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14 questions to assess safety skills in a child with autism

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Children with autism spectrum disorder are at risk of wandering or elopement. Asking parents some key questions about how their child’s communication skills and how the child acts in public areas can help keep the child safe. Here are 14 questions that can help keep these children safe.

Children with autism can be at risk of wandering from parents in public

Children with autism spectrum disorder are at risk of wandering or elopement. Asking parents some key questions about how their child’s communication skills and how the child acts in public areas can help keep the child safe. Here are 14 questions that can help keep these children safe.

Respond to name?

Does your child respond to his/her name?

Frequency of response to name?

How often does your child respond to his/her name?

Will they come when called?

What is the likelihood that your child will come when called in a fun and/or crowded space?

What’s the level of communication?

What level of language/communication ability does your child currently have?

Ask for help?

Is your child able to ask for help?

Able to provide phone number or address?

Can your child recite or provide his/her phone number or address upon adult request?

Able to identify safe strangers from other strangers?

Can your child identify a stranger (ie, potential predator) from a safer stranger (eg, store clerk,  police officer) if help is needed?

Hold parent's hand?

When out in the community, does your child hold your hand?

Will they run away?

Will your child run away from you if you’re not holding his/her hand?

Worried about public transportation?

Are you worried about using public transportation with your child due to your child’s behavior?

Is the child safe when crossing street?

Does your child hold your hand while crossing the street?

Is the child aware in crowded places?

Is your child vigilant around traffic or crowded spaces?

Does the child fiddle with locks?

Does your child ever play with locks on doors, tamper with seatbelts when riding in the car, or attempt to open closures/latches on indoor or outdoor gates?

Is there a history of the child bolting in public?

Has your child ever bolted away from you in an open space, such as a store or a parking lot? Does your child get distracted by preferred things and gradually increase his/her distance from you in public spaces?

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