Tricks for Runners

[Guest guest]

My son would do that at that age too. Here is what I tried -1) Bells on the doors. Different sounding bells on each door so you could immediately identify which door he escapes from. Get them cheap at a hardware store, Walmart, etc..2) If he gets out without me I would immediately apply my homemade ABA rules. I go out after him, he comes back into the house, gets a consequence of some sort (usually forced to stay with me for a couple minutes, have him sort out the laundry, unload the silverware from the dishwasher, put books away, tailor it to your son's abilities) Then make him ask to go out (with a please) and walk him out the door and let him play for five minutes. Make sure you reward him when you get out there for doing such a great job waiting for you to go out.3) Get a handicap sticker for your car if he is a

runner. This was my greatest challenge as I had my Aspie, a Toddler, and a Newborn. Autism criteria is the first on the list at the DMV and most doctors are not going to have a problem signing it if you have a runner. Even with the sticker I would repeatedly say as we walked up to the car, Put your hands on the car, keep your hands on my car until I open the door for you, keep your hands on the car, I am opening the door for you" After a few times he got into the habit and would do it every time.4) There are identifiers that you can put telephone number on then attach them to the shoelaces, just in case, he gets out and runs. I never used them but I think many families use them, Google shoelace identity and see what comes up. My simple solution was to write my cell number on his forearm when we went to the amusement park or anywhere where I had less control of his whereabouts.5) Almost forgot a good one.

I would walk him around a parameter where ever we went. Take his hand and physically walk around an invisible parameter, noting landmarks as you go so and talking to him constantly as you go saying, "The rules are you stay in this area and do not go past this line. This line we are making is the end of the play area. Do not go past this line." Hope these help.

[Guest guest]

Great ideas!

My ds was a "wanderer", not really running just to get away from us. But we put the bells on the doors so we could tell he was leaving which really helped! Eventually, we put up a fence. That helps slow things down as well. He is 13 yo now and we still have to keep tabs on him because he sees something that interests him and walks off. But now, he has a cell phone and can call me or me him, if we get separated. I am fine now (not going crazy everytime he wanders off, lol) except when we go new places. Then we go into our "keep tabs on Reece" mode and we constantly are checking, "You have him? Ok."

I had a friend who had a runner. He literally ran for the fun of doing so. I think a lot of the ABA methods Cheryl describes would have worked with him. But I remember how frazzled my friend always was and how often he just darted off. In contrast, my ds never ran when he wandered off. So I did not have to chase him down unless a car came into our driveway. Then it was every man for himself in getting to the door first. lol.

Roxanna

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." E. Burke

( ) Tricks for Runners

My son would do that at that age too. Here is what I tried -

1) Bells on the doors. Different sounding bells on each door so you could immediately identify which door he escapes from. Get them cheap at a hardware store, Walmart, etc..

2) If he gets out without me I would immediately apply my homemade ABA rules. I go out after him, he comes back into the house, gets a consequence of some sort (usually forced to stay with me for a couple minutes, have him sort out the laundry, unload the silverware from the dishwasher, put books away, tailor it to your son's abilities) Then make him ask to go out (with a please) and walk him out the door and let him play for five minutes. Make sure you reward him when you get out there for doing such a great job waiting for you to go out.

3) Get a handicap sticker for your car if he is a

runner. This was my greatest challenge as I had my Aspie, a Toddler, and a Newborn. Autism criteria is the first on the list at the DMV and most doctors are not going to have a problem signing it if you have a runner. Even with the sticker I would repeatedly say as we walked up to the car, Put your hands on the car, keep your hands on my car until I open the door for you, keep your hands on the car, I am opening the door for you" After a few times he got into the habit and would do it every time.

4) There are identifiers that you can put telephone number on then attach them to the shoelaces, just in case, he gets out and runs. I never used them but I think many families use them, Google shoelace identity and see what comes up. My simple solution was to write my cell number on his forearm when we went to the amusement park or anywhere where I had less control of his whereabouts.

5) Almost forgot a good one.

I would walk him around a parameter where ever we went. Take his hand and physically walk around an invisible parameter, noting landmarks as you go so and talking to him constantly as you go saying, "The rules are you stay in this area and do not go past this line. This line we are making is the end of the play area. Do not go past this line."

Hope these help.

[Guest guest]

My son has a habit of bolting when something seriously stresses him out, like

his fears of water and loud noises in public bathrooms. He has gotten away from

me enough that I purchased him a medical id band with my cell phone number on

it. You can get nice silicone ones that look a lot like the fashion silicone

bracelets and he likes it and I have peace of mind. Fortunately we have never

had him totally go missing to the point where it was needed yet, but we have had

our share of close calls.

>

> My son would do that at that age too.  Here is what I tried -

> 1) Bells on the doors. Different sounding bells on each door so you could

immediately identify which door he escapes from.  Get them cheap at a hardware

store, Walmart, etc..

> 2) If he gets out without me I would immediately apply my homemade ABA rules. 

I go out after him, he comes back into the house, gets a consequence of some

sort (usually forced to stay with me for a couple minutes, have him sort out the

laundry, unload the silverware from the dishwasher, put books away, tailor it to

your son's abilities) Then make him ask to go out (with a please) and walk him

out the door and let him play for five minutes.  Make sure you reward him when

you get out there for doing such a great job waiting for you to go out.

> 3) Get a handicap sticker for your car if he is a runner.  This was my

greatest challenge as I had my Aspie, a Toddler, and a Newborn.  Autism criteria

is the first on the list at the DMV and most doctors are not going to have a

problem signing it if you have a runner.  Even with the sticker I would

repeatedly say as we walked up to the car, Put your hands on the car, keep your

hands on my car until I open the door for you, keep your hands on the car, I am

opening the door for you "   After a few times he got into the habit and would do

it every time.

> 4) There are identifiers that you can put telephone number on then attach them

to the shoelaces, just in case, he gets out and runs.  I never used them but I

think many families use them, Google shoelace identity and see what comes up. 

My simple solution was to write my cell number on his forearm when we went to

the amusement park or anywhere where I had less control of his whereabouts.

> 5) Almost forgot a good one.  I would walk him around a parameter where ever

we went.  Take his hand and physically walk around an invisible parameter,

noting landmarks as you go so and talking to him constantly as you go saying,

" The rules are you stay in this area and do not go past this line.  This line we

are making is the end of the play area.  Do not go past this line. "

>

> Hope these help.

>