Babyproofing tends to be a general safety measure for parents when their children reach a certain age. It often begins when their child can crawl and freely explore their surroundings. From baby gates and child locks to hiding medications and household cleaners, there are many things parents can do to make their homes safe.
But this is not the same thing as autism-proofing your home. Home safety for autistic children and teens involves considering the unique needs and tendencies of young people on the spectrum. This might include their inclination to fixate on specific objects, lack of danger awareness, and desire to engage in sensory-seeking behaviors.
That’s why we at Heartlinks feel parents and caregivers must be aware of the dangers their homes pose and learn what can be done to keep their children safe because autism home safety is everyone’s responsibility.
Why is it important to implement safety precautions for autistic children?
Accidental death for autistic children is three times as likely to occur compared to the general population. That’s perhaps one of the most important reasons to have home safety for autistic kids.
Autistic kids and teens often have different sensory perceptions, impeding their understanding of the inherent dangers in their environment. They may be more impulsive, have a greater chance of wandering, and are more prone to self-injurious behaviors than their neurotypical peers.
To add to that, autistic children often experience difficulty communicating their needs or when they’re in pain. That’s why parents must develop an autism safety checklist for their home.
By autism-proofing your home, you can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and create an environment where they can flourish and prosper.
Potential Hazards to Be Aware of
Before developing an autism home safety checklist, it’s crucial to identify potential hazards. Unlike the traditional advice for baby-proofing, where you get on all fours to see the environment from a child’s perspective, an autistic child’s awareness of hazards doesn’t necessarily improve with age. In other words, they may be 14 years old but still have a safety awareness similar to a toddler.
The following is a brief overview of a few home safety tips for autistic households.
Toxic Substances
The majority of household cleaning products contain harsh chemicals, posing a tremendous danger to autistic children and affecting household safety. At Heartlinks, we advise our parents and caregivers to store products containing toxic substances under lock and key in areas your child or teen won’t venture such as the basement or the garage.
Furniture
Most children, including those with ASD, often play and climb on furniture. But kids on the spectrum might do this well into their teenage years, unaware of their body size. It’s essential to anchor appliances and furniture to the wall using brackets to prevent these items from falling on them or others. This action will ensure home safety for your autistic child.
Swimming Pools
One of the biggest dangers when discussing home safety for an autistic child is pools. If you have a pool at home, follow all the necessary state and federal laws to ensure your child cannot access it without your assistance. Whether that means installing a pool gate, a pool cover, or an alarm, you can never be too careful with pool safety, especially if your child is attracted to the color or sound of water.
Hot Water
Part of autism home safety should include protection from hot water because identifying temperatures can be extremely challenging for children on the spectrum. Whether you use stickers to distinguish between the hot and cold tap or teach your high-functioning autistic child to differentiate, it’s important to monitor the water heater’s temperature to prevent burns.
Fire
Whether you live in a neurodivergent or neurotypical home, fire safety is always a latent danger. Fire safety tips for autistic children in the home include selecting smoke detectors with soothing instructional recordings, regularly practicing fire drills, and visiting your local fire department to learn more about safety.
Home Safety Checklist for Autistic Children
How can I safety-proof my autistic child’s house? This is a question we’re often asked at Heartlinks by concerned parents and caregivers. The answer is you can’t entirely, but by developing an autism safety checklist, you can ensure you provide them with the safest home environment possible.
1. Fencing and Gates
If your autistic child is becoming more independent and can crawl or walk, baby fencing or gates are crucial. Part of your autism safety checklist should include having gates at the top and bottom of stairs, at entrances to kitchens, and from any other dangerous spaces in your home.
2. Electrical Outlet Covers
Autism and safety awareness are critical around anything that conducts an electrical current. If your child or teen likes to put their fingers in plug sockets, despite the many times you’ve told them not to, consider investing in plug covers. In addition to that, you may want to hide wires and unplug any potentially dangerous appliances within your reach.
As your child learns independent living skills, such as using a hairdryer, remember to emphasize the importance of unplugging these appliances after using them.
3. Door and Window Alarms and Locks
Make sure that you can lock all of your windows and doors properly as part of your safety plan for your child with autism. If your son or daughter is prone to crawling out of windows and walking through doors, consider investing in alarms for any part of your home that opens to the outside.
4. Security Cameras
Installing security cameras is one of the easiest ways to make an autism-friendly home. Whether you choose to install them on the inside, outside, or both, they will monitor your child and let you review any accidents that occur, allowing you to improve your home’s safety.
5. Childproof Locks
From medicine cabinets to knife drawers and cleaning supply closets, installing child-proof locks prevents your son or daughter with ASD from accessing dangerous items that they could use to harm themselves or hurt others.
6. Identification Bracelets
Just like you’d have a diabetic wear an identification bracelet, one of the best home safety tips for autism includes your child wearing an ID bracelet. All it needs to include is your child’s name, contact information, and critical medical information. This type of jewelry can be crucial if your child is prone to wandering.
7. Rubber Bumpers
Rubber bumpers are a fantastic way of preventing injuries on sharp corners or objects. This is especially important if your child is prone to tripping or falling over. From kitchen counter corners to coffee table ends and fireplace mantles, many places throughout your home can pose potential dangers.
Home Security Measures To Prevent Wandering
Wandering, also known as elopement, is one of the most pressing concerns when discussing autism, and safety awareness is wandering. Not only is it dangerous, but it puts tremendous stress on a family, and it is common. In fact, a study found that 49% of parents indicated that their autistic child had wandered or run away at least once since the age of four. Of those children, 54% were missing for a period that caused family alarm, and 65% of these circumstances involved a near-miss with traffic.
Despite the high incidents of wandering, many parents say they’ve never received guidance from their child’s therapist or medical professionals on how to address or prevent this problem.
At Heartlinks, some of the methods we encourage parents to use to deter wandering include the following:
Create a Peaceful Environment, a Home
It is essential to identify what triggers your child to wander. It may be a sensory processing disorder involving bright lights, strong smells, or noises. Once you’ve determined these triggers, you can take the necessary steps to eliminate them and create a calming home environment.
Part of this environment might include incorporating an environment where they can self-soothe and control their emotions without judgment.
Establish Clear Boundaries
Whether you use colored tape on the floor, pictures, or visual cues, this can help your child understand what areas of the home require adult supervision, such as the front or back door!
Develop a Routine
Developing and maintaining a consistent routine can help dramatically help your child’s level of anxiety and sensory overload. It can also reduce the frequency and intensity of their autistic tantrums if they know what to expect every day.
Talk with Your Child
Depending on if your child has non-verbal autism or they’re high-functioning, it’s crucial to communicate with them. From pictures and symbols to having a direct conversation with your child, it’s vital to discuss your house rules for your autistic child regularly.
Attend Therapy
Make sure to consult with all of your child’s ABA therapy specialists to work together to improve your home’s safety for your autistic child. Not only will your child’s therapist be able to provide tips, but through behavior modification, their ABA therapy may be able to reduce this autistic tendency.
Heartlinks Can Help You
All parents and caregivers are responsible for keeping their children safe at home. But home safety for an autistic child takes that commitment to another level.
At Heartlinks, we understand that children and teens on the spectrum have unique sensory needs and are more likely to engage in behaviors that put them or others at risk. That’s why your child’s safety in the ABA therapy services we offer and the skills we teach are always at the forefront of what we do.