Safety in a Home with a Special Needs Person

As the years have passed I have found myself making changes in my home that I never imagined, but the idea of being able to sleep the few hours at night without worrying about my son Mickie getting hurt kept me making the changes that have helped regain some sense of security.

One should never underestimate people with Autism. They are very smart, no matter how it seems and will plan for days even months a way around any security measures to get to what they want.

My son used to get into everything and for a time life was very chaotic for his sisters and me, so I modified our home as soon as a new behavior arrived. This has made it possible for him to roam free around his home, even at night, without getting hurt. He still needs to be watched when he is awake, but the changes have helped.

1. All outlets covered with metal plates (he used to rip them off and try to take out the electric cables, so don't use plastic, because they will rip them off)

2. Locked Kitchen (he also has an insatiable appetite and has pica)

3. Security doors leading to the outside (he is a wanderer)

4. Pictures bolted to the walls (took everything off the walls before)

5. All cabinets locked (used to empty them and make a huge mess)

6. Zero access to heaters and air conditioner units (used to try to pull off the cables)

7 TV enclosed in a wood case with plexy glass in front (used to brake electronics)

8 Clean floors (he would otherwise pick things up and put them in his mouth)

9 Cabinets are secured to the wall (he is a climber)

10 An outside valve to turn off the water in his bathroom (likes to run the water and flooded his bathroom years ago)Etc.....