horrible scary event HELP!!

Tracy - posted on 12/16/2009

Hello my thirteen yr old son is autistic. We haven't personally had trouble with Ashton wandering off but a friend from our church has. Her son even climbed out the window one time. They were actually able to get a ankle bracelet similiar to those they put on criminals for house arrest. I know it may sound extreme but at least they always knew where he was. Hope things work out. I will pray it does.

Sheila - posted on 12/16/2009

A child in Nova Scotia, Canada recently died. This little boy made his way into a forested region with his dog. The child had autism and was non-responsive to the calls of the rescue teams. He was found two days later, still alive, with severe hypothermia. His parents were with him when he passed away. It is the fear we all live with.

We have locks on our doors, and thankfully my son doesn't climb, because he loves to "go out in the front" so see the people.

Do what you need to do to keep your child safe, even if it means double locking your doors and putting in an alarm system.

Sheila

Rachel - posted on 12/15/2009

My son did the same thing on a VERY busy road.. I KNOW there were angels around him.. It's so scary my son never answers when i call him.. My moms idea.. My brother has down syndrome so he wouldn't answer she tied a bell to his shoes so she could hear him at all times.. it helps.. I'm so paranoid get a high lock and ALWAYS use it!

Carolyn - posted on 12/13/2009

My son did the same thing a few years back, he climbed out the window. It was the scariest thing Ive ever experienced. Windows dont open unless we are in the room with him and my husband put the locks on the front doors backwards so it takes some time for him to get it opened. The child proof, door knob covers also work great too. My son has learned that he cannot go outside without someone. He matured very rapidly this past year. I never thought that I would be able to leave the room and leave him by himself, but with alot of no, no, no and redirecting him when he got near the door, he got the message.

Melissa - posted on 12/13/2009

get his iron checked. my son is the sameway andeverytime the bruises come outiswhen he's severely anemic... plus my son loves to chew ice *key symptom of anemia* or eating ashes

Melissa - posted on 12/13/2009

just be very careful, my only nephew is autistic and he has "escaped" from his home 3 times one including when he was 6 and was picked up over a mile down the road by a good samaritan, ( thank god) and he was taken to the sheriffs dept. my sister did have high locks and everything. sometimes the bestthing to have is a watchful eye constantly, it may be hard but its better than dealing with DFACS trying to take your child.

Danielle - posted on 12/13/2009

My son has been escaping since about 1 1/2 years old he is now 2 1/2 and my house is like fort knox bolts up high as well as key locks incase he climbs to undo the bolts. The windows are keylocked as well and i have to hide the keys because if he gets them he manages to find the right keys for the locks and undoes them. His bedroom door is bolted and sad to say i sleep in his room with him because i hate the thought of locking him in, the reason he has to be locked in is because i found him one night hanging from the banister and the only thing that had stopped him falling to the first floor was the dog holding onto him, I have a German Shepheard weve had her since she was a puppy and she is nearly two she has saved my sons life a number of times. Most of the doors have locks on to because he has been climbing babygates since he was 1, he climbed out of a playpen at 9 months old. Its terrifiing.

Ashley - posted on 12/12/2009

I have had that happen twice. Both times my son was outside playing and got preoccupied pushing a car heading right into the road. I turned my back for a minute and thank god the car stopped. A lot of the time is autistic children are pre-occupied with something they don't know what is going on in the world around them. Ayden my three year old does this often when there are lights or music around i cannot get his attention at all untill the lights have stopped or the music has stopped. He is going through a meanness stage right now of kicking hitting punching and pushing his little sister and no matter what we do he won't stop. He is also waking up with very strange bruises that were not there when he went to bed.

Judi - posted on 12/12/2009

locks up high, the child proof door knob and safety gate, security chain. and a really deep breath

Renee - posted on 12/12/2009

My son did that 2 or 3 times when he was that age, we had to install a key only security door on our front door. I had to move from that house almost two years ago and here I installed one of those chain locks way up high but he is now 8 years old and can almost reach it he's just not sneaky yet and hasn't realized that I can hear him messing with it. So I'm going back to the key only security door soon, that's my next big purchase. Yes these kids have no fear of danger which makes them so unaware of moving cars, strangers, etc. It is scary I've never been so scared in my life. Take care.

Kelly - posted on 12/12/2009

I can so relate to this. My 3 year old did the same thing. Luckily for me our family dog wouldn't stop barking until i came running. He had my son cornered and wouldn't let him pass him. It scared the hell out of me. Like you I put a lock high on my front door and when i leave the room i tell the dog to watch him. As for the smashing the computer into the uncles head I understand that too. My son does stuff like that sometimes for him its fustration. It can even be a way of communicating for him that he wants or need something. My son doesn't have alot of speech and finds it hard to get across stuff. I hope it gets better in time for you.

Rebecca - posted on 12/12/2009

If your front door has a circle handle get the child door locks that go over the handle. My son can't figure out how to open them and he can't reach inside the whole to unlock it anyways.

I wish you luck with everything and hope you have a great holiday!