tips for a runner?

[dream5866]

Hey everyone,

I have two autistic kids one of whom is a runner. He runs away if he is overstimulated or melting down or he also tends to just wander off. Both my kids are prone to exteme meltdowns in overstimulating environments so I know we must be nuts for even considering this trip however any advice would be greatly appreciated. We lost our runner on a cruise in Haiti. He literally took off right in front of us and since it was so crowded he was lost in the crowd quickly. It was a parents worst nightmare. Thankfully we found him but I dont ever want to go through that again. They are 8 and 12. The runner is 8.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi and to disABILITIES!

Two suggestions concerning the runner.

One is, if you have a digital camera, take a photo in the morning and any time he changes clothes. That way if he runs and can't be found there will be a current photo of exactly how he is dressed.

The other is to get a shoe tag (which will go in the laces) or some other identification card that cannot be esily removed. Have your name and cell phone number on the tag.

And we are very used to finding "lost" children and reuniting them with their families; it happens often and there are strong procedures in place.

 

[dream5866]

for those suggestions. Any idea where I can get those shoe tags? I do have a digital camera and will do that. Do they have places where you can print it out if needed? We also have a tracking device but it only has a 2 hour battery and only works within 500 ft.

 

[Kirlinale]

I am not VERY familar with Autism, but do have friend who used Two Way radios at Disney with their son who has Autism. They stayed connected at all times, even though the child could not use the radio well (he was 9) he was able to hear his mom and get instructions. It worked pretty well, she lost him twice at Disney in the crowd and she was able to talk to him via the radio, you can get them pretty cheap now and it also helped her once when someone found her son to call her back on the radio to give his location. I know they make Wrist Watch Versions of them now so you could stick it on a belt look or something.

Just a thought!
I hope you have a magical trip!
Nicole

 

[shoegirl1020]

Is it posisble for him to be on a one-to one with you or another adult? That's the only thing that we've figured out for my ds8. Plus, Joe normally won't run that far, but will go into parking lots and busy streets. Whenever we go out I try to dress him in BRIGHT colored clothing, but due to OCD issues that doesn't always work. The other ideas I've seen here about the photo everyday is great. Good luck.!

 

[lovetoscrap]

Not sure when you are planning to go, but your best defense may be a good offense. If at all possible try to plan your trip for a time of year when the crowds will be low. Off Peak seasons like just after Thanksgiving week or mid-Jan or early Feb. Also the weather is cooler so the heat will not be a cause of meltdowns. The parks are less crowded first thing in the morning so if you can get them up and at the turnstyles (but hang back, don't join the mad dash that has to be the FIRST in) as soon as the park opens you can really have almost no crowds and lines and enjoy things for several hours without a lot of the overstimulation of later in the day.

And if he runs off then with smaller crowds he will be easier to find.

Use resources like the DIS, the Unofficial Guide to WDW, and Tourguide Mike, FastPass etc.. to minimize waits and crowds so that the chances of a meltdown will be lower. They can help you plan the best days and times to visit each park and the different rides and shows.

Also will you have your own car or use Disney transportation? The buses and boats and monorail, while fun can be very crowded--I often want to have a meltdown on them! If you can provide your own transportation it might be much easier on your kids and provide them a quiet space if you need to leave the park quickly when they get tired.

Just plan to go slow and take it easy.

How big are your kids, physically? Will the runner hold your hand? They make some wrist straps for toddlers that are not really like the traditional "leashes" but attach to their wrist and yours. If he stays close to you then that could be helpful. But it might bother him to wear it. Also if he is physically large it could hurt you or him if he takes off. But it is a thought depending on his size and demeanor otherwise.

I can't imagine the terror you must have been through when you lost him before Best of luck this time and I hope you have a great trip!

 

[Kat77]

We have an older escape artist too! I offered to purchase this for the school. Amazingly and stupidly they said no. Liability?

http://www.ion-kids.com/

You can get them off ebay cheaper than listed on the site.

 

[cmwade77]

I know there was a post somewhere on here about people using the USB Drives as an ID method, and it worked well for them.

 

[dream5866]

Katt77: We have the ionkids. That is the one I was talking about that has the 2 hour battery and only 500ft. Also, he is a big 8 yr old and the band is already very tight on him and can not be adjusted. There are other brands that are better but cost around $7000 for the tracking unit.

Lovetoscrap: We are planning to go for my 12 year olds 13th bday which is in September. We are planning either the 15th to the 22nd or the 22nd to the 29th. His bday is the 27th. Is this a slow time? I figured it would be with most kids back in school. I know the heat could be an issue but he is really excited about going for his birthday. Its a "becoming a teenager" trip.

shoegirl1020: with two kids with autism we pretty much have to each be one to one. It is tough especially when they are both melting down. He will NOT hold hands and forcing him to can make things worse. On the bright side, however, they seem to be better behaved in new, fun environments so hopefully they will be having too much fun to melt down, especially if we take everyone's advice and go slow.

I am hoping it will be okay. Is september really bad (like the last week?)
Phyllis

 

[KPeveler]

i think that some cell phones made for kids allow parents to have a GPS monitoring unit. i could swear disney made cell phones that only allow the kid to call 4 numbers (like mom, dad, grandma, and 911). It also came with a GPS chip in it, so the parents can check on the kids from anywhere... do you think one of these "kids" cellphones might help? especially if they are cool and disney, he might just think it is the greatest thing in the world to be a "big kid with a cell phone."

 

[SueM in MN]

Katt77: We have the ionkids. That is the one I was talking about that has the 2 hour battery and only 500ft. Also, he is a big 8 yr old and the band is already very tight on him and can not be adjusted. There are other brands that are better but cost around $7000 for the tracking unit.

That's too bad that they make the band so tight. You would think they would have different sizes so you can get a larger one as your child grows!

I only know what I have seen on TV and the internet about it, but I wondered if the battery is removable and if it can be recharged outside of the unit. If it can be and you have a second battery and a charger, it would be possible to leave it at First Aid to be charged and when the battery you are using is out, you could go back to First Aid to get the charged battery. I don't know if that would work, but it might give you some ideas of options.

Another thing some people have done with runners is rent a stroller at the parks or a special needs stroller from one of the offsite places. The WDW park strollers are made of a firm plastic and many parents of children with autism have written that their kids like the strollers because of the firm pressure you get from sitting on it and also like the sides and 'roof' of the stroller that cuts down on stimulation. Here is a link to the stroller page on Deb Wills' site. The strollers are large enough for a small 12 yr old to sit in one - if you need extra room, a lot of people rent a double stroller for one child.
There is a link in the disABILITIES FAQs thread to some places that rent special needs strollers.

Is september really bad (like the last week?)
Phyllis

We have been there in September and the time you are going should be pretty slow. Epcot's Food and Wine Festival begins on Sept 28, so plan to go to Epcot before that. but there is not anything else going on that I am aware of during that time that should bring big crowds.

 

[SueM in MN]

i think that some cell phones made for kids allow parents to have a GPS monitoring unit. i could swear disney made cell phones that only allow the kid to call 4 numbers (like mom, dad, grandma, and 911). It also came with a GPS chip in it, so the parents can check on the kids from anywhere... do you think one of these "kids" cellphones might help? especially if they are cool and disney, he might just think it is the greatest thing in the world to be a "big kid with a cell phone."

I've seen ads for that feature. Besides that feature, if he gets out of sight, you could phone him and the ringing cell phone could lead you to him.
Don't know if it would work for the OP, but it's worth a look. Here's the Disney Mobile website.

 

[Andyjo0930]

I know what you are going through. My son is 5 and also autism and also is a runner. Though at this point, i am almost ready to say WAS. Last summer, we brought him to a couple of water parks here locally and a couple of amusement parks and he ran away from us a few times. I have been working with him about the rules and running and the dangers of going off on his own. We brought him to an amusement park in May and he actually was very good. He wanted to "walk like a big boy" and basically stood next to use and never ran off. My son is pretty high functioning so we were able to work with him.

The one thing that we used to do prior was bring a wagon with us everywhere we went (I don't know if this is possible for you to do). He actually sat in the wagon with no problems and loved to be pushed around. I know your son is 8 and you said he is pretty big so I don't know if this is feasible for you.

I would also pin something on your son with your cell phone number in case he does get away. That way, somebody can call you if they find him.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The one thing that we used to do prior was bring a wagon with us everywhere we went (I don't know if this is possible for you to do). He actually sat in the wagon with no problems and loved to be pushed around. I know your son is 8 and you said he is pretty big so I don't know if this is feasible for you.

Wagons are not permitted in the Disney parks.

 

[SueM in MN]

Wagons are not permitted in the Disney parks.

No wagons allowed.
But, if your child likes wagons, they would probably like the WDW park rental strollers. They are made of a firm plastic material that many parents say their children with autism liked to sit on.
I posted some information about the strollers and a link to pictures in one of my other replies to this thread.

 

[mimmy]

This is my first official post to the dis but I did want to respond. We took my newly turned 8 son and our three other typical kids (then 6, 3 and 11 mths) to WDW in Jan. He is very much a runner and would be for the most part considered very low functioning. A few years ago a friend got him an explorer belt for his birthday. It looks like something a typical kid would have for dress up. We put the belt on his waist and attached it to my husband with the same D clips you would use to climb with. I know some people are against "leashes" but in our case to do otherwise would mean losing him and I can 't think what would happen then. My DH and I are going that last wk in Sept too....WITHOUT MY KIDDOS!... It is my reward to myself for staying sane this summer Anyway, good luck! Mimmy ... I haven't totally figured out the signature thing yet

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome, mimmy.
That's a good suggestion for a first post.

Like many other things, some people may not understand, but you do what you need to do. Most of the people who are against 'leashes' have never had an occassion where they needed one. Most of the kids I have seen with either the child leashes or those 'hand holders' that go on the wrist don't seem to be bothered by it and they are safe. That's what really matters.

 

[dream5866]

Do you have any pictures of this belt or know where your friend got it?

By the way, thanks to all of you for all your help. I cant believe how many times i had to chase down my son Tuesday night while out viewing fireworks. I am so stressed out about this but know there has to be a way for us to enjoy disney magic and remain safe too. Thanks for all your help.

I am worried about the Guest Passes. Both of my kids are high functioning and unless melting down (or running away) appear pretty normal. I am worried they will think we are making their diagnoses up and refuse to give us a pass or humiliate us in the process. It is hard enough as it is without worrying about what unscrupuouls ( i know I really messed up that spelling) people have done to make this even harder.

Phyllis

 

[mimmy]

We are not huge spenders so I bet she would have gotten it at some place like Wal Mart or Target. I tried to do a little research last night and all I could find was an Uncle Milton Backyard Explorer Belt...just google it. Anyway, it is similar but could be modified for your needs by taking the other toys off (comes with like a flashlight,plastic magnifying glass, etc) and adding a length of climbing rope(mine came with the rope but I could see how that may be considered unsafe for young kids to play with alone). You could probably get the rope at a sporting goods place. I like the climbing rope because my little one is very oral and he cannot chew through it, unravel it, etc. You would also need to get a couple of D clips which you can get almost anywhere and are really cheap. I will tell you that while we had DS roped to us we got a lot of looks from parents of typs...some were "how could you do that" looks...but a lot more were "where did you get that" looks. We took them in Jan and one other thing we did to make sure we could find him easily was that on days when it was colder (about 3 of our 7 days), we dressed him in his Stitch costume so that he would be very easily recognized. I LOVE the idea of taking a digital pic first thing every morning though. One other thing about Disney's ability to find lost littles...we did not lose DS thank the good lord but we were selected by the dream makers...sorry don't know the technical name here??? for VIP Epcot Fireworks viewing. A cast member talked to us for a while in the morning and then let us go saying she "would see us later" I had no idea what she meant but a few hours later she tracked us down and had radioed to all the other cast members at Epcot that she was looking for us to let us know about our seating arrangements. All day we kept getting stopped by cast members asking if our dream maker had contacted us. It made me comfortable knowing that if the cast members were that vigilant in finding us for nice seating for the fireworks that if DS had been seperated from us they could have helped us find him in a flash. Hope that helps Mimmy