Preventing Wandering in Children with Autism
The search for 9 year-old Mikaela Lynch has ended in tragedy as her body was found in a creek near her family’s vacation home in Northern California. Mikaela had autism and tended to wander off. She loved water but was unable to swim.
According to The National Autism Society, in cases of children with autism who died after wandering off, accidental drowning was the cause of death for 91% between the years of 2009-2011.
Any child may wander off, but The Interactive Autism Network’s data from April 2011 shows that children with autism are four times more likely to wander (or elope) from a safe setting than their siblings who were unaffected by autism.
AWAARE has downloadable resources available to help keep all children safe. Download their Autism & Wandering brochure here. Autism Speaks also has links to resources. You can also find a wonderful video called “Understanding Autism” I’ve included here.
We relied on our home security system to alert us to a door that had opened in our house. We also have a small alarm that attaches to our sliding glass door, which my husband found in a pool supply store. While some preventive techniques are simple and relatively inexpensive, some people say that insurance should pay for other methods to keep these children safe.
What do you think? Should there be laws about this issue? How do you prevent wandering in your family?
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On Sat. April 6th, THE CROODS 2-D is Sensory Friendly!
Once a month, AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and with other special needs ”Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings“ – a wonderful opportunity to enjoy their favorite “family-friendly” films in a safe and accepting environment.
The movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), there are no advertisements or previews before the movie and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing – in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced during movie screenings unless the safety of the audience is questioned.
Does it make a difference? Absolutely! Imagine …no need to shhhhh your child. No angry stares from other movie goers. Many parents think twice before bringing a child to a movie theater. Add to that your child’s
special needs and it can easily become cause for parental panic. But on this one day a month, for this one screening, everyone is there to relax and have a good time, everyone expects to be surrounded by kids – with and without special needs – and the movie theater policy becomes “Tolerance is Golden”.
On Saturday April 6th at 10am local time, The Croods 2-D will be screened as part of the Autism Society “Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings” program. Tickets are $4 to $6 depending on the location. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this fabulous program (note: to access list, please scroll to the bottom of the page).
Coming June 1st: Epic 2-D
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Editor’s note: Although The Croods 2-D has been chosen by the Autism Society as this month’s Sensory Friendly screening, we do want parents to know that it is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for some scary action. As always, please check the IMDB Parent’s Guide for a more detailed description of this film to determine if it is right for you and your child.
Pin ItFeb 23rd: AMC’s Sensory Friendly Film is Escape from Planet Earth
Once a month, AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and with other special needs ”Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings“ – a wonderful opportunity to enjoy their favorite “family-friendly” films in a safe and accepting environment.
The movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), there are no advertisements or previews before the movie and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing – in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced during movie screenings unless the safety of the audience is questioned.
Does it make a difference? Absolutely! Imagine …no need to shhhhh your child. No angry stares from other movie goers. Many parents think twice before bringing a child to a movie theater. Add to that your child’s special needs and it can easily become cause for parental
panic. But on this one day a month, for this one screening, everyone is there to relax and have a good time, everyone expects to be surrounded by kids – with and without special needs – and the movie theater policy becomes “Tolerance is Golden”.
On Saturday February 23rd at 10am local time, Escape from Planet Earth will be screened as part of the Autism Society “Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings” program. Tickets are $4 to $6 depending on the location. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this fabulous program (note: to access list, please scroll to the bottom of the page).
Coming March 30th: The Croods 2-D
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Editor’s note: Although Escape from Planet Earth has been chosen by the Autism Society as this month’s Sensory Friendly screening, we do want parents to know that it is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for action and some mild rude humor. As always, please check the IMDB Parent’s Guide for a more detailed description of this film to determine if it is right for you and your child.
Pin ItSummer Camps are “Serious Fun” for Special Needs Kids
Summer is in the distant future in my mind, but the buzz at my school’s pick-up and drop-off area has already turned to camp. Working parents (as well as stay-at-home parents) are scrambling to find programs that will keep their kids engaged and challenged and also give them great social skills and memories. Children with special needs may have serious medical conditions or need support with daily living skills, but that doesn’t mean that they have to miss out on the camp experience …thanks to Paul Newman.
Yes, the handsome man on the spaghetti sauce jar (and amazing human being and actor) started a camp in Connecticut for seriously ill kids back in 1988. He thought all kids deserved some time to have some “serious fun” and just be kids. We all know that laughter is the best medicine, and the campers have the opportunity to find new strengths and make new friends – all the while being cared for in a safe environment.
The program has seriously grown, with participating camps and programs nationwide. Now the actor’s legacy is even being shared globally – and don’t let me forget to mention that for kids who are accepted there is no charge. Yup, thanks to grants, donations and other amazing connections this is all free for the campers and their families! As you can imagine, they always need volunteers, too.
Find your closest program, camp or volunteer opportunity here.
Pin ItJan 5th, Treat Your Little One to a Sensory Friendly Monsters, Inc.
Once a month, AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and with other special needs ”Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings“ – a wonderful opportunity to enjoy their favorite “family-friendly” films in a safe and accepting environment.
The movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), there are no advertisements or previews before the movie and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing – in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced during movie screenings unless the safety of the audience is questioned.
Does it make a difference? Absolutely! Imagine …no need to shhhhh your child. No angry stares from other movie goers. Many parents think twice before bringing a child to a movie 
theater. Add to that your child’s special needs and it can easily become cause for parental panic. But on this one day a month, for this one screening, everyone is there to relax and have a good time, everyone expects to be surrounded by kids – with and without special needs – and the movie theater policy becomes “Tolerance is Golden”.
On Saturday January 5th at 10am local time, Monsters, Inc. will be screened (in 2D) as part of the Autism Society “Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings” program. Tickets are $4 to $6 depending on the location. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this fabulous program (just scroll to the bottom of the page).
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Editor’s note: Although Monsters, Inc. has been chosen by the Autism Society as this month’s Sensory Friendly screening, and it is rated G by the Motion Picture Association of America, we do want parents to know that there are some frightening / intense scenes in the film. As always, please check the IMDB Parent’s Guide for a more detailed description to determine if it is right for you and your child.
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