We had a recent scare where my son disappeared twice during a multi-family outing. It was completely our fault and I’ve had multiple discussions with the wife. Also, this happens not-infrequently when she takes both kids out while I’m away for work – last time was a multi-family outing at Disney Land.
Other than be more vigilant which I’m really really trying to work on for us, does anyone have any other suggestions to help keep track of a DS boy that wanders?
He loves his family very much so I want to get something like a locket with our picture in it (so hopefully he doesn’t take it off) with our contact info on it (last time a friendly group stopped him from wandering further while they were frantically asking around looking for his parents).
Do you know of any companies that will make something like that? Bracelet? What should I google?
Are there other measures taken in Japan for similar situations, like dementia patients?
Thanks in advance!
14 comments
I hope this comment isn’t controversial, but here we go.
My son is 1.5 and does not have DS, but he’s a runner. My kid is not afraid of anything or anyone and will take off the second he steps foot outside. To keep him safe and so that he’s always in either mine or my husband’s control, my son is on a harness. [ It looks like this (Amazon Link)](https://amzn.asia/d/0RCd75C) It doesn’t hurt my son at all and he can walk and run freely, but he’s still within my grasp and in my control.
I saw a boy who was special needs at our local pool wearing a harness with a help mark badge strapped to the side. Help mark badges also have space to write pertinent information. I don’t know if this would work for your child, but that’s my suggestion.
How about something like ミマモルメ
[https://mimamorume-anshin.jp/](https://mimamorume-anshin.jp/)
It’s basically like an airtag. You could just figure out a good way to attach it to him so that he can’t take it off easily.
My daughter doesn’t have DS but I do have experience keeping track of a 3 and a half year old.
We have an AirTag with a little loop that we attach to the label in her clothes (preferably something she won’t take off, like her vest or shorts). Of course, we do our best to keep track of her but it’s a good ‘just in case’ thing we do. I’m a pretty anxious parent. Maybe an AirTag or similar tracker would be helpful.
You can get little badges and brackets with contact information. I’ve also seen someone who wrote their number in permanent marker on their kids arm.
Shoes that make noise are infuriating but help track the escaping little ones. Airtag and label with name and phone numbers are both great choices too. You can also give the child something that make noise when he is lost, to get help, like a whistle, so he do not panic.
Search 子供用GPSトラッカー can give you some good results. Many day cares use them and attach to a stretchy belt the kids wear when they go outside.
Short term, visit local police and introduce yourself and your child. Bring a picture of your child and tell them that he has history of running away and to call you if they see him alone. This makes it so much easier if there is an incident because police already know who to look for and have your information.
Long term, work on the skill deficits. Go to a public place with few avenues of escape and with a back up person or two and work on waiting. Work on asking to go somewhere they find interesting…back up people make sure inappropriate wandering doesn’t give access to new interesting areas (block and make him go back to starting area)⁰. If you notice good waiting or asking, then it does sometimes gets him access new exciting areas. Doesn’t have to be long. But go there with the sole intention of working on this, it’s hard to work on this when youre distracted by doing other things. Its a safety issue, and one that leads to a very sad life if you don’t address this now. I think it’s hard to be always vigilant and probably not manageable as your child grows.
Wishing you the best
Attach an Apple AirTag to his clothing somewhere where he would be unlikely to remove it.
I will preferace by saying I don’t have a kid but I have worked with kids at a certain big name theme park. Kids getting lost in the crowds is incredibly prevalent.
In my opinion backpack harnesses are really the way to go to keep a child secure but offer them freedom as opposed to being buckled in a stroller that they always fight to get out of which I have seen numerous times. (there’s some incredibly cute designs out there with stuffed animals on them) and there’s this other type that kind of looks like a giant stretchy phone cord that I’ve seen attached to belt loops/wrists. The backpack method seems safer than the other one but I can’t say for sure or not.
In my observational experience the kids never seem to really mind and do seem to have a decent amount of freedom as I don’t really see them yanked or anything so I’m not sure why it’s controversial of it keeps a kid safer under the watch of a parent..
A safe and accounted for child is the best child and sometimes your eyes and arms can only do so much especially in heavily crowded places, having more than one child, or with a child that needs extra care and attention. Parents aren’t gods unfortunately so use anything at your disposal.
Tracking necklace or band?
Apple Air tag and a backpack harness. Also sharpie his name, your name and mobile number on up near his elbow.
These are the things my friend who has a non verbal son with ASD does when they go out to parks/stores etc. Her son is 3.
She clips the air tag on his back belt loop where he can not get at it.
Her son is a runner and very fast. The harness helps because he doesn’t want to hold her hand much of the time.
My friend’s son ran off into a wooded area where a river goes through (state park US) The 4 hour man hunt aged her 20 years. This is why she does the above.
Could you maybe put one of those apple tracking dots in their shoe, pocket, on a lanyard etc? Having your kid go missing is probably much more terrifying than I can even imagine it is, and I already imagine it to be pretty fucking awful.
I don’t a child, but my nephew had a habit of running away. I mean I could be holding his hand one second, and the next he will be crossing a busy road, or running into a crowded mall. It was so scary, but luckily he was fine. I’d recommend using an airtag or something similar, but instead of locket put in inside pocket or sew it in the clothes.
Air tag in a bag? Pocket?
Give your son a apple tag necklace
Apple air tag for emergencies.