Supporting Children on the Spectrum During Summer Break

Every summer, Rhode Island children and families enjoy cookouts, beach trips, and days at the pool. However, for children on the spectrum, the lack of structure and predictability that comes with being out of school can pose significant challenges. Without the critical routines and visuals that children often rely on, days can feel unpredictable and chaotic. That lack of structure, in combination with the ability to spend more time outdoors, can lead to an increase in the opportunities for and incidents of elopement. 

What is elopement?

 The term “elopement” refers to an incident in which a person who requires supervision to stay safe leaves a safe and supervised area. Elopement is also sometimes referred to as wandering or bolting. Typically, elopement occurs for one of two very broad reasons. Either the child (or in some cases, adult) is leaving the supervised area in order to obtain something outside of that area (such as an item, an experience, an opportunity to explore, etc.), or they are avoiding or escaping something within that area (sensory overload, change in routine, overwhelming tasks, etc.). 

How can we determine why someone elopes? 

There are several steps that a family can take to address elopement. Families can start by looking for patterns. When the child elopes, what time of day is it? What is happening at the time? Where do they go? If they got to their desired destination, what did they do when they got there? Collecting this information in writing can be very helpful in looking for patterns. These patterns can give us a clue as to what the child is seeking or avoiding, which can then help us to put proactive supports in place. For example, if the child is always eloping during family parties, we can offer the child coping tools, like: 

• Talking with them to provide a preview of who is coming to the party, what will happen at the party, when the party will be over, and what the child can do if they need a break from the party  
• Designated break space
• Noise cancelling headphones 

Understanding the patterns allows us to proactively provide support. 

What changes to the physical space can be made to prevent elopement? 

If a child is prone to eloping, doors and windows should be locked at all times. Ideally, they would also have alarms to indicate to the people in the home when doors and windows are opened. The National Autism Association offers the “Big Red Safety Box” that includes two door/window alarms at no cost to families. 

In addition to alarms, the Big Red Safety Box also includes stop signs. Placing physical stop signs on doors and windows can provide the child with a visual cue not to exit through the door or window. 

How can we increase structure to prevent elopement? 

As mentioned previously, predictability and routine are critical for many autistic children (and children in general). When routines change, or when there is a lack of structure, children may be more prone to elopement. Creating a structured summer routine (as well as morning, evening, and weekend routines when the child is in school) can be very helpful for the child’s regulation, which in turn can help to prevent elopement. 

What should you do in the event of an elopement? 

In the event of an elopement, call 911 immediately. Do not wait. Many families will wait a few minutes and see if they can locate the child on their own. Those few minutes are critical. We want as many people looking for the child as possible, and do not want to waste critical time. When calling 911, notify the dispatcher of a few things: 

• the child is autistic
• arrive at the scene with lights and sirens off
• start the search with water first 

In lethal incidences of elopement, over 70 percent are caused by drowning. Many autistic children are attracted to water and may not be aware of the threat to their safety that water poses. For this reason, first responders should start their search with water.