Some kids with developmental disabilities sometimes have a tendency to run away from home, intentional or not.
What can you do to keep this from happening to you? I compiled a few helpful hints, and tips to keep your child a little more safe while at home:
- Don’t be afraid to call emergency services immediately (911) if you find that your child ran away from your home. Hopefully somebody in your community already has called 911 and so when you make your call they can tell you right away where your child is at.
- Equip your child with identifying shoe laces or wristbands that indicate he or she is autistic. (look into AngelSense GPS devices which are specially designed to attach to sleeves or pants to help locate your child if you are particularly worried about your specific child in this case)
- Make sure that everyone in your neighborhood is introduced to your nonverbal son or daughter and can easily recognize them, your neighbors can keep an open eye for you and this can prove to be completely invaluable, believe me, it takes an army to raise an autistic child.
- Secure your doors with an alarm that sounds whenever it is opened. Make sure that your property is fenced, whether you own it or not. It would be unsafe to rent from an unfenced property, perhaps ask your landlord if they will accommodate you and your child.
- Put a sign on your gates asking visitors to keep the gates closed.
- Make sure your child has an accurate IEP at school, this means that, if your child has ever wandered away, or you fear they will, that needs to be noted in their IEP. This will ensure that your child has one-on-one (1:1) supervision while outside of the classroom. (also ensure that it is noted in your child’s personal care plan for his or her therapists, or daycare, or other personal care workers/nurses.)
Tune into the video below to learn how to equip your gate with a self-closing mechanism to help keep your children safe!
Comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Tonia Chaffee
