NAA launches new program to fight wandering incidents among children with autism

Apr 22 2011

In an ongoing effort to combat the rise in wandering-related tragedies and deaths within the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) community, the National Autism Association (NAA) announced today its launch of the "Big Red Safety Box Program" made possible by a generous grant from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation. The safety box is designed to provide caregivers wandering-prevention educational materials and tools. Wandering, elopement, "running" or fleeing incidents within the autism community have led to a rise in fatalities among those with ASD.

Yesterday, authorities found the body of Blake Murrell, a four-year-old boy with autism who went missing in Payne County, Oklahoma. In 2010, ten children with autism died following a wandering incident. According to news reports, four children in the U.S. have died this year, and there are two known cases abroad. Adam Benhamama, a three-year-old boy with autism from Quebec has been missing since early April. "We see a lot of wandering-related fatalities among younger children with ASD," says NAA Executive Director Rita Shreffler. "They tend to be especially vulnerable as warmer months approach." Shreffler added that general wandering incidents within the ASD population are not uncommon. "During summer months we'll see four to five cases a week," she says.

While there has been no official tracking of wandering-related incidents involving individuals diagnosed with autism, in an online poll conducted by NAA in 2007, 92% of parent respondents said their children with autism have a tendency to wander.  A 2008 study from Denmark found that the mortality rate within the autism population is twice as high as in the general population. In 2001, a California research team attributed elevated death rates among people with autism in large part to drowning. Drowning, prolonged exposure, and other wandering-related factors remain among the top causes of death within the autism population. "People with wandering tendencies can be gone in the blink of an eye despite even the most diligent supervision," says NAA President Wendy Fournier.  "It is our hope that these safety tools and resources will better prepare caregivers to ensure that they do not experience the devastation that can result from wandering-related incidents."

The Safety Box will include educational materials, door alarms, a waterproof ID, and visual prompts to deter children and adults from exiting their homes or classrooms. Regardless of any tools caregivers may have in place, NAA says it's critical that caregivers maintain close supervision and security in all settings. "Wandering prevention takes a multi-faceted approach, and because different types of wandering exist, there is no one answer in solving this issue," added Fournier.