How to Teach Safety to Special Needs Child

Visit autismspeaks.org - they have toolkits and one of them may be safety related. You can also contact them and they may have ways to help.

You need to remember that YOU ARE NOT FAILING. Autism is a neurological wiring issue. His brain just works differently - trying to figure out how it works and how to work with it to help him function in the world is the big challenge. You're not failing at it, you're trying your best to make it work.

My son is also autistic and I can see that he thinks differently. Very logic based, very literal. Rules work for him, especially when they make sense. I don't know if your guy is rule based, but if you can figure out what works for him re. behavior, try to use that in other areas.

There's a blog that I discovered - adiaryofamom.wordpress.com - it's a mom with a neuro-typical daugher and an autistic daughter, and her experience form diagnosis to the present. You may find some helpful stuff in there in general.

I don't know that you can teach him something if his brain is wired differently and it's something that he can't learn. Instead, you supervise him or make sure he is supervised by someone who can keep him safe when he can't make decisions that are in his best interest. At. All. Times.

My daughter is also on the autistic spectrum, though not as severe as your son. We didn't try to teach her safety, per say. We taught her a routine and a response. We exagerated looking both ways, getting down on her level and pointing until she began to look herself, and then we exagerated jumping back when we saw a car in the road. We did it over and over again until she did it automatically. She still has trouble spotting cars, but when she does see them, she clears the road right away.

I know a few autistic children who have specially trained service dogs for companionship, safety and independence. These dogs are trained to help prevent dangerous behaviours as well as to alert parents to dangerous behaviours.

My son is also special needs. It is TOUGH to teach them this. You didn't mention your son's age but ours is 11 and just now is starting to "get it". I just had to take precautions as though he was a toddler, no matter how big he got, I had to keep him near me for that very reason. Ours was only allowed in the fenced yard without supervision. Good luck and don't be so hard on yourself. It is hard...

They are so rules based it is scary! Have you ever had him tug you or get your attention to point out that someone has got in front of you in a restaurant line? Sorry always have to explain to Andy that people go to the bathroom so chill, it isn't the cafeteria line at school!

You make rules.

My son is 14 now and latch keyed all last school year. He can rattle off every rule including the rule that if a situation isn't covered by a rule call mom for clarification. You have a better chance of sneaking into a bank vault than our house!

So make a rule, no running into a street, heck no running away. Show him throughout the day how other kids are staying near their parents, tell him they are following the rules. Show him how his sister follows the rules. Explain that once you know he understands that rule you can teach him new rules for approaching a street, walking in the store.

Every kid I know, and he has a fair few friends, are also rule driven. Not to say your son is but dang, a lot of these kids are.