Wandering in Children with Autism Spectrum Disordersby
Cynthia M. Johnson, MA
The Dangers of WanderingAbout half of all children with ASD attempt to wander away from safe, supervised settings such as their home or school. Wandering can pose the following dangers:
Luckily, there are steps that parents and caregivers can take to prevent wandering and respond to it if it happens. Identifying TriggersChildren with ASD enjoy the comfort of their routines so it is not surprising that most cases of wandering are triggered by changes in a child’s routine. Examples of triggers include changes that can come about:
Prevention StrategiesIf your child is unable to understand personal safety, you may want to consider these prevention strategies:
Search Water First!It is important to know what to do in the event wandering happens. If your child has wandered, follow these steps:
Because children with ASD are attracted to water, areas that contain water should always be the first place you should look. Wandering Prevention DevicesIn 2011, the National Autism Association created the Big Red Safety Box. The program provides caregivers with free tools and educational materials related to wandering. Free toolkits are also available for first responders. To learn more, visit http://awaare.nationalautismassociation.org In the future, laws may be passed that fund devices for children with ASD to address the problem of wandering. For now, parents must learn to prevent wandering and be prepared in the event that it occurs. RESOURCES:AWAARE Collaboration
http://awaare.nationalautismassociation.org National Autism Association
http://nationalautismassociation.org CANADIAN RESOURCES:Autism Canada
http://www.autismcanada.org Autism Society Canada
http://www.autismsocietycanada.ca References:12 ways to prevent, and respond to, ASD wandering. National Autism Association website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL) Accessed February 11, 2016. Family wandering emergency plan. AWAARE Collaboration website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL) Accessed February 11, 2016. New data shows half of all children with autism wander and bolt from safe places. Autism Speaks website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL) Published April 22, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2016. Preventing wandering. Autism Speaks website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL) Accessed February 11, 2016. Wandering and autism: What we know/What we need. Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL) Published July 9, 2013. Accessed February 11, 2016. Wandering tips from the Autism Speaks community! Autism Speaks website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL) Accessed February 11, 2016. Last reviewed February 2016 by Michael Woods, MD
Last Updated: 7/24/2014 |
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