GPS Tracking Devices Proposed for Autistic Children
14 Nov 2013GPS tracking technology may soon be used to help keep autistic children safe.
Global positioning systems (GPS) are breaking ground in many areas, including improved navigation for civilians and military, helping researchers learn more about animals at risk of extinction, and keeping dementia and Alzheimer’s patients from becoming lost. Now, parents of autistic children may be able to rest a little easier knowing the same technology can someday keep their child safe.
The hope is that GPS trackers can be used for children who have autism and additional developmental disorders in order to locate them more quickly if they wander off and become lost.
Autism is a developmental disorder that affects the child’s ability to handle overstimulation. If they become lost in a city, the various sights, sounds and smells can trigger their sensory disturbances, making it very difficult to find a safe location on their own.
Senator Charles Schumer of New York, is currently on a mission to get the federal government to help fund a GPS program that will allow GPS tracking devices to be used with autistic children. If a child got away from their caregiver, a remote computer or mobile phone could be used to quickly track them down and get them home safely.
This comes shortly after a 14-year old boy, Avonte Oquendo, wandered off from his school in Long Island City in the beginning of October and has yet to be found. Oquendo has autism spectrum disorder and officials believe if he had a GPS tracking device on his person, they would have been able to find him by now.
Senator Schumer believes there are multiple options for tracking autistic children with GPS devices, such as by wearing them on their wrists, in their shoes or on their belt buckle. These locations keep the child from being uncomfortable while being tracked, but help parents and educators feel more comfortable knowing if something like this happened again, they could pull up a map and know exactly where the child is.
Schumer wants to make it easy for any parent of an autistic child to go to their local police department and apply for one, but that it would be their choice of whether or not they are interested in using GPS tracking.
As Kpana Kpoto of Bronx, NY said, “My son has bolted in the street before. It was just by the grace of God that he’s alive today.” Her son is only six years old.
Moving forward, Schumer is working closely with local educators and parents to try and make this GPS program possible.
The Justice Department is already funding GPS devices for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients for much the same reason, which is encouraging for parents of autistic children. They will want to offer parents not just the choice of using GPS, but offering them options in the type of device as well.
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