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Preventing Elopement

49% of individuals with ASD will elope at some point in their life. This is a scary statistic, but there are precautionary steps that can be taken to help lessen this risk!


Autism and Elopement

Individuals often elope to explore, to try to get to a preferred place, to escape an uncomfortable situation, or another reason. It is not clear why it is so common in children with ASD, but often times they may have a lack of understanding of safety cues which can lead to dangerous situations. Additionally, many children may be nonverbal which adds another set of challenges, such as not being able to recite their address, name, or phone number.


Social Stories

A social story alone may not fully stop elopement behavior, but when used in conjunction with other practical steps, it can make a big difference! A social story can be created in a word document, and can be tailored to your specific child. This is something a therapist or parent can create! I recommend using pictures of your actual house, street, front door, and family members. Additionally, you can add a picture of a stop sign to the doors of your home at their eye level, and include photos of these in your social story.


AngelSense GPS

Angelsense has provided wonderful peace for many families I have worked with. AngelSense provided wearable GPS trackers for families with an individual with ASD or other special needs. AngelSense was designed specifically for children with sensory sensitivities, and therefore it is designed to be comfortable and non-removable by a child. It can provide support for an emergency search, or it can alert to a child's late arrival or departure. I highly recommend looking into AngelSense if you have a child who is likely to elope. https://www.angelsense.com/product-tour/

Additionally, your child could benefit from a bracelet, necklace, or temporary tattoo of their name, address, phone number, and info about their diagnosis can be extremely helpful if your child is found away from home.


Practical Home Supports

A stop sign visual can be helpful to slow down an individual, but it is also important to have other safeguards in place. For example, a front door with a keypad, or a latch/deadbolt that is out of reach can help prevent elopement. Additionally, locks or alarms for windows can also help keep everyone safe. Families often fear that a deadbolt or keypad on the inside of the door could pose other safety challenges to get out of the house, and it is important to make the decision as a family about what you feel is best. Some families decide that the likelihood of a fire is less likely than their child trying to elope, but that is a decision each family must make for themselves.



Nighttime

If possible, having your child's bedroom farther from any exits could help you intervene before they are out the door. Additionally, a weight-triggered pad on the floor at the base of your child's bed can trigger an alarm when they are out of bed.


Community Support

It is often helpful to preemptively alert neighbors, police, and your child's school staff about their tendency to elope. Additionally, you can provide them information about where your child may try to go, or any other knowledge you have gained about your child's elopement behavior. That way in the case of an actual emergency, everyone is aware and you can save precious time.



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