Safety

Introduction

Safety is an ongoing concern for children and adults with Autism. Most people with autism have a difficult time communicating, understanding and identifying dangerous situations. Common behaviors like wandering from his or her home or other settings also increases their risk of encountering dangerous situations. (Note: Elopement is another term used to describe autism wandering.) Safety also includes situations where a child explores dangerous places at home like gas stove knobs, unbuckling seat belts, or encountering a neighbor’s swimming pool. Communities are trying to build resources to help families and community members, like first responders, to connect and share important information that may help save a life. In addition, GPS tracking and locating devices are now available for parents to prevent losing their children.

Related Sites

Autism Society
Description: Autism Society provides information about a variety of topics for many stages throughout your child’s life. It gives multiple resources to use, tips and tricks, and what they have done to help.

National Autism Association
Description: This site provides safety information on wandering, restraint/seclusion, and bullying. It also provides information and safety forms that can be download.

Books

Show Me a Sign: An Interactive Reading Book about Safety Signs by Greenhouse Publications
Description: Written by a Special Education teacher of 16 years, this book is designed for children to be able to learn common safety signs in the home as well as the community. Once the child has mastered sign identification, they are encouraged to find these signs in an interactive and fun format that reinforces learning.

Autism Life Skills: From Communication and Safety to Self-Esteem and More by Chantal Sicile-Kira
Description: Together with the experience of having an autistic teen and using the opinions of affected adults, the author designed a very helpful guidebook. This book is comprised of ten chapters that covers key life skills for autistic individuals.

Tools

Prevention Planning
Description: This article gives tips on how to create a Safety Plan, highlights danger zones in your home and school, and gives tips to help prevent wandering from home or while out in public.

Feds Clarify How to Apply for Autism Tracking Devices
Description: Article on how to apply to the government for special tracking devices for autism.

Parent Forums/Blogs

Some forums require you to sign in to Yahoo or Facebook to locate forum names.

Forum/Blog Name: Think Safety
Description: This forum covers the topics of childhood, adolescent as well as adulthood safety of individuals with autism.

Forum/Blog Name: NAA Autism & Safety: Wandering Prevention
Description: Mission to reduce autism-related wandering incidents and deaths by raising awareness.

Consumer Corner

Seat Belt Buckle Guard by eSpecial Needs
Description: Prevents children from unbuckling their seat belt while in the car. Works on most cars.

Wireless Child Tracking Device
Description: This device, by LUTECHSLLC, closely monitors/tracks two devices' safe distance/range/proximity and ambient temperature to give early warnings of wanderings or unexpected separation.

Community Library

Surviving the Wandering Nightmare
Description: An article written by a police officer who is also a father of a child with autism detailing the correct steps to take if your child wanders off.

The Wallet Card Project
Description: The wallet card allows police officers to better communicate with people with ASD. It’s a free personalized identification card for teenagers and adults who have ASD and is designed to help them communicate with officers or first responders about their disability and some of the challenges they face.

(coming soon)