This was a nightmare come true. I have been thinking that I need to get them some sort of IDs for when we go places like this, but we usually don't turn our backs on them for a second so I kept putting it off. Well I won't be putting it off any longer! There is a section in Busch gardens in tampa called dragons land, there is one way in and one way out and its made for small children, pretty good size and has a lot of rides and tree house type things. Well there is one part that is like the play land at Mcdonalds but about 3 stories. Andrew for the first time was actually going up so I told DH to watch him and I would watch the other two. Then Nikolas started going down the rope slide thing that went all they way down to the bottom floor that had a huge bouncy thing. So I told DH to watch the other two Nikolas was headed down and I was going to head him off and let him bounce down there. He says ok. 5 minutes later he comes down and says I can't find Andrew. Well i figured he was stuck in one of those plastic tunnel things and just wasn't answering. Calling his name and looking through there it became obvious he wasn't there. Panic set in. I took off dragging the other two kicking and screaming (all they knew was they couldn't play anymore) and went for the stroller and the front of the dragon's land area to try to get some help. So i told the lady at the front and she called security. My worse thought was someone just put their hand out and said come on and he did. He can not tell anyone his name and I don't know if he would respond to some stranger asking him if his name was Andrew or not, or if he would even understand the question. He would probably go with anyone. 10 minutes later a security gaurd came around the corner with him in tow. He gave me a smile and a wave and said hi. He didn't know he was lost or that anything was wrong, he had been having fun. He had gone out of the dragons land and had gone all the way almost to the main entrance and was looking at the birds and some family saw him and took him to someone who works there so he could find his family. Thank God for decent people, any thing could have happened to him. I have never been so scared in all my life.
OMG - My heart sunk to my toes just reading this. I'm soooo glad he was safe and not traumatized by the experience.
Wow, that is so scary. It probably happened in a second. I am glad that aWhat a scary feeling! I do believe it happens to the best of us at one time or another! I have had it happen to me as I know others have had it done to them. We always dressed the kids in the same bright shirt and stuffed in their pants pocket was a small ID tag with whom to call (on our cell). Thankfully all ended well with you all!
I'm so happy it turned out well. That has got to be one of the scariest feelings.
Yikes ... that is scary!I used to have nightmares like this and still havent gotten any ID bracelets yet...I assume she will stay with me and I will always have my eyes on her but it is impossible in theory...I really need to get one for her..she would go off too with anyone and that scares me to death! I am so glad you got him back:)
Such relief!
We put a name tag on Aidens back when we go somewhere crowed like the beach, it just says " I have Autism and may not respond when spoken to please call ...." and we give our cell.
He wont wear a necklace and hates bracelets but we will have to get him one for the Asthma and the Seizures.
OMG - I am so glad it turned out okay! The bus company lost my ds on the first day of school (I posted about it day after Labor Day) and I totally remember that AWFUL feeling. And total panic. I just kept telling myself he had to be fine - and he was, but it was the worst feeling ever.
Thank goodness your little one was okay and definitely get some kind of ID for him ASAP!
I lost Rissa at the mall Before. its a HORRIBLE feeling that nothing describes! Im soooooo glad you found him... Def. do not put off those ID cards. What a scare!! I'm so glad it turned out well.How horrifying. I remember how scared I felt when my son disappeared from our yard when he was 2-1/2 and didn't answer when I called his name. I wouldn't wish that feeling on my worst enemy.
For anyone who's looking for tips on ID products, how to deal with elopement, etc., these two subjects on our forum are a good place to start:
http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16989&am p;am p;KW=Lifesaver
http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=17018&am p;am p;KW=missing
I actually tested Payne when he was about 3...he WOULD go with anyone and the only question he would answer is "What is your name?"...SCARY...that gave me cold chills just thinking about it. We live here in FL and have season tix to the Ann-Busch parks...we frequent SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Disney. I actually put a picture card (the school send them out) in my pocket and my dh 's business card with BOTH of our cell #'s on it. Payne knows to give that to someone in their uniform if he gets lost...he hasn't yet...HE HAS DEATH GRIP on my hands when we're out b/c I told him someone might think you're so sweet and take you home and you'd be scared and so would I and we might not see each other again. HE was terrified and every now and again I'll remind him of that....the handholding is EVERYWHERE! He holds the cart or my hand or my beltloop if I can't hold his hand. THAT IS HORRIBLE!!!! I had a heart attack just reading about it!How frightening! We do have a child size medic alert bracelet for Cole to wear at big parks or airports, and it helps us feel a bit better about that kind of thin.
Whenever we go to a festival, the zoo, any place with crowds, I dress the boys in identical shirts...particularly interesting shirts, too. That way, we can "track" them better, like zebras in the bush. Better yet, in the instance we lose a kid, I can grab every stranger I see & say - hey! Have you seen a boy wearing this exact Hawaiian shirt? And the security people can be looking at Jack's shirt and describing it over the walkie talkie.
Will be hugging the crumb crunchers a little tighter tonight! Glad all is well.
We are going to get a cheap ID holder that can clip to his shirt. On the front I am going to write If found alone please read emergency info on back. I have no idea how it happened or how he got out without being seen, but in a setup like that I suppose its easy. There may have been an exit at the top with all those tubes we didn't know about. We usually have all the exits covered, but he was right in front of dh I thought he'd be fine. He's quick. I think we will skip that part of the park from now on, way to easy to get away unseen, way too many exits. We had practically every parent in that area looking for him. Unfortunately by the time we figured out he was missing he was probably out of that area and on his way to see the animals. That did cross my mind when we couldn't find him, he did not want to go in there he wanted to go see the lion and I wondered if he had tried to go alone. He did have on a tank top with a lion on the front and I do think that helped in deciding the little boy they found was him. Plus being a twin all I have to say is he looks exactly like that one. That is a great idea about the hawaiian shirts.OH MY GOSH THAT IS SCARY. THAT HAPPEN TO US AT SEA WORLD MY HUSBAND WAS WITH HIM ONE MINUTE THEN LOST HIM THROUGH THE TUNNELS AT THE PLAYGROUND. WHEN WE FOUND HIM HE DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS LOST EITHER JUST HAD A HUGE SMILE I ALMOST HUGGED THE LIFE OUT OF HIM. WHAT A NIGHTMARE!! THANK GOD YOUR LITTLE ONE IS SAFE. IT HAPPENS SO FAST.I have been in that area of BG so many times and HATE it. The kids love it, but it is horrible when you are trying to stay with the kids. Thw wasy the little water thing goes through the tree thing. And the rope bridges all over everywhere. I have four kids and they all want to go in diffrent directions. Ahhhh!
We typically try to avoid that area.
Geez, scary story. Glad it turned out well.I'm so sorry. That would scare the daylights out of me!T wanders away from us in public areas and seems unconcerned ... for a time.
I have NO IDEA how I made through China without any of that! Imagine trying to explain to someone who speaks no English, and is culturally averse to transracial families, that yes, this IS my child! Of course I watched her like crazy, but we all know, the potential is STILL there.
SO scary! I am glad he is safe. I hope you are ok, too!!! I know you are propbably still stresssed about it.Take care