Question.........Runaway girl

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Question.........Runaway girl
6
Wed, 02-14-2007 - 11:24pm
My best friend's little girl is 3 1/2 and has been running since she could walk. She just gets an urge and runs, and runs!! She won't stop or even look back, and she's really quite fast. They have tried many different types of punishment to no avail. Does anyone else's litttle Aspie do this? If so, how did you stop this behavior? Thanks!! Looking forward to your reply!
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Thu, 02-15-2007 - 12:04am

My son was a bolter (he still is sometimes, and he is 8½).


Most spectrum kids who bolt, do it

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-22-2003
Thu, 02-15-2007 - 9:16am

Our little angel (autie) was a "bolter" too...actually, she didn't bolt the way Paula's son did. She tended to wander off due to curiousity. But she also didn't/doesn't understand danger, and she wasn't even remotely capable of understanding rules. The last straw came when she was 3 and a neighbor I'd never met (we'd just moved in) brought her home. I had gone to the basement to turn laundry, she walked out the front door-in her PJ's- and just started wandering around.

For Claire, we ended up having to put cheap "sirens" on the doors at home. DH bought them at one of the home supply stores. (Lowes maybe?) When the siren was engaged and the door would open, it would break a magnetic field and make a horrible noise, which prompted DD to quickly slam the door. It only took a couple of months before she stopped trying to leave the house.

Other than that, any store we went into had to have carts...and to this day (she's 6 1/2) she still rides in the carts. Just last night I about broke my back trying to put her in the cart at Sam's Club. Her need for visual sensory stimuli is just way too strong and she'll wander away.

This is a scary situation to deal with, but like Paula said, being hypervigilent is the best solution. And no, punishment doesn't/won't work.

Amy

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Fri, 02-16-2007 - 4:56pm
A big thank you to both of you for the info!!! The article is great and has many good ideas my friend might use. Also, I didn't know about the door alarms. That's another good possibility. Thanks again for the help......Blessings! Diedra
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Sun, 02-18-2007 - 11:17pm

so, you're saying a mohawk before our trip wouldn't be such a bad idea?


I mean, in LA he'll fit right in....maybe he'll stand out at Disneyland?


He's been asking for one for months.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 02-18-2007 - 11:33pm

Awesome stuff Paula! You Rock GIRL! (I know what you wrote it for...)

I had a couple runners. My oldest (AS) and youngest (sensory, etc). My autie would wander off but had severe separation issues so all I had to say was "bye Mike" and he was there in a milisecond. that was nice.

With the runners it took 3 things. 1) some manner of keeping them with me either by carrying them until they were fairly big, or in a cart or holding hands, 2) social stories or behavioral based lessons to teach them to stay with me and 3) time. They both basically grew out of it though the youngest (7) still pushes it but he will respond to a verbal redirection now.

Renee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Mon, 02-19-2007 - 12:32am

Chris was always a runner when he was little. I could never figure out why he would do that. It was horrible as he would do that alot while I was preg with Nicholas... It was not fun trying to run after him, being 7 months preg lol.

It reminds me of the time he took off on us in a dept store. He went and hid under a bed in the furniture dept. OMG it was so scary for the 15 min we couldn't find him. I was so relieved when an employee found him.

Now it makes total sense why he sought out for a dark, quiet, closed in space under the bed.

Boy I wished I would of gotten ahold of your ideas back then Paula lol

Lainie