Author: Jeanette Pascoe
My daughter, Anna, has multiple special needs, including Autism. When she was a toddler through the time she was seven years old, she was a flight risk. At home, school, stores, parks, church, and parties, she would suddenly bolt with no explanation. Communicating with her and helping her learn that it was dangerous was extremely difficult. Anna is non-verbal, sensory seeking, and used to be quite a thrill seeker. When she had the urge to sprint somewhere, she would. She disappeared quickly and I had seconds to find her and catch up before she could be in the street or lost. She used to get out of bed multiple times a night. I trained my ears to hear the tiniest shuffle of her footsteps on our hard wood floors so I could leap out of bed and bring her back to safety. I was on constant high alert. Through the years, I learned how to advocate for her, I learned a highly effective therapy, and I learned several resources to aid parents with "runners."
Advocacy began with calling our city streets department to request a speed limit sign and an "Autistic Child at Play" sign. This would create a heightened awareness in our neighborhood and, hopefully, add some caution to how people drove near our home. This could buy me that extra two seconds to catch up with my little sprinter before she got to the street. The department placed 25 MPH speed limit signs one block from either side of our home. They felt that, although Autism is becoming more well-known, drivers may not process quickly enough how important it is to slow down near a child with Autism. They suggested placing a sign stating, "Deaf Child at Play," which more drivers would quickly understand as they pass by and hopefully be watching for running children. I agreed and was very grateful when they put the sign up in my park strip near the road. This, however, did not stop Anna's dangerous flight risk.
Anna began Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy at a premiere preschool for children with Autism. Up to that point, I had been so protective of her that I promptly let the teachers know they would need to close the door from the classroom to the play pod as well as the classroom door which led to the outdoor playground. They reassured me that this was how they ran their program and that they always keep the doors open. I even had the confidence to repeat myself, letting them know that she is a flight risk and that it would be very dangerous to keep those doors open. They again reassured me, telling me that they would teach her not to run. I left nervous and quite speculative.
Over the course of Anna attending the ABA program, Anna sprinted out those doors many times. The teachers let me know every time she ran. They were always right behind her to bring her back and keep her safe.
I came back a week later to volunteer and Anna's teacher took me aside to show me how they were training Anna to stop. They showed me a large laminated paper stop sign thoroughly taped to the floor before each exit. When Anna ran out either of the doors, the teacher took her by the hand and led her back to the classroom saying, "Anna, you need to stop." She then had Anna walk from one end of the classroom all the way to the side where she ran out the door. She helped Anna touch the stop sign on the floor by the exit saying, "Anna, stop." The teacher took time to do this ten times per one time that Anna ran, taking her to the other end of the classroom, back to the stop sign, and helping her touch the sign. Anna's teacher did this every. single. time.
After two weeks, Anna ran away less. I started receiving notes that in mid-sprint, the teachers would say, "Anna, stop," and she actually stopped! A month went by and we saw even more improvement. After two months, Anna completely stopped running out of her classroom door. I was astounded.
So much relief came over me, however, Anna continued to run in other environments like from our yard to the street. It made my heart jump into my throat every time. She was so incredibly fast. I decided, "Well, the therapy at school worked, so I have to do it at home." It would be a lot of work. I completely committed. It would be easier to do this therapy than to watch my precious little girl get hurt someday.
I placed a stop sign at the end of my driveway before the sidewalk on the ground. Every day, I did a session of ten trials, helping Anna walk from our backyard all the way to the stop sign, touch the stop sign while saying, "Anna, stop." Back and forth, we went. After a month of hard work, one day she ran toward the street and I called, "Anna, stop." She actually stopped.
Our children with special needs and autism know more than we think they know. They process information differently. Anna was listening. She was learning. She had to learn a different way where her boundaries stood...and the important thing is - she did it!
As I have connected with many special needs families, I see a high need of safety supports for flight risk children. There are many resources available today that were not around when Anna was my little sprinter. As we share this great information, I hope we see more peace of mind uplift our amazing families.
SAFETY PRODUCTS FOR FLIGHT RISK CHILDREN
-Link provided by Autism Speaks
