Autism Elopement: Why Wandering Off Is A Behavioral Nightmare

Many individuals with autism have different ways of handling stressful situations, like using calming techniques, stimming, or even skin picking. However, some will just leave the situation without telling anyone. Woosh, they are gone.

This is known as autism elopement, and it’s not running away with your fiancé and getting married in Vegas. It’s when a person with autism just wanders off or runs away from a safe setting without telling anyone, and the sudden disappearance obviously stresses out their loved ones. Or, even more scary, the person hides.

Wandering off like this is an elevated risk for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to common characteristics like impulsivity, lack of fear or sense of danger, attraction to specific objects or places, and difficulty understanding social boundaries.

While elopement is often discussed concerning young children on the spectrum, the reality is that wandering remains a critical safety issue across all age groups. A 2012 study found that over 25 percent of individuals with ASD still displayed elopement behaviors even after turning 18. As individuals get older and potentially larger and stronger, these wandering situations can become even more dangerous and difficult to manage.

The Staggering Risks of Autism Elopement

The consequences of a child or adult with ASD wandering off, even for a short period of time, are extremely severe. They may inadvertently trespass onto private property, wander into pools or bodies of water, or encounter traffic and transportation perils.

Those who are non-verbal or have limited communication abilities may struggle to convey their needs or ask for help if approached by someone. In the most tragic cases, elopers may face potential exploitation, physical assault, or devastating interactions with law enforcement unfamiliar with their condition.

A survey by the National Autism Association found that in cases of wandering, nearly one-third of children with ASD end up in potentially life-threatening situations, almost 25% are in danger of drowning, and over 25% are at risk of vehicular injury. Shockingly, the same report revealed that over 30% of elopers were found sleeping, unconscious, or trapped after wandering. The statistics underscore the critical importance of prevention.

What is Elopement and Why Does It Happen?

The reasons behind elopement behaviors vary but often tie back to core characteristics of ASD. Some individuals are drawn to wandering off due to restricted interests or fascination with certain subjects, objects, or locations. For example, individuals may elope to pursue interests like trains, roads, swimming pools, or parks. For others, wandering is an attempt to escape overwhelming sensory stimuli or as a way to self-soothe anxiety.

Difficulty understanding the consequences of their actions also plays a major role. Individuals with ASD may struggle with spatial awareness, safety boundaries, and recognizing potentially hazardous situations. This lack of danger perception, combined with impulsive decision-making, creates the perfect conditions for wandering off.

Wanderers may also be motivated by a strong desire for autonomy or dislike following instructions. Adults with ASD, especially those who are higher functioning, may independently decide to leave a residence, workplace, or other setting unattended as an act of independence or defiance. (Yes, I was one of those, once walking out of a job without telling anyone because I didn’t think I could stomach being there another minute.)

Regardless of the underlying reasons, elopement poses serious threats that should be proactively addressed at all ages and stages of life on the autism spectrum. I know personally, as I’ve been there, and have also seen first-hand the stress and fear I put my parents through from doing it.

Autism Elopement Prevention at Home

The home environment is a common setting for elopement, making it crucial to safeguard any potential exit points if wandering off is extreme. Basic security measures include installing secure locks (including child safety window locks), alarms, door/window chimes, and visual cues like bright strips on sliding glass doors.

Effective prevention also means routinely decluttering and minimizing objects that could trigger wandering behaviors.

Fencing, gates, and other physical barriers can also restrict access to areas that may pose hazards like backyards, pools, basements, and garages. Families may want to pursue more comprehensive solutions like automatically locking doors/windows and monitoring systems to track entrances/exits.

Another vital step is ensuring individuals with autism always have identification and emergency contact information on them. Temporary safety products like door/window alarms, pointers, and GPS tracking devices are also worthwhile investments. It’s also wise to have an emergency plan and “call for help” list prepared in case an elopement does occur.

I experienced the fear of someone wandering off from a third-person perspective when my grandfather, who in his later years had developed Alzheimer’s, stayed with us for a short time and had started doing the same. He started walking out the front door while we were all sleeping and then didn’t know how to get himself home.

Regardless of someone’s reasoning for it, disappearing into a crowd or into the night is terrifying for those with responsibility for that person’s safety, and that point has hit home for me. As an adult, I make sure now that if I’m with a group of people or my family that I don’t just go do my own thing without telling them. Cell phones and location trackers have helped with that communication as well.

Helping Others Understand What Is Elopement Through Community Involvement and Awareness

Because wandering puts individuals with ASD in potential danger within the larger community, it’s imperative to get neighbors, local businesses, first responders, and other public entities involved with prevention efforts. Make them aware of your loved one’s identification information, specific risks, and any locations that may be particular attractions.

There are also valuable resources many communities provide for preventing wandering and issuing alerts.

Families should inquire about temporary tracking devices, Project Lifesaver programs, and procedures law enforcement has established for missing children/adults with special needs.

Getting connected with local media can also aid in rapidly disseminating search and lookout requests.

Reddit has had lots of conversations about elopement and parents using safety devices to ensure their child stays safe. One parent wrote: “Safety first. Yknow what’s worse than people looking at you and judging? A dead/injured child because the world does not conform to neurodiversity.”

Another thread talks about autism elopement in adults, with posters saying they have done such things as going to the bathroom while out and then not returning to others “ditching” friends and rationalizing the behavior with “everyone just expects it”.

Still another post about adult elopement raised a good point of where they are now in tune with themselves to the point of getting “a low-battery warning” in their head and know they just have to leave. They explain it as sensory overload from complex noises and sometimes unfamiliar environments.

Ongoing Behavior Supports for Elopement Behavior

Beyond securing physical environments, wandering risks can also be mitigated through proactive behavior management and reinforcement strategies. Working closely with therapists and clinicians, individuals with ASD can be coached on safety awareness, reinforcing routines, and understanding the consequences of elopement.

Using social stories, modeling, and role-playing exercises can all help teach appropriate boundaries and safe habits. Over time, these interventions coupled with reward systems aim to curb impulsive wandering behaviors and build self-management skills.  

It’s also beneficial for providers to pinpoint potential triggers that may precede wandering, like specific obsessive interests, anxiety, overload, mental exhaustion, or sensory issues. With this knowledge, preventative strategies and alternative coping techniques can be developed.

For higher-functioning individuals with ASD, the desire for more freedom and independence should be thoughtfully balanced with necessary safeguards. Creating wearable identification products, establishing trusted contacts for check-ins, and identifying designated gathering areas can allow supervised autonomy while ensuring a layer of protection.

As individuals mature into adulthood, comprehensive wandering prevention plans should be revisited and updated. 

More complex self-advocacy training may be required to teach recognizing triggers, managing elopement behaviors, and responding appropriately if they do get lost or separated. Using technology aids like mobile apps and GPS trackers can also afford more independence.

No Simple Solutions for Wandering Off

Unfortunately, there is no single solution or blanket approach that can entirely prevent elopement for individuals with ASD. Every person on the spectrum has unique abilities, challenges, and reasons that may trigger wandering behaviors.

What’s effective in deterring autism elopement for one may not work at all for another. That’s why consistent monitoring, adjusting strategies based on individual needs, and layering multiple safeguards tend to be most successful in minimizing wandering off risks over the long term.

GPS tracking devices and other locating technologies are extremely helpful tools, but they have their limitations when it comes to preventing and responding to elopement situations involving ASD.

First, these products require remembering to turn them on, keep them charged, and have the individual wear them each time they go out in public or are unsupervised. For many with autism who display an aversion to certain textures, sounds, or accessories, getting them to consistently use a tracker can be an uphill battle.

Even if worn properly, trackers only start providing location data once the person has already wandered off and gone missing. By that point, critical time has been lost and they could have traveled far from the area where alerts first sounded.

Additionally, most consumer tracking products have limited range and accuracy depending on factors like tree cover, building materials, and interference from other signals. They simply can’t provide reliable enough location tracking in real-time to quickly resolve every wandering emergency.

Behavior Therapy Methods to Help Answer What is Elopement?

From pediatric clinical settings to transition programs for teens and adults, applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy is considered an option for treating autism-related behaviors like elopement. Providers utilize a range of interventions and positive reinforcement techniques to build skills, replace problematic behaviors, and increase safety awareness.

For young elopers, strategies may focus on teaching them to remain near parents/caregivers, respond to prompts, follow instructions, and understand physical boundaries. As individuals get older, the emphasis shifts more toward self-management like recognizing triggers for wandering off, using coping mechanisms, and improving communication abilities.

ABA can certainly help reduce wandering frequencies, but intensive one-on-one therapy is extremely costly and still can’t prevent elopement entirely. Plus, it’s controversial to some in the community, so it isn’t for everyone.

There’s also an ongoing need for families and support staff to be trained and remain consistent in administering these interventions across all settings.

Since wandering off incidents can escalate extremely quickly, building collaborative partnerships with local emergency responders, law enforcement, and search management teams is absolutely critical for autism families.

Police and fire departments should be made fully aware of individuals in the community who have ASD and are at elevated risk of wandering off. Providing key details like photos, identifying information, special abilities/needs, potential areas of interest, and unconscious behavior patterns helps responders be far better prepared when called upon.

Authorities can proactively share proper protocols and techniques for interacting with and searching for individuals on the autism spectrum. Does the department have specialty-trained officers, tracking tools, or alert systems in place? These are all important questions families should have answered.

Many communities also offer supplemental programs designed specifically for preventing and responding to wandering emergencies involving cognitive disabilities. The Life360 app and Project Lifesaver are two examples of collaborative initiatives that leverage crowd-sourced search efforts and radio frequency technology to quickly locate missing individuals and reunite them with loved ones.

The Ongoing Journey of Autism Elopement 

For families and caregivers of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, preventing elopement requires an ongoing, multi-layered effort that evolves as situations change. No single strategy, product or therapy can entirely eliminate wandering off risks – there will always be some level of diligence required.

Even as individuals get older and demonstrate more safety awareness, the tendency to wander may persist in different ways. That’s why prevention plans must be continually re-evaluated and adapted based on changing interests, environments, and independence levels involved. Maintaining routines, reinforcing boundaries, and leveraging supportive technologies are vital across all ages and stages.

At the same time, it’s important for the autism community to have reasonable expectations about elopement prevention and not become paralyzed by fear. With proper safety nets and supervision in place, wandering should not diminish a person’s overall quality of life, opportunities for community involvement, or a path toward greater independence. The goal is to find that ideal balance between risk mitigation and ensuring fulfillment.

Resolute preparation, consistency, and collaboration are key to transforming wandering from a perpetual danger into an addressable challenge. As long as preventative measures remain an unwavering priority, individuals with autism can live safely, while families have the peace of mind they desperately need.

Other Common Autistic Behaviors

There are many behaviors associated with having autism. Keep in mind that everyone presents differently, which is why it is called a spectrum disorder. However, there are common autism behaviors. Learn more about them. 

• Autism and Eye Rolling:  Why It’s Odd, But Perfectly Okay
• Eye Contact Avoidance: 8 Best Ways to See Eye to Eye
• 10 Proven Techniques for Managing Autism and Sensory Issues
• Understanding Neurodiversity: Uprising of the Neurodivergent
• 5 Ingenious Ways for Creating Boundaries in a Relationship
• Autism and ADHD: Making Sense of the Overlap
• Autism Masking & Code Switching: How to Redefine Acceptance
• Autistic Stimming Behaviors: Why We Do and How It’s Important
• OCD and Autism: Could You Have One Condition or Both?
• Autism in Sports: Hyper-Focus Can Be A Commanding Competitive Advantage