Using Assistive Technology to Keep Students with Disabilities Safe

As I browse news sites on the internet and social media site it seems that there is a story almost on a daily basis about a missing child. This is not surprising as the National Crime Information Center statistics in 2014 show there were 466,949 entries for missing children under the age of 18. Needless to say these statistics are very disturbing. Additionally, I find the following statistics just as disturbing;

• Roughly half of children with an ASD attempt to elope from a safe environment, a rate nearly four times higher than their unaffected siblings.
• Two in three parents of elopers reported their missing children had a “close call” with a traffic injury.
• 32% of parents reported a “close call” with a possible drowning.
• Half of families with elopers report they had never received advice or guidance about elopement from a professional.

Naturally all of these statistics are unsettling. However, I find the last statistic the most disconcerting as it means the parents who are most susceptible to this problem are the least prepared for dealing with the challenges of a wandering child. With this in mind, I have developed an 11-minute video, which addresses these issues and also provides possible solutions for helping families with wandering children. I am also providing links below that families may find helpful.

Helpful Resources

 http://www.lojack.com/People-at-Risk - The SafetyNet by LoJack System is a radio frequency based system designed to aid in locating missing persons who suffer from a cognitive disorder such as alzheimer’s or autism and who are at risk of wandering and becoming lost.

http://www.projectlifesaver.org/- Project Lifesaver provides protection and safety to even more individuals who wander due to Autism, Down syndrome, Alzheimer’s, dementia, or other cognitive conditions.

http://www.mypreciouskid.com/products/wearable-id-products.html - My Precious Kid has created Wearable ID products for your family. Wearing a physical ID everyday will help keep your kids safer.

 http://tattooswithapurpose.com/ - Temporary tattoos are removable tattoos that go on the skin with water and can last up to 7 days. 

 http://www.medicalert.org/- First responders and medical professionals are trained to recognize MedicAlert IDs and call a 24/7 Emergency Response Center. 

http://autismservicedogsofamerica.com/- The service dog’s calming presence can minimize and often eliminate emotional outbursts, enabling the child to more fully participate in community and family activities.