only replied, “My sister said get lost.”

My son, now 14, is nine inches taller than me, has a mustache and wears men’s large sized clothing. While he wanders more “online” these days than out of the house, it is still challenging to keep him safe, especially if we go to public events and gatherings.

I have multiple stories of “close calls” like this. As an emergency responder, I’ve been tasked to find missing children at festivals and responded to autism-related EMS calls. If you’re a first responder, here are 7 things you need to know about wandering.

  1. It can happen in an instant. Just like my story, thousands of autism parents have literally “blinked” and had their child disappear on them. It is beyond terrifying. Know that children with autism are not being manipulative, calculating, or trying to get out of a test at school… something catches their eye, or they are experiencing sensory overwhelm, and they run.
  2. It’s more common than you think. The National Autism Association cites that 49% of autistic people are prone to wandering away from a safe environment, which is nearly four times higher than their neurotypical siblings. Two in three parents of elopers reported their missing children had a “close call” with a traffic injury. Wandering was ranked among the most stressful ASD behaviors by 58% of parents of elopers. 62% of families of children who elope were prevented from attending/enjoying activities outside the home due to fear of wandering. 40% of parents have suffered sleep disruption due to fear of elopement.
  3. They are drawn to water. In 2009, 2010, and 2011, accidental drowning accounted for 91% total U.S. deaths reported in children with an ASD ages 14 and younger subsequent to wandering/elopement. In my Autism Training courses I teach parents and emergency responders to search water first if a person with autism goes missing. This includes rivers, pools, lakes, ponds, and even fountains. For more information on WHY they are drawn to water, read this article.
  4. They may not seek help. Don’t assume wandering is a crisis or emergency to someone with autism. They may be perfectly happy in their own little world and not seek assistance just because they are “lost.” I’ve seen cases where an autistic child was hungry, walked into a strange family’s house and sat down at the dinner table! If you ARE searching for a missing person with autism, don’t discount looking in tight spaces or odd locations simply because a reasonable person wouldn’t go there. I’ve witnessed children found between mattresses behind a dumpster and inside a hay bale.
  5. They may be nonverbal. Even if a child (or adult!) is typically verbal, under the duress of an emergency they may not be able to communicate their needs. In fact, over one-third of autistic people that wander cannot communicate their name or address. Look for alternate IDs, such as bracelets, shoelace tags, phone apps, or QR codes to help you identify someone and get their medical history and caregiver contact information stat.
  6. If there’s a reason, it probably seems trivial to you. The other night, at approximately 4 am during my shift, my ambulance was parked at a convenience store. My partner and I were standing outside, enjoying the fact that we finally got to stop for a long-awaited cup of coffee, when a 15 year-old boy walked up to us. He asked if we could call his mom and apologize for him for not doing the dishes. He said, “Please tell her I’m sorry and I want to come home.” I saw him tapping his index fingers together repeatedly (“stimming“), recognized some of his other behaviors, and immediately identified him as autistic. After some careful questions, we discovered that he failed to do the dishes 12 hours ago and was so upset that he left home. He had been wandering the streets of Atlanta and riding local trains on and off since 4 pm that afternoon. Luckily, we were able to contact his parents and they immediately came to pick him up. They both cried tears of joy that he was found safely.
  7. Parents may be afraid to call 911. The parents from the situation above had been driving around all night looking for their son. They told us that they were, “…about to call 911” when they got our phone call. As a responder, you are probably thinking, “WHY DID YOU WAIT SO LONG!” But as a parent it is scary. You want to believe they are right around the corner. You want to believe they’re hiding in the house somewhere, playing a terrible joke on you. You want to believe you can handle it yourself before getting public safety involved. There is a stigma around “losing” a child. Law enforcement doesn’t yet understand all the nuances and variables of autism. I’m not saying parents are RIGHT to think and feel this way, I’m just saying these are thoughts that go through our mind. It does not necessarily indicate abuse or neglect, so please, as a responder, consider the big picture and dig a little deeper if you are involved in a situation involving a wanderer.

For more information on autism training for emergency responders, wandering, or safety tips, contact Debi@SpiritOfAutism.org.

autism halloween safety

Halloween Safety for Autism Parents and First Responders

autism halloween safety Halloween has always been the most important holiday in our house. My daughter would beg me to put up the decorations on September 1st, and then submit long-winded arguments for putting Santa hats on the Halloween décor instead of taking it down for the holiday season.

Trick or treating is another story. Take one elaborate but sensory-aggravating costume, spooky lights and decorations, crowds of loud children on the streets, and possible sugar and chemical dye sensitivities from loads of candy… and you may have created the perfect recipe of a meltdown. Also, there are rules about how we knock on doors and how we talk to people that are extremely difficult for my son to understand and comply with.

What about Halloween safety? On average, twice as many children are hit and killed by cars between the hours of 4pm and 10pm on Halloween compared to the same timeframe on any other day of the year, according to Safe Kids Worldwide. Emergency Departments often see other Halloween related injuries such as eye injuries from sharp objects and burns from flammable costumes.

Add autism to the mix and Halloween can become a nightmare for parents and a challenge for responders.

Here are some tips for a parents and caregivers for a safe and enjoyable Halloween, followed by what safety issues to be aware of as a first responder:

Autism Halloween Safety Tip #1: Costumes

Let your child practice wearing their costume at home for at least a week in advance. This gives you time to make any last minute modifications and time for your child to get used to it. I wish I had a nickel for all the times it took me to learn this one.

Avoid costumes with masks or hats that restrict sight or movement. It may be worth it to start with an item of your child’s own clothing or a Halloween t-shirt. Also avoid costumes that require extra accessories – your child will not want to carry them for long and they also may contribute to tripping or other safety hazards. Trust me on this one.

Autism Halloween Safety Tip #2: Trick-or-Treating

Be aware of any homes in your neighborhood have displays with lots of gore and special effects so you can avoid them.

Use repeated social stories for safety tips about crossing the street. In addition, carry glow sticks and a flashlight if you are going out in the dark.

Make sure your child wears some type of identification in case of wandering. We love If I Need Help, an amazing company that offers unique QR Codes for individuals that may wander via patches, shoe tags, ID cards, dog tags, pins, clips and more.

Create a visual schedule that includes a map of where you will go. It’s also a great idea to practice trick-or-treating at home the week before Halloween: take turns answering the door to give out the candy and being the trick-or-treater.

Autism Halloween Safety Tip #3: The Swag

Make a plan for how you will handle candy consumption. A gluten or dairy intolerance may be an issue with Halloween treats, as are food dyes and extra sugar. Decide the candy-eating rules in advance and write them down so they are clearly understood before the actual night.

First Responders, what do you need to be aware of?

Autism Halloween Safety Issue #1: Inappropriate Behavior

You may run across or be called to a scene due to inappropriate behavior. Perhaps you see a person lying in the middle of the road. Be aware that this may be someone with autism that has completely shut down due to sensory overwhelm and is unable to get themselves somewhere safe to ride it out. You might be thinking, it’s just a child – pick them up and move them. My son is only 13 and he is seven inches taller than me and wears men’s large or extra large clothing size. If he were to shut down in the middle of the road, I would have a difficult time moving him by myself.

Something else my son did in his earlier years of trick or treating was kicking the doors of people’s houses instead of knocking. He wasn’t being malicious or intentionally causing trouble – he had severe impulsivity and was sensory seeking (his nervous system was underactive and craved constant input in the form of hitting, crashing, biting, etc.). As you can imagine, this did not go over too well with some of the homeowners.

Autism Halloween Safety Issue #2: Heat Related Injuries

Autistic individuals tend to have issues regulating body temperature. Here in Georgia it has been known to feel like summer on some Halloween nights. A child’s costume worn over their clothes plus more physical activity than they are used to can cause mild hyperthermia or dehydration.

Also be aware that loose, flowing costumes may catch fire if a person lines their walkway with candles or open jack-o-lanterns.

Autism Halloween Safety Issue #3: Fall Related Injuries

Vision, our dominant sense, is a neurological process and is therefore directly affected by autism. VISION is different than SIGHT (20/20). Vision is a neurological process that takes place in the brain. 65% of the brain is “wired” for the visual system and 80% of what the brain processes is via the visual system. It helps to think of the visual system as a major highway, and all other senses as exit ramps. The highway must be in great shape – no potholes or detours – so that you can efficiently and quickly get to your exit ramp (i.e., conduct your daily life). Vision has a huge role in guiding movement, touch, and balance.

Adding a mask with limited vision, loose costumes, and obstacles in strange driveways can compound these issues and cause someone to trip or fall.

Autism Halloween Safety Issue #4: Seizures

Nearly one-third of people with autism have Epilepsy, a brain disorder marked by recurring seizures, or convulsions. For about three percent of people with epilepsy, exposure to flashing lights at certain intensities or to certain visual patterns can trigger seizures.

Some houses use strobe lights or flashing lights as part of their Halloween decorations.

Autism Halloween Safety Issue #5: Wandering

If you encounter someone trick or treating alone, look for devices or IDs that may identify the person as autistic. They may have bolted away for their group or caregiver and it is likely they may head toward something shiny or a nearby body of water.

Keep a careful eye out for wanderers for a few days after Halloween; I’ve heard from other parents that their child continued to trick-or-treat on their own the next day or even following week!

2014-07-04 20.39.14

Weekly Autism Tips for Emergency Responders: If I Need Help

QR Code

My son wearing his unique QR code at the Chamblee fireworks in 2014.

My boy is a wanderer. After having a girl first, one that was nearly always attached to my side, I was not prepared for the terror of repeatedly having a child go missing in the blink of an eye.

Now he’s 13 years old, 7″ taller than me and weighs 210 pounds. He doesn’t wander often. In fact, I can’t seem to get him to wander… away from his computer, that is ;) However, we are still prepared; despite the repetition of safety-based social stories and the fact that he prefers to stay in his room… there is always a chance he will impulsively go seek something outside and get caught up in it until he’s no longer sure where he is. There are also large events that we sometimes venture out to, when the odds are stacked in our favor and we have all our tools to make it a successful outing, that breed great opportunities for him to be lost in the crowd.

My son is verbal, but when something happens to him that deviates at all from his normal routine, he shuts down. He knows his name, address, and phone number, but when he’s in distress all he can process is what’s happening to him at that moment. He doesn’t think through asking critical questions or seeking help, he either shuts down exactly where he is or he goes. Like Forrest Gump goes – no idea where he’s going or what or who he’s trying to reach, he just goes.

So how would you respond to a 210-pound, stocky man child (that sometimes wears diapers because of crippling digestive and bowel issues) that cannot tell you his name, where he lives or what’s wrong?

In our case, you could scan him! (What?)

As a parent, I have researched myriad IDs and tracking devices for my child. I’m glad to see so many options available now – so many other parents stepping up to the plate and inventing products to keep their children safe. My son has extreme sensory issues (and I mentioned he’s a 13-year old boy)… he rarely keeps CLOTHES on. A clunky tracking device on him would not be there long.

If I Need Help has saved our bacon on more than one occasion! First of all, the creators are super cool, funny and awesome parents who, like many others, had a dire need to keep their own child safe. Secondly, the QR code patches and clothing were easily tolerated by my son! He actually loves the idea of having his own unique “code” and wears it with pride.

Butch in the Tub

“I’m safe in here, right, Mom?”

We didn’t make it to fireworks this year. The ones that went off in our neighborhood ALL DAY really put him into a bad sensory state. Together, with our terrified, Thundershirt-clad husky seeking shelter in the tub, we focused on calming routines instead of venturing out to the city’s festivities. ‘Twas quite a night. Last year, however, we went to the City of Chamblee fireworks and had a great time! Donning his QR code on a Minecraft shirt, our first stop at the festival was the police tent, where I introduced my son, explained he was Autistic, and told officers if they spotted him anywhere without me, they should scan his code with their smartphone. The QR code gives instant access to my son’s emergency information, I am able to change anything in his profile REAL TIME based on the scenario, and the entire thing can be emailed to searchers if he went missing. It is his unique ID, a way for him to communicate when he isn’t able.

One time, he was playing with the hose in our front yard and his sister apparently told him to get lost. Being literal like he is, he did just that. In the blink of an eye he was gone – no shirt, no shoes and soaking wet. It took a neighborhood search party, DeKalb PD and a lot of faith that day, but I got my son back safely.

He wasn’t wearing a shirt, so how could the QR code have helped? If I Need Help has some NEW products – they now have custom Dog Tags and ID cards that have the name, number and additional info printed on them along with the QR code.  People who are more independent like these, but they are also good for people who do not keep their shirts on. 

QuickStartGuideWithBlurb

If I Need Help Quick-start Guide

With the free sign up you can create a profile, edit it live in real time, send the profile to other caregivers, and print out your own code. Many people are printing their codes, laminating them and taping or glueing them to their phones, devices or anything else they keep with them regularly.

If you’ve taken my Autism training course, you already know some signs and behaviors that will help you identify that someone may need help. Keep your eyes open for anyone wearing or holding a QR code on their person and don’t be afraid to SCAN IT! You may just be saving a life.
SOA Web TV

Spirit of Autism Web TV Episode 1 – Summer Safety

As parents and caregivers of someone with Autism, you know as well as I do that safety is a concern year-round. However, it is heightened during the summer. This premier episode of Spirit of Autism Web TV focuses on two vital aspects of summer safety: wandering and emergency preparedness. Join me as I interview Erin and Bruce Wilson of QR Code ID and my friend, Austin Harris, about how to prepare your 72-hour kit to be prepared for what this crazy severe weather may bring to your neighborhood!

Thanks for tuning in! Look for the next episode on Wednesday, August 13 at 9:45 pm on AmericanHeartsRadio.com. We’ll be talking about transitioning back to school among other great topics!

AutismWithebiTaylorJuly9th1stEpisode2014

Tune In to My New Autism Web TV Series

AutismWithebiTaylorJuly9th1stEpisode2014Has it really been over TWO months since I’ve reached out to you? Wow. My sincerest apologies. Lots has been brewing in Spirit of Autism land! I’ve had the honor of providing in-service Autism training to the Stone Mountain Police Department as well as the District 8 Georgia Police Chiefs in Villa Rica, GA. All officers that attended received P.O.S.T. (Peace Officer Standards and Training) credit for the course, so we are really making strides in the Emergency Responder training arena!

Coming up I will be doing a “Train the Trainer” Autism course for the Georgia Institute of EMS, in which they will also receive continuing education credit. We will soon be launching an online version of the training course with a test and certificate of completion available for Law Enforcement and EMS.

Now for the really fun announcement… I’ve got a new web TV series! I’ve joined forces with American Hearts Radio, a family-friendly company on a great mission, offering live worldwide radio broadcasts, live events and WEB TV productions to people with a real message to share.

My new 30-minute series will air on the second Wednesday of each month at 9:45 pm EST. Don’t worry if you can’t stay awake that late! As an Autism parent I know we need to grab sleep whenever we can get it ;) The show will be available to watch on the American Hearts Radio website, on YouTube and right here on my Blog.

Premiering July 9, the first show will focus on Autism and Summer Safety. I’ll have in the studio with me guest Austin Harris, my sidekick in the Fire Rescue Reserve and Emergency Responder training. We’ll be talking about Disaster Preparedness and how you need to be even MORE prepared when you have a child or family member with Autism. I’m also honored to be airing an interview with Erin Wilson from QR Code ID. We’ll be discussing all the great products they created for loved ones who wander. You won’t want to miss this! Summer can be a chaotic and harrowing time for Autism families… we’ll let you know how to make sure it’s a safe time!

Looking for Sponsors

American Hearts Radio produces commercials for your business that will be placed on live Radio show daily spins and re-runs, as well as a video version that will appear on all social networks, other shows and the AHR website.

As a local sponsor you will also be invited on local WEB TV Shows in Atlanta to promote your business.

If you’re looking for a way to drive potential buyers to your website American Hearts Radio.com does exactly that. Contact me for more info if you’re interested… it’s extremely affordable!

 

Spirit of Autism Halloween Safety

Halloween Safety Tips for Your Child with Autism

Halloween can be a pretty overwhelming for a child with autism. Heck, it’s overwhelming for ME – add to the mix sensory-aggravating costumes, spooky lights and decorations, crowds of loud children on the streets, and possible sugar and chemical dye sensitivities from loads of candy… and you may have created the perfect recipe of a meltdown.

Here are some tips for a safe and enjoyable Halloween for your child with autism:

 

Costumes

Let your child practice wearing their costume at home for at least a week in advance. This gives you time to make any last minute modifications and time for your child to get used to it. I wish I had a nickel for all the times it took me to learn this one.

 

Avoid costumes with masks or hats that restrict sight or movement. It may be worth it to start with an item of your child’s own clothing or a Halloween t-shirt. Also avoid costumes that require extra accessories – your child will not want to carry them for long and they also may contribute to tripping or other safety hazards. Trust me on this one.

 

Last year we did a simple pair of baggy overalls and my son’s red shirt with a pre-bought Mario hat and white gloves. Easy, comfortable and everyone recognized his character!

 

This year my son is (possibly) bold enough to try a box on his head to be a character from Minecraft. With large eyeholes, this is mom-approved, as we can easily fill in the rest of the costume with a solid colored sweatshirt and matching sweatpants.

 

Trick-or-Treating

Be aware of which homes in your neighborhood have displays with lots of gore and special effects (our house… oops!) so you can avoid them.

 

Use repeated social stories for safety tips about crossing the street. In addition, carry glow sticks and a flashlight if you are going out in the dark.

 

If your child is nonverbal, make sure he or she wears some type of obvious identification. We love QR Code ID – which is printed right on the child’s clothing! My son will not keep a bracelet, ID tag, or watch on long enough for it to do its job.

Also, I have been seeing this wonderful picture circulating around my social media networks – what a great idea:

Create a visual schedule that includes a map of where you will go. It’s also a great idea to practice trick-or-treating at home the week before Halloween: take turns answering the door to give out the candy and being the trick-or-treater.

 

Don’t try to hit every single house in your neighborhood. Keep trick or treating short and comfortable for your child. Consider letting siblings that might want to go longer go trick-or-treating with a friend.

 

The Swag

Make a plan for how you will handle candy consumption. A gluten or dairy intolerance may be an issue with Halloween treats, as are food dyes and extra sugar. Decide the candy-eating rules in advance and write them down.

 

For those that avoid animal products in general, here is the The 2013 VegNews Guide to Vegan Candy (hot off the press!).

 

After Halloween, don’t relax your safety routines! Watch the doors and windows extra closely. I’ve heard from other parents that their child continued to trick-or-treat on their own the next day or following week.

 

I hope these tips help you have a safe and fun Halloween! What tips and routines do you use in your house for trick-or-treating? Share by commenting below!

autism summer safety tips

Summer Safety Tips for Parents of Children with Autism

Summertime,

And the livin’ is easy…

Well, that doesn’t always ring true for parents of Autistic children! Safety concerns become heightened when the weather turns nice and schedules are more lax.

Having an Autistic son has brought things I’d never before imagined having to be prepared for into my experience. Here are some safety tips I’ve pulled from my own experiences and some great ideas from May Institute that can help you be prepared so you can relax and enjoy the summer with your child.

Water safety

Drowning is the number one cause of death in autistic children. Many children with Autism are powerfully drawn to the water but do not understand the dangers.

Always be within arm’s reach of the child when he or she is in or around any open water. Be sure to drain bathtubs and other small containers of water when you are finished using them – a child can drown in an inch of water. Put safety locks on toilet seats and hot tubs and monitor or cover landscape ponds if you can.

Teach your child to swim as early as possible. If they struggle with traditional swimming strokes, they can learn a water survival technique called drownproofing, which will help them stay afloat until help arrives.

Wandering prevention

Children with ASD are likely to act impulsively, including running away or wandering.

Use deadbolt locks, keep doors and windows locked and install an alarm on doors. Motion detectors and window bars may also be appropriate.

For children who respond well to visual cues, consider placing STOP or DO NOT ENTER signs on all doors that open to the outside. These can be powerful reminders.

You can find seven more vital tips for wandering prevention, including the use of QR Code apparel in this article.

Getting your information to emergency responders

If it is available in your area, register your family on Smart911. Whether an Autistic child has wandered, is having a medical emergency, or a behavioral emergency, it is vital to communicate that they have Autism and understand the response may require very specific actions.

Participate in local community safety fairs where there are opportunities to meet actual police, firefighters, and emergency response professionals that work in your community in an environment that is friendly and fun. This may increase the chances that your child will respond positively to first responders in the future.

If available, submit a disability indicator form to your local law enforcement agency to help alert law enforcement that a person residing at that address may require special assistance during an emergency. You can also create a more detailed handout with information about your child and have printed and electronic formats available so you can readily provide it to search and rescue personnel in the event of an incident.

It’s also a good idea to give your neighbors a handout with a picture of your child and emergency contact information. It should describe effective ways to approach, communicate with, and calm your child. Ask them to contact you immediately if they see your child outside your home or property.

How about you? What summer safety tips work in your home? Share by commenting below or posting to the SOA Facebook page!

autism wandering child

7 Vital Tips for Autism Wandering Prevention

My son was 18 months old. He was standing next to my bed, humming, as I was folding laundry and separating the piles. Then he walked out. In the time it took me to fold a pair of jeans, the child had walked to the other end of the house, found my keys, figured out which one was the car key (!), went outside, opened the trunk, and climbed in.

When he was in First Grade, I dropped him off at school, walked halfway to his class with him, then went on my merry way after kisses and high fives like usual. It just so happened that I forgot something from the house that day. Coincidentally, I also needed gas and went left instead of right, passing the school once again. About four blocks from the school, in a direction I normally never would have traveled, was my son, walking with his backpack and singing, without a care in the world. He apparently walked right out of the building after we parted in the hallway, and the teacher assumed he was absent that day. No one knew! Imagine what could have happened if I had turned right like I always did!

Here are 7 tips if your child is prone to wandering

  1. Safety-proof your home. Home should be a safe haven. In addition to traditional childproofing for small children, you will have to take some extra measures for your child with Autism.
  2. Install door alarms. Many children with Autism are prone to wandering. Alarms offer great back up protection.
  3. Arm your child with a form of communication. Whether your child is verbal or non-verbal, communication is a challenge. Create a visual safety book for your child with key questions and answers he or she may be asked in an emergency situation. Practice, practice, practice!
  4. Get to know your neighbors. It’s a good idea to introduce yourself and your child to your neighbors. You can explain what Autism is, along with some of your child’s behaviors that would strike other people as odd. This way they will call you instead of the police, or help direct your child home if found wandering.
  5. Register your child with public safety. Contact your local police precinct, fire department, and hospital and register your child with their database of special needs families.
  6. Use social stories. Teach your child how to handle emergency situations like fire, burglary, strangers at the door, when someone is hurt, and calling 911.
  7. Get QR Code iD apparel for your child and subscribe to their website.

What is QR Code iD?

People who have Autism, cognitive disabilities or other special needs or health issues may be unable to state personal information such as name, phone number, address, medications taken, where Mom and Dad work, issues peculiar to that day, the hotel where the family is staying on vacation, etc.

If your child is lost or wanders, rescuers need to know who to call, and how to help.

QR Code iD creates a way to put this information in one place. This information is accessed from any computer browser, either by entering the URL manually with the computer keyboard, or by scanning a QR code printed directly on the child’s clothing, both of which will take you to the client’s non-secure homepage. This page displays all the information that a loved one wants someone to know when finding the child. This information can be updated REAL TIME!

QR Code iD commissioned Special Needs Artists to create beautiful artwork to put on shirts, buttons, key chains and other products that have QR codes on them. These talented Special Needs Artists will be discovered and contracted to contribute original artwork for our products.

Membership is only $29.00 a year for this invaluable service. I highly recommend it!

Use “spirit 15″ when you check out for 15% discount through July 4!

Do you have any stories of your child wandering that really frightened you? What did you do? Share your comments below or post them to the SOA Facebook page!

When Your Child Wanders…

When Justin was in first grade the principal had a strict policy of no parents walking their children into the classroom. (More about that inane rule and how I combated it in another post…) But for that portion of the year I was entering the school with him and saying goodbye just before he turned the corner to head to class.

One morning I dropped him off, business as usual. At that time, I would typically turn right out of the parking lot and head to work; however that day I realized I forgot my lunch AND needed to get gas in the car. I drove back home and then past the school once again toward the gas station. The bell had rung and school was in session. About six blocks past the school I saw a small child with a backpack casually walking down the street. My heart sank as I realized it was MY child.

When I pulled over and brought him back to school they had no concern whatsoever that he hadn’t made it to class – they simply thought he was out sick that day. I went over and over in my head the scenarios that COULD HAVE played out if I hadn’t forgotten my lunch and needed gas that day. The thought of the myriad possible outcomes were magnified by the realization that I would not have even found out he was missing until I went to pick him up at the end of the work day.

Another time, he was playing with the garden hose outside in the front yard. This was a normal activity for him, and I always peeked out the window frequently to check on him. On this particular day, I blinked and he disappeared. Gone. No shirt, wet pants, and no shoes… vanished.

I immediately grabbed his sister and her best friend and started screaming his name while walking up and down our dead end block. Some neighbors heard my panicked shouts and offered to drive the vicinity and look for him. A thousand thoughts were racing through my head as I searched every nook and cranny of the woods, front and back yard, inside the house several times (maybe he’s just hiding, oh please God let him be hiding), and down several neighboring blocks.

I called the police. Being in the Fire Department I heard my own call go over the scanner and it really hit me. My baby is lost. What have I done? How could this have happened? It was just a few minutes…

I will never forget the feelings that washed over me as I saw my neighbor driving up with Justin in the front seat. Tears welled up as I experienced every possible human emotion simultaneously, hugging him tighter than I ever have. I was able to cancel the police call and take my little angel home to dry off.

He had no explanation for why he left the yard or where he was going. These two experiences absolutely changed my perspective about Autism and wandering.

How do you minimize the risk?

I know how lucky I am that my son is still with me today. That is part of what drives me to train Emergency Responders. However, you must assume that police and fire currently have no knowledge or Autism training and take preventative measures. Here are some practical steps you can take so you don’t have to go through what I did:

1. Safety-proof your home. Home should be a safe haven. In addition to traditional childproofing for small children, you will have to take some extra measures for your child with Autism.

2. Install door alarms. Many children with Autism are prone to wandering. Alarms offer great back up protection. You also may want to consider a personal GPS device for your child.

3. Carry an Autism Emergency ID Card. Emergency ID cards will help people on the scene of an emergency know how to approach and communicate with your child. Include contact information and important behavioral traits of your child.

4. Have your child wear an Emergency ID Tag. In addition to ID cards, tags are another great way to get the attention of emergency responders. If your child cannot tolerate wearing tags around their neck or wrists (if sensory and tactile issues are present), try attaching them to your child’s shoelace. (This of course would not have helped when my child was shirtless and shoeless… but there are so many different kinds of ID tags to choose from now, thank goodness)

5. Arm your child with a form of communication. Whether your child is verbal or non-verbal, communication is a challenge. Create a visual safety book for your child with key questions and answers he or she may be asked in an emergency situation. Practice, practice, practice! I also highly recommend Signing Families for additional communication resources and tools.

6. Get to know your neighbors. It’s a good idea to introduce yourself and your child to your neighbors. You can explain what Autism is, along with some of your child’s behaviors that would strike other people as odd. This way they will call you instead of the police, or help direct your child home if found wandering.

7. Extend the introduction to places you frequent. Introducing your child to a local store owner, diner staff, or other places you regularly visit can go a long way. Instead of a knee-jerk reaction to an odd or inappropriate behavior, a clerk will know your child and be able to intervene safely or inform you of what they may observe. This is also a good idea in vacation spots!

8. Register your child with public safety. Contact your local police precinct, fire department, and hospital and register your child with their database of special needs families.

9. Teach safety procedures to your child. Even with Autism ID cards and tags, your child may still cross the street without looking or enter a dangerous situation. Use real-life situations (like being lost in a store) and repeat drills with your child as often as possible.

10. Use social stories. Teach your child how to handle emergency situations like fire, burglary, blackouts, strangers at the door, when someone is hurt, and calling 911.

Have you had any close calls with your child? What preventative measures do you employ in your home or neighborhood? Let me know by commenting below or posting on my Facebook page – I always welcome your stories and feedback!