Comments on: Sometimes It Just Seems You Can’t Be Too Safe

By: Rachel Baxter

Rachel Baxter — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:04:05 +0000

These are such sad stories. My heart goes out to both families.
The boy in car report is especially painful because the child apparently died through neglect, begging the question of how happy his life was to begin with. My son is the centre of my universe and it breaks my heart to think children like him could be treated this way.

The boy I work with is a determined escapologist – his Mum uses heavy duty door bolts with built in combination locks.

By: Bonnie Sayers

Bonnie Sayers — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:11:15 +0000

I just read of this case where a family in Las Vegas with 8 kids did not notice their disabled 4 year old missing at dinner or bedtime and 17 hours later found him dead in the car.

Father Speaks About Son’s Death In Car
Father Says Son Was Not Missed At Dinner Time

http://www.fox5vegas.com/news/16564186/detail.html#-

By: Last Week’s Top Posts

Last Week’s Top Posts — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 18:50:28 +0000

[...] Sometimes It Just Seems You Can’t Be Too Safe On May 25th, a 10 year old autistic boy wandered from his home in Graham, NC, and was struck by a train. [...]

By: Julie F

Julie F — Thu, 29 May 2008 18:25:17 +0000

We rigged up an alarm with one of the personal alarms from Radio Shack. It has a loop of strong string tied to the pull out tab and attaches to the door knob. If our daughter pulls the door it is on open, there is an earsplitting screech.

Luckily she is terrified of it and she won’t go near a door it is on.

We came up with this after she figured out how to work all of the locks and wandered down the street. We’re lucky that our neighbors have a child who is 18, autistic, and grew up here. People know to stop her and call us.

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Thu, 29 May 2008 05:50:09 +0000

I completely agree—especially as I never learned to swim till after Charlie did!

By: Justthisguy

Justthisguy — Thu, 29 May 2008 05:40:15 +0000

Hey, at least Charlie’s a good swimmer! Maybe he could get a job as a lifeguard, later on.

Really, one of the best things you can do for your kid is to teach him to swim. My parents decided to do this after I almost drowned at age 5. I wish they’d started sooner.

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Wed, 28 May 2008 23:16:36 +0000

In Howard county, MD—17 year old Howard Davenport McGill has been missing since Tuesday evening.

By: Regan

Regan — Wed, 28 May 2008 21:57:52 +0000

At one point Eleanor was an escape artist and I had my own panic stricken moment looking for her. We also had bells, locks and sensors on the doors. This is also a time when we distributed notices to the neighbors. This is when she was 4.

One thing that we did add was instructional programs to teach telling someone when she wanted to go out, where you go and where you don’t, traffic safety (we live close to a busy avenue) and am now working on finding directions and what to do when lost. She has not eloped in years, tells me when she wants to go out, and although it is is always a knock on wood situation, so far, so good.

This is a genuine question, esp. to Harold–has such programming been included in your son’s behavioral program, and if so, what components have you found to be effective/not, and why? I am really curious how this is being addressed, because it is real concern and survival skill.

By: Leanne

Leanne — Wed, 28 May 2008 21:15:52 +0000

We have chimes on our doors too. It helps a bit. Lots of locks. We also keep reminding him over and over and over what’s dangerous. Still, he did once get all the way to the road (like Harold, on my watch) and came within 20 feet of being hit by a school bus. Terrifying. My vigelance hit an all time high this year.

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Wed, 28 May 2008 16:22:01 +0000

A memorial service was held for Jacob Smiley on Tuesday.

We used to have chimes on the front and back doors—-that helped a lot. I had to give up on ever finding a lock that was too high for Charlie—he’s taller than me now—-and he can always find any hidden keys.

We are looking for a new place to live/rent and we seem to have figured out what is needed and not: First floor. Window looking into the front so we can see Charlie. Quiet street with minimal traffic.

I remember your story about Connor being missing, Harold—-every time I hear a story like that (and a couple are noted in a book I’m almost finished with, A Real Boy), my mind goes through a checklist of what we need to do.

We still have the child safety locks on the car doors and I have started to put a card with my cell number on it in Charlie’s pocket when we are in busy places like the city. Thinking pre-emptively is so necessary.