Autism Tracking Devices

Should children with autism have tracking devices?

Wandering is a big issue in the world of autism. Autistic children and teenagers wander for various reasons, wherever on the spectrum they land.

When I’ve volunteered for large events in the autism community. I’ve been in charge a group of volunteers called the Lost Parent Patrol.

This group consisted of fifteen or so volunteers who had one job throughout the event, be ready to look for lost children.

How do kids get separated?

Sometimes, a child is found sans parents.

Or, parents find an event person and say, “We can’t find our kid.”

Wandering is a bad issue.

What about autism tracking devices?

At a large event, children with autism often have trouble. They get anxious or overstimulated. To make themselves feel better, they need to escape the noise (and the crowds).

They want to move away from things that bother them.

Wanderers don’t just run away during a large event. It can be a consistent problem.

Autistic kids are not trying to ditch their families, they are generally just trying to cope with a stressful situation by getting away from it.

Does our child wander?

Our son doesn’t wander. However, because of his dog obsessions, if he sees a person walking a dog he wants to approach that person. He wants to meet the dog.

When he meets a dog, it’s like a check mark in his brain. “Check, I found another one. Check, another one.”

He gets pulled toward a dog by his obsession.

We have taught our son to ask permission to visit a dog/dog owner. He cannot wander to a dog/owner.

Does our son comply?

Most of the time, but not always. He has been unhappy with us if we deny his access.

He’s getting better at accepting the “no,” even though he doesn’t always love it.

In other words, my son has his own version of wandering. There’s something in him that pulls him away in an obsessive manner toward something that is comforting.

Is wandering dangerous?

Absolutely. When I discussed wandering with my son, I tell him my biggest fear is that he sees a dog across a street and is so focused on meeting that dog (the check mark in his brain) that he runs across the street and gets hit by a car. It scares us.

What about other situations?

There has been stories of wandering autistics. Some of these stories have not ended well.

The reasons for wandering are varied, but the act itself still sends parents into fear.

Back to autism tracking devices

We talk to our child about wandering but is that enough?

What are autism tracking devices?

Recently, the conversation made the news. Parents want to do something to track their kids who wander all the time. They’re scared and some want a tracking device.

My experiences with wandering, as I already stated, have been relatively minor. Our son will “go look for dogs” at a park. Heʼll meet one, see another, run, go meet that dog, see another, run, and on and on, and the next thing heʼs nowhere near where I thought he was supposed to be.

I have always found him, and sometimes scolded him for not telling me that he was going further than I had thought. Still, he’s say he didnʼt realize he had wandered too far from my sight or the area where I expected to find him. He just let his instincts take him away.

Do I want my son to have one?

Not really.

Typically when something like that happens, weʼre in a more or less confined area.

Plus, I have had the conversation many times with him about how he does NOT go with anyone but me (or Daddy, the babysitter, etc.).

He knows he does NOT go to a car with a stranger to “take a look at my dog, kid.”

I feel relatively secure with his knowledge and ability to follow these important instructions. He knows he doesnʼt want to scare me, and he knows I will be scared if something happens. He prefers the comfort of Mommy, Daddy, etc. We hope he gets better with his focus.

What about kids who do lose their focus?

Thatʼs a problem.

I know parents who have kids who walk out of the house and take off.

Having an autism tracking device somehow attached to your child/person with autism is a personal choice.

They are a good idea if they are used responsibly.

If your autistic person has scared you enough times, if they’ve come that close to have been so gone that you just have to do something, then itʼs something you should consider.

Perhaps you can let that child/person know what you’re doing. It’s for safety and peace of mind.

The technology

This kind of technology is new. It would be developed for this specific reason. I have seen GPS-type of devices that attach to a pair of glasses and ones that look like wristwatches.

Iʼm for anything that keeps our kids safe. If technological advances can help, then I say try it.

Here’s another article on autism tracking devices:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-stillman/gps-tracking-devices-for-kids-with-autism_b_4674686.html