If you’re the parent of a child with autism, you may have experienced wandering or elopement. Wandering refers to moving around within a contained space, while elopement is specifically leaving an area of supervision. These behaviors can pose a serious safety risk for children with autism. Implementing preventative measures is crucial to keeping your child safe. Keep reading to learn more about wandering and elopement, and strategies to help.
Safety and Elopement: What's the Big Deal?
Children with autism may not have the safety awareness of many neurotypical kids, making it even more dangerous for them to leave a supervised and safe area. Without safety awareness it can be difficult to understand the implications of their behavior. They might wander into traffic, a pool or other hazardous environments, without being able to alert others when they are in distress. Your child may not always respond to their name when you call for them, increasing the risk if you cannot locate them after they’ve eloped.
Why Do Kids With Autism Wander More?
All children wander at times, however it is more common among children with autism. There are several factors that contribute to their increased prevalence of wandering.
1. Sensory seeking
If the current environment does not have enough sensory stimulation or is lacking a specific type, then your child might seek that input elsewhere.
2. Communication difficulties
Kids who struggle with communication and social interactions may not be able to express their needs. They might instead wander off to find what they need themselves, since they cannot effectively ask for help.
3. Reduced danger awareness
Because of the lower awareness of danger common in children with autism, they are more susceptible to wandering into unsafe situations.
4. Anxiety and stress
Heightened levels of anxiety and/or stress can trigger wandering behavior as a means of escaping overwhelming stimuli.
How to Prevent My Child from Wandering
While it may be challenging to completely eliminate wandering behavior, there are several strategies you can use to mitigate the risks it poses.
1. Teach safety skills
Provide developmentally appropriate education on safety rules, boundaries and how to seek help if lost. Understanding the dangers of wandering can reduce the risk of your child wandering off. Help them memorize your phone number and address or write it somewhere that they will have on them at all times, in case of emergency.
2. Utilize visual supports
In order to minimize anxiety and increase comprehension, use visuals as part of safety education. Social stories can help your child understand expectations and depict safe behaviors during transitions. Visual schedules are a great tool to keep kids on track, so that they may be less likely to wander if they know what is coming up next.
3. Assess triggers
Identify what might cause your child to wander. It could be anxiety or sensory overload from a particular stimulus. Once you know the trigger, you can be better prepared for situations in which it might occur or even remove the trigger in advance.
4. Secure your environment
Do a thorough safety check to make sure that there are necessary locks or fences where needed, as well as a way for you to know if they eloped. This is a great opportunity to create a safe space in which you know that your child can safely be on their own for periods of time. For children who wander and elope more frequently, you may find it helpful to have them wear a bracelet that alerts you if they leave the ‘secure’ area.
It is important to recognize that even with all of these measures in place, there is still a chance that your child will wander/elope. Therefore, you need to develop a strong safety plan. Designate a family member, other caregiver or teacher who will be supervising your child in any given scenario. Keeping an eye on them is especially important in unfamiliar environments or those with a hazard, such as a pool without a safety gate around it. Make sure everyone knows the steps to take in case your child does wander. Having a photo of your child from that day on your phone is also helpful so that you can show people exactly what they look like and are wearing if you cannot find them. This is particularly effective if your child does not always respond to their name when called.
Do Neurotypical Children Wander/Elope?
Neurotypical children might wander and/or elope, but incidences are higher in children with autism. Other factors that are associated with these behaviors in typically developing children include curiosity, impulsivity and a desire to be independent.
Understanding why children with autism elope, as well as the dangers this poses, is an important first step to keeping them safe. You can then go on to develop an effective plan to put into action in case the need arises. Work with a therapist, experienced professional or other caregivers if you are not sure how to go about this.
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