April is Autism Awareness Month. Today, April 1, is the day we set aside to remember those lost to wandering or elopement.
Wandering is generally defined as leaving a safe space, with or without a goal in mind. The person simply 'wanders' away. Elopement is pretty much like wandering on steroids--the person tends to bolt from the safe space, frequently with no destination or goal in mind: they simply don't want to be here, or (like Nathan) they want the sensation of run...ning. Autistic children 'wander' from a safe environment at a rate more than four times higher than that of typical children. In 2012, the National Autism Association reported that "accidental drowning accounted for 91% total U.S. deaths reported in children with an ASD ages 14 and younger subsequent to wandering/elopement."
Wandering is generally defined as leaving a safe space, with or without a goal in mind. The person simply 'wanders' away. Elopement is pretty much like wandering on steroids--the person tends to bolt from the safe space, frequently with no destination or goal in mind: they simply don't want to be here, or (like Nathan) they want the sensation of run...ning. Autistic children 'wander' from a safe environment at a rate more than four times higher than that of typical children. In 2012, the National Autism Association reported that "accidental drowning accounted for 91% total U.S. deaths reported in children with an ASD ages 14 and younger subsequent to wandering/elopement."
Nathan is an eloper. Through intensive safety awareness training and constant vigilance, we have reduced his incidents of elopement dramatically. But we do not kid ourselves: it is only through luck and grace that we have our beautiful Nathan here with us today, as he has had multiple dramatic elopements that could have added us to the numbers of families who have lost their loved ones to wandering. And we can never relax our guard, because it only takes once.
Today and every day we ask you to spare a thought for the spectrum families who have lost a loved one to wandering, and a hope or prayer that we will never be among them.
For more information about wandering/elopement and ASD, visit
Today and every day we ask you to spare a thought for the spectrum families who have lost a loved one to wandering, and a hope or prayer that we will never be among them.
For more information about wandering/elopement and ASD, visit
