Autism Elopement and Summer Vacations

Autism elopement, a special needs child wandering off unsupervised, is a frightening ordeal. Unfortunately, it is also fairly common with both children and adults. And it can be all the more terrifying if elopement occurs when the family is away from home. Planning for an emergency before it happens is one of the best ways to prevent it.

Reduce autism elopement through predictability

Autism elopement may be related to curiosity about new surroundings, or to anxiety brought on by the change in locale and routine. Help your child to regain control by keeping things as predictable as possible. Discuss vacations before leaving, and if possible allow your child to see photos or maps of places you will be going. Take advantage of the opportunity to associate places with specific events in the daily routine ("We'll have breakfast in our room, but we'll eat lunch and supper with the other guests in the dining room.") and to talk about rules that will keep your special needs child safe ("It's important to be with a grownup if you want to use the elevator or go to the pool.")

People with autism tend to rely heavily on routine. Establish a bare bones routine that can be followed wherever you are. Draw up a daily schedule for your child to follow, as well as a calendar or itinerary that highlights special occasions or places you will be on certain days. If your child uses a visual schedule be sure to update it for your vacation, and bring it along.

Create social stories to introduce any aspects of your vacation that may be difficult for your autistic child to understand. It can also be helpful to read books or watch movies that deal with a similar type of vacation (road trip, camping, visiting family, staying in a hotel, sight seeing, etc.) to help your child get a feel for what your summer holiday will be like.

Reduce autism elopement by creating safe space

Be sure to bring along important items that your child uses as home to communicate or to cope with stress or sensory issues (pictograms, fidgets, weighted blanket, a favourite toy, etc.) Try to avoid crowded places during peak hours, and build some soothing activities into your schedule.

Always let your child know where you are, even if you are just stepping out to the porch or getting supplies from the car. An autistic child may panic if they think you have left, and may wander off to look for you. If you must leave him with someone else, be sure he knows that person can be trusted and will take care of his needs.

Carry emergency information for your autistic child

Always carry with you a current photo and important information about your child. This should include information about autism and elopement for first responders, who may not be familiar with autistic people or know what to expect. You can use a prepared emergency kit, or you can create your own.

Identify your autistic child in case of emergency

Be sure your child is carrying some form of ID at all times in case he wanders. There are a lot of options: ID jewellery or shoe tags, laminated ID cards with autism information on the reverse, temporary tattoos, etc. Be sure that contact information reflects your actual location (hotel, campground, relative's home, cottage, etc.) and not your home address and phone number.

If space permits, include more specific details such as the fact that your child is non-verbal or may hide instead of coming towards rescuers, etc. Each autistic child is different, so the more specific you can be, the better. It is important that emergency personnel understand that your child may not necessarily answer if rescuers are calling for him, and that he may be unable to approach a police officer for help if he is lost or confused. Depending on your autistic child's abilities, you may wish to have him carry his own emergency information packet in case of wandering.

Sources:

Dennis Debbaudt, "Plan your response to an autism emergency." Pathfinders for Autism

Leslie Phillips, "Autism elopement." Autism in the House