Home | Be Informed | Special Needs and Safety

A high priority for all parents is the safety of our children. We make sure that the inside and outside of our homes are babyproof, we choose daycares that are sanitary, and we screen our childrens’ playdates and friends’ parents. In particular, parents of special needs children often need to take extra precautions and steps to ensure their child’s safety. Challenges of an autistic child, for example, may include communication skills, social skills, and behavioral skills; medical issues, coordination issues, and sensory issues. Difficulties understanding language and gestures, wandering and running away, challenges with eye contact and speaking, and inappropriate understandings of danger are also common.

Parents of all children ought to consider carrying descriptive information about their children. A wallet-sized photo of your child fits easily in a wallet, purse, and glove compartment. On the back of the photo include your child’s name, date of birth, date that the picture was taken, and emergency contact information. In addition, you can create handouts that include a photo of your child, your child’s name, date of birth, date that the picture was taken, address, and phone number. Give a copy of the handout to trusted family members, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. If going on a field trip or family vacation, you may want to consider getting your child personalized wristbands or temporary tattoos that include your phone number.

If you have a special needs child, your handout should also include medical conditions, medications, allergies, and physician contact information. A medical ID bracelet is especially important for children with medical conditions and children that are non-verbal. Also, you can ask your local 911 call center to “red flag” your special needs child’s information in their computer database.

Finally, consider keeping a first aid kit, a backpack harness, a towel, an extra set of clothes, diapers, and wipes in your car.

Don’t try to recreate the wheel; there are additional safety tools available to the special needs community, including the Autism Society’s Safe and Sound Packet, Autism Safety Initiative, Autism ID cards, and Autism Wandering Awareness Alerts.

Visit the following websites for more information:

Autism Society’s Safe and Sound Packet

Autism Safety Initiative

Autism Wandering Awareness Alerts Response and Education Collaboration

Autism ID Card

Fiddledee IDs

Kids Safety Bands

Lost and Found Temporary Tattoos

SafetyTat

 

 

Kristina is the mother of a fantastic special needs son. She is not a medical professional, and she does not offer medical advice. For medical advice, talk to your doctor. For more information regarding special needs and autism, visit Kristina’s blog, Live, Love, Laugh,and Autism.

Home | Be Informed | Special Needs and Safety