We talk About Autism.

“Wandering, or ‘running away’ from a caregiver, is a common problem in children with autism,” says Crystal Sanford in her 2018 article Elopement and Autism for the the Organization for Autism Research.

Jeanne loves to hide and surprise us. We play hide and seek as a family instead or play ghost under a blanket in the livingroom. Jeanne would hide in clothes racks in Fleet Farm and run up and around the shopping isles as if it was a happy game.

Jeanne also runs away and hides when she is scared. Until more recently, Jeanne would run away near daily and lock herself in closets or the bathroom when she was upset, always slamming a door if she could.

Earlier this week Jeanne was hiding in the bathroom at school with her feet on the toilet so no one could find her. She was upset. A peer walked by and mentioned she was in the bathroom.

We will be bringing Jeanne home rather than using wraparound care after this incident as soon as we are able to make arrangements. But, like most families, our ability to use or not use childcare is tied to money. We have to work to pay the bills.

Families struggling with elopement have major stress and constant worry for safety. What if that student hadn’t told us? How long would it have taken us to find her? What might have happened during that time?

Because of elopement and other care needs, we do not entrust Jeanne with caregivers outside of our family aside from three individuals. Jeanne cannot play outside when in the care of these three individuals.

When she was 2 or 3, Jeanne became frustrated while riding her tricycle with her dad and brother walking behind her. She jumped off the trike and took off with Granger yelling desperately for her to stop before the road while he ran after her. Jeanne ran right into a busy road where vigilant drivers (this time) slowed to an abrupt stop for her.

When she was 4 she became angry while playing outside with her dad, uncle, and a mix of 5 young cousins and siblings. Jeanne hopped on her bike and rode away from our home. Jeanne’s uncle hot-footed in pursuit while her dad loaded up the 5 younger kids into a stroller and walking group to find her. Uncle found her at a local favorite HOA park and stayed with her until Granger arrived.

Families struggling with elopement have major stress and constant worry for safety.

Project Lifesaver is a 501 (C)(3) community based, public safety, non-profit organization that provides law enforcement, fire/rescue, and caregivers with a program designed to protect, and when necessary, quickly locate individuals with cognitive disorders who are prone to the life threatening behavior of wandering.

Please visit the Project Lifesaver website here.

On February 10, 2014 Granger and I had our first date. I told Granger I had to leave for a bowling tournament fundraiser at The Sports Page Bowl & Grill in Medford, Wisconsin. This bowling fundraiser was for Project Lifesaver of Taylor County!