Kristof's little sister was born when he had just turned six. Everyone knows that newborns are exhausting and sleep deprivation can make everyone a little less alert and able to multi-task, so few people would blame his dad for changing a diaper while his mom took a quick shower, leaving Kristof unsupervised for brief time. When his parents called out for him, Kristof was, however, nowhere to be seen. They looked all around the house and in the sprawling garden before it dawned on them that Kristof wasn't on the family property any more.
It would have scared any parent half to death. The fact that Kristof was autistic as well as nearly non-verbal — unable to communicate effectively with people outside of his immediate family — made the situation even more concerning. Kristof's dad looked around the immediate area while his mom alerted the police.
Two hours later, the call came. He'd been found safe and sound — in another city. Kristof had boarded a bus, it turned out, hoping to visit his grandparents. The bus didn't go to his grandparents' house, though, but to a place he'd never been before. When a passer-by noticed him wandering about by himself, seemingly lost, and found he wouldn't speak when she approached him, she alerted the police, who eventually reunited him with his parents.
What is 'wandering' or 'elopement' in autistic children?
Google "child wanders off", and you'll find that you'll almost exclusively get hits related to autism, with some information about non-autistic kids with intellectual disabilities thrown in. Typically-developing children also run away from their parents or caregivers or, quite literally, just wander off — so why is this term so strongly associated with autism?
It's because this behavior has a specific definition. As one study explains:
"Wandering, also called elopement, occurs when someone leaves a safe area or a responsible caregiver and can result in potential injury or harm to that person; wandering is a behavior that goes beyond a brief period."
The idea is, then, that typically-developing children may do something like this (apparently not called "wandering" in this case) during a short developmental window, and then either stop or mature and develop skills to the point that running off no longer exposes them to much danger.
Wandering is used to describe this behavior in people who cannot care for themselves adequately, and this may include some autistic children, children and adults with intellectual disabilities, and older people suffering from dementia.
How often do autistic children wander away from a parent or caregiver?
We've already seen the statistic about almost half of autistic kids wandering off at least once after the age of four. Another study offers more detailed data:
- At least one in four children with autism, intellectual disabilities, or a combination of both wandered off or became lost within the past 12 months.
- Autistic children with intellectual disabilities were most likely to wander, at a rate of 37.7 percent.
- 32.7 percent of children with autism but without intellectual disability wandered.
The study also revealed the circumstances under which this is most likely to happen:
- 74 percent of children who wandered away did so from their own home or the home of someone else they knew.
- 40 percent ran away from a store.
- Quite shockingly, 29 percent left the classroom or school grounds, raising some questions about adequate supervision in educational settings!
Why do autistic children wander?
Research has identified three main reasons — ones that really don't differ much from the reasons neurotypical children would run away. An autistic child may wander away because they wanted to explore or run. They may also do so because they're trying to get somewhere they want to go. A third reason is to get away from somewhere they don't want to be. Autistic children easily become overloaded by environmental stimuli — loud noises, too many people, flashing lights, and so on — and may feel the immediate need to just exit the situation.
The problem, of course, is that wandering can be extremely dangerous. "A traffic sign" was among the objects the study indicated autistic children ran away to get to, for instance, and we can all see why that's problematic. Drowning, getting hit by traffic, and being abducted are obvious concerns. One study highlighted that minority parents were also incredibly concerned about the way law enforcement officers encountering an autistic child who isn't able to communicate clearly might react, however,
What can parents do to prevent wandering?
Beyond "keeping an eye on your child", of course. Some tips include:
- Becoming familiar with what kinds of stimuli make your child really stressed out to the point where they may feel the need to escape, and either trying your best to avoid those or being extra vigilant.
- Knowing what kinds of things your child will want to see and do, and inviting them to see and do them where possible — if you know your child is fascinated by traffic signs, figure out safe ways to see them together, for instance.
- If your child runs away from home, place locks they cannot open.
- If your child runs away from school, a personal support person, who is with them all the time, may help.
Wandering can't always be prevented, though. Sometimes, a split second is all it takes. So also go about teaching your child safety skills, like not to cross the road when the light is red, and not to enter bodies of water. Make sure your child has your contact info on their person. If they cannot communicate effectively with strangers, you can teach your child to show this instead, so people can contact you.
Carry an up-to-date photo of your child with you (on your phone is fine), and remember what they wear each day. If your child has a history of running off, you may also consider letting your local police station know in advance and sharing your details.
Sources & Links
- Photo courtesy of SteadyHealth