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How can I protect my child with autism from wandering?
Autism elopement is a significant concern that causes considerable distress among caregivers and parents of children with autism. If you’re reading this blog, you’ve likely encountered that unsettling feeling in your stomach when, after only a moment’s distraction, you look up to find your loved one with autism has vanished from sight. Elopement and autism are two closely intertwined realities that require special attention.
Children experiencing autism spectrum disorder face challenges in communication and social interaction, which makes them more likely to wander, increasing the risk of them moving away without notice from their caregivers and potentially facing hazardous situations. You might wonder: How can I protect my child with autism from wandering?
In this blog from the ABA Centers of Delaware, we will delve into the challenges of autism elopement and offer you seven practical tips to enhance your child’s safety against this behavior.
Understanding Autism Elopement
In the context of autism, the CDC defines wandering as a safety issue affecting many individuals with disabilities. This phenomenon occurs when someone leaves a safe area or their caregiver, jeopardizing their physical well-being. Wandering goes beyond the brief moments a child may be away from their caregiver, as some children and teenagers with conditions like ASD struggle with understanding safety concerns and communicating with others.
For instance, when a child with autism runs away from home, they may be unable to respond to their name or indicate where they live to seek assistance. According to the CDC, approximately half of the children and teenagers with ASD engage in wandering behaviors, and 1 in 4 of these children were missing long enough to raise concern, exposing them to risks such as drowning or injuries from traffic accidents.
Autism elopement can stem from various needs of the child, such as the desire to play, run, and explore; the attraction to a specific place; the need to escape from stressful situations (such as loud noises or social expectations); or an interest in observing something that captivates the child.
Identifying Situations in Which Autism Elopement May Occur
Understanding that elopement in individuals with autism is a common phenomenon, it is crucial to familiarize ourselves with the situations in which this event may occur to remain alert to any possibility:
- At Home: Although our homes are generally considered the safest environments for our children, it is surprising how frequently elopements occur without warning. According to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the tendency to elope is not associated with parenting style but is an inherent characteristic of autism. In most documented cases, children left their residence or an acquaintance’s home. Moreover, research indicates that the risk of elopement correlates with the severity of autism, increasing by 9% for every 10-point increment in the T-score on the Social Responsiveness Scale.
- Public Places: Noisy and crowded settings can lead to overstimulation in children with autism, prompting them to elope as a coping mechanism. Shopping malls, parks, and stores, with their bright lights, loud sounds, and crowds, are usual places from which children choose to elope.
- School: Academic expectations and social demands can frequently trigger elopement among children and adolescents with ASD. Situations requiring children to complete specific activities can overwhelm those with autism, causing stress and anxiety and motivating them to escape from the school environment.
- Vehicles: Automobiles can also be settings where elopement occurs in autism. Staying alert is crucial to ensure the safety of our loved ones, as a child might abruptly exit a vehicle, especially in crowded areas such as parking lots or amid traffic.
- Bodies of Water: Locations such as lakes, ponds, or rivers can have a strong allure for children, including those with ASD. Difficulty in communicating the desire to explore these areas may lead the child to head toward them without warning, heightening the risk of drowning. According to a study by Injury Epidemiology, fatal drownings in children with ASD commonly occur in bodies of water near the victim’s residences triggered by wandering behaviors.
- Traffic: Traffic signs can attract children’s attention and lead them to elope into streets or highways, posing a significant risk in areas with high vehicular traffic.
Exploring Strategies for Protecting Children with Autism from Elopement
As explored in this blog, extensive research has been dedicated to understanding the relationship between autism and elopement, highlighting situations and triggers that may facilitate this behavior. Below are seven strategies that parents and caregivers of children with autism can implement to protect their children from the risks of elopement:
- Approach Using ABA Therapy: Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), developed by expert behavioral clinical psychologists for individuals with ASD, provides tools to modify behaviors impacting well-being, such as elopement. This therapy emphasizes enhancing communication and interactive skills, including in non-verbal cases, through means like visual aids, sign language, and electronic devices. It also involves identifying environmental triggers for elopement and developing alternatives to mitigate them, thereby improving the individual’s and their family’s safety.
- Establishment of Routines: Consistent and predictable routines lessen anxiety in transition situations, reducing the likelihood of elopement.
- Use of Visual Supports: Visual aids such as schedules, stories, pictures, and children’s books can clarify expectations and transitions for the child, diminishing anxiety and the impulse to elope.
- Reinforcement of Safety Skills: It’s vital to teach your kiddo concepts like road safety, recognizing authority figures and danger, and providing personal and contact information to approach elopement. Equally important is preparing the family with appropriate information and tools to handle these situations.
- Creating Autism-Friendly Environments: Tailoring the environment to the child’s needs, such as minimizing stimuli that may trigger elopement both at home and in public spaces, helps reduce risks. For instance, wearing noise-canceling headphones and dark glasses in public places and adjusting lighting and security alarms at home can be beneficial.
- Adequacy of Home Security: Implementing extra security measures like alarms, surveillance cameras, and childproof locks can help prevent home elopements.
- Constant Supervision and Monitoring: It is crucial to keep a close watch, particularly in unfamiliar environments. Technologies such as GPS devices offer secure monitoring while respecting the individual’s privacy. Additionally, using stickers or pins that indicate the individual has autism and provide contact information can be helpful in emergencies.
ABA Centers of Delaware and ABA Therapy to Address Autism and Wandering
At ABA Centers of Delaware, we understand the risks associated with autism elopement and the potential dangers it presents to individuals on the spectrum and their families. This issue demands immediate attention, and families need to take action to ensure the safety and well-being of their loved ones. Fortunately, they have support in this endeavor. At ABA Centers of Delaware, we excel in offering autism care services, including ABA therapy. As previously mentioned, ABA therapy is a specialized approach aimed at teaching individuals with autism vital skills that empower them to lead more fulfilling and confident lives.
ABA therapy extends well beyond addressing issues like elopement. Through ABA therapy, children and adolescents with autism can achieve significant progress in various aspects of their lives, such as academics, social interactions, family dynamics, and personal development. Skills nurtured through ABA therapy include coping mechanisms, daily living activities, social skills, reading and writing, visual and perceptual abilities, gross and fine motor skills, attention maintenance, hygiene and self-care practices, emotional regulation, and transition management.
If you are prepared to support your loved one’s development and growth with the assistance of specialized ABA therapists, please don’t hesitate to contact us at (844) 855-8517 or online. We are committed to serving neurodiverse families in the state of Delaware.
