Keeping our children with ASD safe is our number one priority, in this article we explore autism and vulnerability.

All kids are vulnerable to a certain degree. As they age however, generally speaking with neuro-typical children parents can relax a little.

However when it comes to our children with autism, often their vulnerability stays raised.

Why are they vulnerable?

As we know, ASD covers a wide spectrum of abilities and challenges. It should be noted that some people with autism may be less vulnerable than others.

But we think it’s safe to say that in the main the levels of vulnerability are raised in most cases.

Here are some common reasons for vulnerability;

Communication abilities

Struggles with communication are one of the hallmarks of ASD. Clearly the degree of struggles varies but most children have some difficulty here.

This heightens their vulnerability as asking for help, or explaining themselves can be very challenging.

Picture a scenario where an autistic child has become separated from their parents in a busy area.

They may not be able to explain to a good samaritan their name, parents name or where they last were together.

This makes the prospect of reuniting with their parents more challenging.

Social struggles

Even if a child with autism has good speech that doesn’t mean that they aren’t vulnerable.

Many autistic children and adults still struggle with wider aspects of social interactions. Typically things like picking up on social cues and reading social situations are some of the common struggles.

So what does that mean for our children’s vulnerability?

We as adults naturally make reads on each other at all times.

For example we subconsciously understand in society who we could reach out to in times of a crisis.

For example if your phones battery had run out and you desperately needed to make a call, you wouldn’t approach a homeless person for help.

Or if we saw someone clearly drunk in a public place we would likely give them a wide birth.

It is just that ability to piece together inference which makes our lives a little bit easier.

Fixations

Another hallmark of autism is when children become fixated on an interest or activity.

Although in itself this isn’t necessarily a bad thing it can lead to distracting our children at inappropriate times.

Take a close to home example of a child being fixated on a Disney character.

Whilst sweet, it can lead to them randomly veering off to walk in a shop or follow someone with the character on their clothing.

The same can be said for kids who are fixated on cars, bikes or even things like swings.

It is that all encompassing interest which can lead to them being distracted easily.

Black and white thinking

Some autistic children are very rigid in their thought process. In their head decisions are often yes or no with no room for grey areas.

This could lead to further degree of vulnerability in that a child may see an adult and think, adults all help me.

So they could instantly approach someone and assume they are of a good nature.

As we know from our experience of general life however, this is not always the case.

Sensory factors

As we know, autistic individuals can regularly have difficulties with things like loud noises.

We almost instinctively try to shield our children from such input. At times in society however, loud noises can be sudden and unexpected.

A sudden loud noise can lead to a bolting reaction from an autistic child, trying to escape it at all costs.

This can lead to them being exposed to danger.

Danger awareness

You will have noted from the above there is a common theme and it is one of danger awareness.

In short, our autistic children may not have the same levels of danger awareness as others.

This obviously leads them to being more vulnerable in society.

The danger awareness can relate to people, objects, traffic, heights or water.

It all adds to the tapestry of our children generally being more vulnerable in society.

What can parents do?

By highlighting common vulnerabilities we are in no way trying to scare parents out there.

It is just the common realisation that we have to look after our children just that little bit more.

If you are reading this article you were aware already, but sometimes that reaffirmation helps.

Here are some safeguarding measures to consider.

Use technology

We live in a technology focused world and while it has its negatives, tech can be used to help parents.

Options available include things like GPS tracking bracelets for your children. These can be synced to your phone and you can quickly find your kids if they are out of sight.

Another related option is to provide your child a mobile phone. This can be an emotive topic but they can be controlled by parents using monitoring apps.

A phone with just your number on it, synced up to ‘find my iphone’ or similar can be an invaluable tool.

Teach your child about danger

Depending on your child’s level of communication, it is important to teach them about dangers.

Naturally we don’t want to scare our children but using different tactics we can explain to them calmly about life.

Try using social stories or even leaning on cartoons on YouTube. There are thousands of videos related to things like stranger danger and personal safety available.

Physical measures

Sometimes it is easy to forget some of the most basic methods of keeping our kids safe.

Additions at home such as childproof locks and suitable fencing are all part of the puzzle.

Some parents also utilise reins on their children when out in public.

This prospect will undoubtedly make some feel uncomfortable. But if your child is a real bolting risk then it could be considered.

Summary – Autism and vulnerability

As parents of autistic children our awareness of danger has to be turned up to a ten.

We have all likely witnessed how are children are vulnerable in a plethora of ways. Our job therefore is to put measures in place to keep them safe.

Educating your child about danger and safety is an important step but it won’t likely do the entire job.

Through speaking to other parents and reaching out to support groups, you can come up with a plan specific to your child.