One of the most common concerns for parents of children with autism is how to keep their child safe. Children with autism have a significantly higher risk of accidental injury, wandering, and drowning (Guan & Li, 2017; Wiggins et al., 2020). Understanding and proactively addressing potential dangers in your child’s home environment is essential. This often involves a collaborative effort between parents, therapists, and multidisciplinary care professionals. This blog will explore practical tips for creating a more supportive environment and keeping your autistic child safe at home.
Before modifying your home, it’s important to do a home safety evaluation. Thoroughly assess your home to identify potential safety concerns. A home safety evaluation is encouraged for all families, even if your child hasn’t yet exhibited unsafe behaviors like wandering. Proactively pinpointing safety risks is the best way to prevent crises in the future. Walk through each room, one at a time, closely considering anything that could pose a danger.
Consider the following questions and make a note of any potential risks.
Proactively altering your environment is the best way to gain peace of mind that you are keeping your child safe. In ABA, these modifications are called antecedent modifications or antecedent strategies. Adjusting things in your home reduces the likelihood that your child with autism will engage in unsafe behaviors.
Parents of neurodivergent children often have to get more creative with establishing home safeguards. The following sections will highlight some essential changes you can make around your home to keep your child safe. We encourage you to review all of the points. However, use the results of your home safety evaluation to identify areas of focus.
Most parents are well aware of the importance of securing potentially hazardous items. However, parents of children with autism often have to take additional precautions with household items due to the unique behaviors their children exhibit. For instance, many children with autism engage in mouthing inedible objects beyond the toddler years, resulting in an increased risk of choking. Many also engage in pica, the eating of non-food items, which can cause significant health challenges. This means parents of neurodivergent children often have to exhaustively consider the potential risks of ingesting things around their home and secure anything their child may put in their mouths that could be harmful.
Ensure all of the following items are locked up or out of your child’s reach.
Frequently reassess to ensure objects that are out of reach continue to be inaccessible by your child. For example, as your child grows and develops new skills, they may learn how to access items by opening cabinet locks or climbing on objects to reach things that were put out of reach.
Children with autism are at a higher risk of drowning due to an increased tendency to wander and a lack of safety awareness around water. Many parents report that their child with autism appears to be drawn to water. This is likely due to the sensory experience of water–the sounds, the feelings, or the visual appeal. Water activities offer a unique sensory experience that some children are drawn to. Therefore, taking precautions to block your child from independently accessing sources of water is critical.
Take the following steps to reduce the risk of drowning and water-related injuries.
Children with autism are more likely to wander than typically developing children. One study found that 60% of children with autism aged 4-5 years wander compared to 12% of neurotypical children of the same age (Wiggins et al., 2020). Securing doors and windows is one vital way to prevent wandering. If your child is at risk of wandering, ensure your home has locks on external windows and doors that they cannot open. Door alarms, cameras, and security systems are also encouraged. Furthermore, consider installing a fence around your home.
If your state has a waiver program, like North Carolina’s Innovations Waiver, you may be able to get funding for household modifications like doors, locks, and fences. Learn more about the waiver programs in your state here.
Children with autism often do well with visual cues as reminders of their expectations. Some ways you can incorporate visual supports for safety awareness include:
Teaching your child critical safety skills is equally as important as making environmental modifications. Consider the following recommendations for enhancing safety awareness and skills to focus on.
Many families opt for wearable technology to enhance their child’s safety and add peace of mind. Wearable GPS-enabled devices can add reassurance that if proactive strategies fail, you can quickly locate your child.
Create a safety plan with your family that encompasses the following.
Navigating safety concerns can be challenging, from identifying risks and implementing proactive strategies to teaching your child vital safety skills. Lean on professionals for support and guidance. If your child is currently attending ABA or other therapies, ask their provider for individualized support in teaching safety skills and modifying the environment to ensure your child’s safety.
If you need guidance in supporting your child’s safety awareness and skill development, learn more about how CompleatKidz can help. CompleatKidz services many communities around North Carolina, offering multidisciplinary care, including ABA, OT, PT, and Speech Therapy. Click “Contact Us” in the upper right corner to reach out!
References
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (2020). Water safety. https://www.research.chop.edu/car-autism-roadmap/water-safety
Guan, J., & Li, G. (2017). Injury mortality in individuals with autism. American Journal of Public Health, 107(5), 791-793. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2017.303696
Wiggins, L. D., DiGuiseppi, C., Schieve, L., Moody, E., Soke, G., Giarelli, E., & Levy, S. (2020). Wandering Among Preschool Children with and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP, 41(4), 251–257. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000000780
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