Understanding Elopement: How Parents Can Protect Autistic Children
Understanding Elopement: How Parents Can Protect Autistic Children
Elopement is when a child leaves a safe area without permission and it can lead to dangerous accidents and outcomes. Approximately 50% of autistic children have tried to elope. Understanding why autistic children elope and implementing strategies to prevent it are crucial steps in ensuring their safety.
What is Elopement?
Eloping refers to when a child wanders or runs away from a safe, supervised place. It is also referred to as wandering, bolting, taking off, or fleeing. This behavior is common among autistic children. It can be very dangerous because it puts the child at risk of getting lost, drowning or being hit by a car.
Why do Autistic Children Elope?
Autistic children elope for a variety of reasons. Below are some key points to help understand why autistic children might elope:
- Limited Communication Skills: Children with limited communication skills are more likely to elope. This means that if your child is nonverbal, uses pictures or gestures to communicate, they might be at higher risk. These children might elope because they have trouble expressing their needs.
- Seeking Desired Items or Places: Children may elope to reach something that they want, such as a favorite toy or location.
- Escaping Stressful Environments: Loud noises, crowded places or unfamiliar environments may cause stress among autistic individuals which may lead them to elope from the discomfort.
- Positive Reinforcement/Enjoyment of Running or Being Chased: Many autistic children may elope because they enjoy running or being chased. If the child knows that running away will result in a chase, the attention and interaction from the caregiver may serve as a reward.
How to Protect Autistic Children in your Care?
To protect an autistic child from elopement, you can implement several strategies and precautions:
Behavioral Interventions: Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy is effective in targeting the reasons why a child elopes and can teach safer behaviors. This allows for a tailored approach to address the root cause of a child’s elopement.
Preventative Practices:
- Frequent Monitoring: Make sure to regularly check on your child. Setting a timer can be a useful reminder.
- Positive Reinforcement: Give praise or a reward when your child does not attempt to elope. This promotes and encourages children to stay in safe areas.
- Identification Training: If possible, teach your child to recite their name, address, and phone number or keep this information attached to them.
Physical Precautions at Home:
- Locks: Locks are the most common preventable measure, so that a child is not able to leave the house without supervision
- Home Alarm Systems: Installing home alarm systems or wireless alarms can be very effective. It is helpful to use alarm systems that sound an alert when a door or window is opened.
Community Awareness: Informing neighbors, community leaders, local businesses or local law enforcement about your child’s tendency to elope can aid in keeping an eye on your child or a quicker response if they go missing.
Safety Devices:
- Medical ID Bracelets: If your child goes missing, these bracelets can provide important information if the child is found by someone who does not know them.
- Tracking Devices: GPS tracking device can aid in quickly locating your child if they elope.
- Visual Markers: Providing signs or visual cues can remind your child not to leaver certain areas.
Addressing elopement in autistic children requires a personalized approach, as each child is unique and may elope for different reasons. Parents should determine the most appropriate strategies to ensure their child’s safety and well-being. Always seek guidance from a doctor or healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns about managing your child’s elopement behavior.
Article by: Jessica Charm Watkins and The Autism ToolKit
Sources:
https://www.marcus.org/autism-resources/autism-tips-and-resources/what-to-do-when-your-child-elopes
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