Bolting Out Doors/Into Streets I just don't know what to do anymore. DS #1 (4 years old) is running hard and fast. He bolted out the door at therapy today, while we were all in the waiting room, and tried to run down the sidewalk. I told him to stop, then tried the "stopline" word we used to use (hoping it would still work, yeah, not so much), but had to run after him. We blocked the door and finished talking. When we left, he snapped his hand out of mine and ran into the very busy parking lot. He was in my grasp and gone within the blink of an eye. I had give our youngest to the therapist and run after him. He's in the zone when he does this and it's like he doesn't even hear me. I have one of those leashes attached to a really cool dry erase board (you can buy them at Walmart) so they have a toy in the car and it looks like a back pack when on the child, I guess I could just immediately put it on him after therapy. But what other types of choices do I have? Social stories just go right over his head. I try them, he never makes the connection. I still use them, but since there is no connection made, I need something more immediate. I'm sorry to hear about your day, it would be scary not knowing when your child is about to run. I think we are heading that way also, no shame at all in using the lead - safety is a priority. I have my eye on a little backpack of a teddy bear with a lead on it as it is better to be safe than sorry imo. [QUOTE=OurFamilyIsHis] I just don't know what to do anymore. DS #1 (4 years old) is running hard and fast. He bolted out the door at therapy today, while we were all in the waiting room, and tried to run down the sidewalk. I told him to stop, then tried the "stopline" word we used to use (hoping it would still work, yeah, not so much), but had to run after him. We blocked the door and finished talking. When we left, he snapped his hand out of mine and ran into the very busy parking lot. He was in my grasp and gone within the blink of an eye. I had give our youngest to the therapist and run after him. He's in the zone when he does this and it's like he doesn't even hear me. I have one of those leashes attached to a really cool dry erase board (you can buy them at Walmart) so they have a toy in the car and it looks like a back pack when on the child, I guess I could just immediately put it on him after therapy. But what other types of choices do I have? Social stories just go right over his head. I try them, he never makes the connection. I still use them, but since there is no connection made, I need something more immediate. [/QUOTE] i use to be like that sometimes if it was safe i wouldnt be stop but i rember my dad having the death gripon me when in parking lots an buzy streets an i allways go nuts but never got away .i had no awerness of danger .maybe you have to use the harenns on him till he understands that he cant do itWe just recently purchased one of the backpacks that has a harness attached.  We have not had to use it yet, but safety comes first.  If it looks like he is on a leash when we go to Disney, at least he won't be jumping into the Small World.Thank you all. I spoke with one of his therapists today as well. I think the backpack thing is going to be our first line of defense until he starts getting it. We are also going to implement some deep pressure (he seems to be stimming, not being disobedient) and will, of course, continue to tell him, in simple terms, that he can't run, he has to stop when we tell him to do so, and so on. hello im new, but read your post and couldnt help but think wow that is like my son Jay!! We have had real problems with him running and letting go of hands, even when in a firm grip, he is 9yrs old ( mental age of around 2) but sooo strong. He even picks locks with certain long shaped toys as he thinks the whole running out is a huge game. He seems to get an adrenaline rush from it and simply laughs when we run after him saying ''its not funny, come back here jay'' ( which is hard for us as we are scared out of our wits Luckily where we live in the UK we are surrounded by fields and in a quiet village so when he tends to run he goes to the fields ( thankfully) and not down on to the main road around 700 yards away. When we are at home we lock all doors and carry keys around on us all with a lanyard to try to keep our little houdini safe! when we are out we have had to resort to a type of rein that grows with your child as that was the only way we could keep him safe. Sure we get looks from others as he is 9 yrs and he looks ''normal'' but we need peace of mind. I could give you a website address, but im guessing your in the USA, but this would be my advice to you, if you think your child would be ok with you putting a rein on him? I feel for you and i know the horror and the heart in your mouth feeling when things like this happen. Take care :) Btw the rein i mentioned goes around his torso and is padded for comfort and clicked at the back as for us that was one thing Jay would try to undo, to escape! We spent £90 on it and it will see us thru to adulthood should we still need it. :) In my opinion, social stories help most if the problem is lack of understanding.  But lack of understanding is just a small part of the picture in your situation.  Impulse control problems are a bigger issue and harder to do anything with.  In the meantime the adults have to have the control that he lacks -- the backpack is a great tool for this. Working with him on stopline is also a great idea.  You'll find other tips on elopement here, including what daycare/school can do to prevent these incidents and what skills they can work on with him. http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24582&am p;KW=elopement If after therapy is an especially vulnerable time for him, I'd also consider that the demands and sensory input there are maybe a little beyond his capacity.  Maybe a somewhat shorter or less intense session would help him stay calm and less likely to bolt. Good luck.  We used the leash for our 4 yo.  And, when he could prove he could stop, and walk... then we gave him more freedom we'd tuck the leash in.  We still kept it on him in case we had to grab the leash.  goodluck!
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