Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 Wandering is very very common with our kids. There is even a brochure produced (NDSS?) about it. It does get better when they get a little older. Just this year ( just turned 9) she is more trustworthy about staying with us. Kathy Wandering..? Have you experience your ds kid wandering on his/ her own? I tried to explain to Casey to stay with his family over and over, especially in the store. I do not want to restraint him to cart seat... Then I was amazed how my youngest child would stay with the family. Personality??? well, what should i do about that? Thanks, kk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 We have never had this problem until recently ( is almost 9) but recently he has been taking off -- not really wandering -- purposefully going somewhere without telling us he is leaving the house, yard, etc. -- I think he sees all the other boys his age doing it so feels like he can too -- suggestions to make him understand that if he feels compelled to go to the neighbors to play that he needs to at least tell us??? Fort Wayne -- mom to , 8, Ds and Hannah, 7 ===================== From: " ktripp99@... " <ktripp99@...> Date: Wed Jul 12 00:07:52 CDT 2006 Down Syndrome Treatment Subject: Wandering..? Have you experience your ds kid wandering on his/ her own? I tried to explain to Casey to stay with his family over and over, especially in the store. I do not want to restraint him to cart seat... Then I was amazed how my youngest child would stay with the family. Personality??? well, what should i do about that? Thanks, kk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 I think that has always been Faith's problem, too. She sees other kids doing it and does, too. It is too difficult for her to stop and explain to me what she is doing. We go to the mall just to practice staying together and having her tell me where she wants to go and what she wants to do. We have had limited success. But I think repetition and practice are the key. Learning some easy to deliver phrases, I try to put in 3 or 4 words what she can tell me. When will be 9? Faith turns 9 August 11, as she reminds me several times a day! ette -------------- Original message from Tutwiler <julietut@...>: -------------- We have never had this problem until recently ( is almost 9) but recently he has been taking off -- not really wandering -- purposefully going somewhere without telling us he is leaving the house, yard, etc. -- I think he sees all the other boys his age doing it so feels like he can too -- suggestions to make him understand that if he feels compelled to go to the neighbors to play that he needs to at least tell us???Fort Wayne -- mom to , 8, Ds and Hannah, 7=====================From: "ktripp99sbcglobal (DOT) net" <ktripp99sbcglobal (DOT) net>Date: Wed Jul 12 00:07:52 CDT 2006Down Syndrome Treatment Subject: Wandering..?Have you experience your ds kid wandering on his/ her own? I tried to expl ain to Casey to stay with his family over and over, especially in the store. I do not want to restraint him to cart seat... Then I was amazed how my youngest child would stay with the family. Personality??? well, what should i do about that? Thanks, kk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 My daughter does this alot too. In malls, walking into stores when going by them. sometimes when we are out front playing she walks off down the side walk. Or down the street. We went on vacation and had to watch her close because she kept trying to open the door to the motel. And actually did a few times. I have a thing that I had from my other kids. But I didn't have to use it when they were 4 and of course little miss Amber knows how to undo the velcro. But anyway , you put it on your wrist and velcro it to theirs and that way you can keep up with them. My DH doesn't like it . So when it gets to where she is getting out of control she ends up in the stroller. Not sure what to do about it either. I don't know if Amber is at the age where she should know better or if it is just her wanting to be curious. ??? Carol P. Tutwiler <julietut@...> wrote: We have never had this problem until recently ( is almost 9) but recently he has been taking off -- not really wandering -- purposefully going somewhere without telling us he is leaving the house, yard, etc. -- I think he sees all the other boys his age doing it so feels like he can too -- suggestions to make him understand that if he feels compelled to go to the neighbors to play that he needs to at least tell us???Fort Wayne -- mom to , 8, Ds and Hannah, 7=====================From: "ktripp99sbcglobal (DOT) net" <ktripp99sbcglobal (DOT) net>Date: Wed Jul 12 00:07:52 CDT 2006Down Syndrome Treatment Subject: Wandering..?Have you experience your ds kid wandering on his/ her own? I tried to explain to Casey to stay with his family over and over, especially in the store. I do not want to restraint him to cart seat... Then I was amazed how my youngest child would stay with the family. Personality??? well, what should i do about that? Thanks, kk Want to be your own boss? Learn how on Small Business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 This JUST happened to us on Monday night and it is partly my fault. Mac (8) usually goes out in the yard by himself and I just check on him every 10 minutes or so. On Monday he wanted to ride his bike (which he can't) and I told him I thought it was at Nana's house, but he could go in the garage and look. He went out and Kit and I played on our front (enclosed) porch. I would look out and be able to see/hear him--about 10 minutes later I see that my significant other () is here and I figure the two of them are in the garage, etc... He comes in about 5 minutes later and I ask "What's Mac doing?"--he says, "I don't know I didn't see him". Then the search is on. We both walk to his favorite places (neighbors) and then heads for the lake (the worst place we want to look and Mac never heads that way, but you never know) and I head up the street to the restaurant and to go towards my parents house as I'm thinking maybe he didn't find his bike and decided to go to Nana's to get it. As I"m heading down the street in my van--I get about two blocks--and a friend is heading towards me and she's waving her arms. We stop and she says "I got him". Sure enough he'd gotten out a tricycle--which is WAY too small for him--put on his helmet and was heading for Nana and Papa's house. HE knew where he was going and what he was doing, but no one else did. He told my friend he was going to Nana's house. She told him no and they got in an arguement about it, but she won and loaded him and his bike up. My parents only leave a 1/2 mile away, but he's not ready to go alone yet. Maybe another couple of years. So we also have to work on if you want to go some place you need to come tell us or have us go with you. Jill Mom to Mac (8 yrs., 3rd grade, Ds) and Kit (almost 5, preschool, Ds) Re: Wandering..? We have never had this problem until recently ( is almost 9) but recently he has been taking off -- not really wandering -- purposefully going somewhere without telling us he is leaving the house, yard, etc. -- I think he sees all the other boys his age doing it so feels like he can too -- suggestions to make him understand that if he feels compelled to go to the neighbors to play that he needs to at least tell us???Fort Wayne -- mom to , 8, Ds and Hannah, 7=====================From: "ktripp99sbcglobal (DOT) net" <ktripp99sbcglobal (DOT) net>Date: Wed Jul 12 00:07:52 CDT 2006Down Syndrome Treatment Subject: Wandering..?Have you experience your ds kid wandering on his/ her own? I tried to explain to Casey to stay with his family over and over, especially in the store. I do not want to restraint him to cart seat... Then I was amazed how my youngest child would stay with the family. Personality??? well, what should i do about that? Thanks, kk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 Danny, too. He sees his big brothers and sisters going in and out of the house, and he doesn’t understand that he can’t just take off, too (we live near a state highway) He is getting better, but slowly, so we just decided to put up a fence…it covers the areas of our yard that he can get to if he goes out of either of the patio doors or the front door, so he can have a little independence, but not get places where he shouldn’t be. He used to just take off running at the store, but what helped for us was to do like ette suggested and take him to the store to just let him look at what he wants to look at-when he was younger, he was always in the cart, and he didn’t get to look (translate ‘touch’) stuff like his sibs did unless someone handed it to him. And that was really frustrating for him. So he knows now that we go to the store, he helps me do my shopping by getting things for me(and counting them(and he greets EVERYONE in the store as we walk by them) and then we will go to the toys section for a little while. If he starts to get away from me, I just call his name, and when he looks at me, I hold up one finger, then 2…and usually don’t have to get to 3 (if he doesn’t come by 3, he has to sit in the basket..which he sometimes likes to do, but not if he HAS to do it;-) But it took a long time to get to that point. He wasn’t ready at 4. Now we have to work on him understanding that just because something looks exceedingly wonderful in the toy dept, that doesn’t mean we have to buy it….he doesn’t pitch a fit, but he sure gets a lot of practice saying. “PEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) kathyR(mom to Danny, almost 8 and his 6 older sibs) From: Down Syndrome Treatment [mailto:Down Syndrome Treatment ] On Behalf Of pbeurrier@... Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2006 8:42 AM To: Down Syndrome Treatment Subject: Re: Wandering..? I think that has always been Faith's problem, too. She sees other kids doing it and does, too. It is too difficult for her to stop and explain to me what she is doing. We go to the mall just to practice staying together and having her tell me where she wants to go and what she wants to do. We have had limited success. But I think repetition and practice are the key. Learning some easy to deliver phrases, I try to put in 3 or 4 words what she can tell me. When will be 9? Faith turns 9 August 11, as she reminds me several times a day! ette --------- Wandering..? Have you experience your ds kid wandering on his/ her own? I tried to expl ain to Casey to stay with his family over and over, especially in the store. I do not want to restraint him to cart seat... Then I was amazed how my youngest child would stay with the family. Personality??? well, what should i do about that? Thanks, kk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 is pretty much the same as everyone already described. Seems to be a common problem. I have found if I don't find a way to allow her age appropiate freedoms, she finds a way to TAKE it and that is when we get into serious trouble. Course the problem is that she can't always handle age appropiate freedoms!!! So we do a lot of shadowing with her. It's so surprising how well she behaves when we do this as opposed to the all out fits she can pitch when I try to 'hold her back'. When in the store we start out with her walking and helping put things in the cart etc. She used to take off most of the time, but since she loves to be walking so she can talk to everyone and help, the threat of being put in the cart has worked wonders for her. ;-) Behave, listen, stop when I tell you and all is right with the world. :-) Run, don't come back, keep disapearing with me not being told, or grabbing everything in reach to put in the cart- and YOU end up in the cart. And she goes kicking and screaming too! So be prepared for stares and such. Those don't phase me much, but I know some people don't like to bring attention to themselves with kids screaming in protest, and of course the kids KNOW this and will use it against you. So stand firm. Same for outside- if she takes off, she comes IN. If she runs away while I am calling and in hot pursuit, she gets a time out on top of coming in or having to stay in the cart. Here are a couple of on on-line resources for wandering and teaching street safety. http://do2learn.com/games/songs/streetsafety/songs.htm http://disabilitysolutions.org/pdf/4-3.pdf Carol in IL Sneak preview the all-new .com. It's not radically different. Just radically better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 Hi again. Thanks for the info for my my family to join. I have to tell you something that I am sure will get a chuckle out of everyone. My son still takes off because he is his own person and when I least expect it, he does this disappearing act. He always finds me if I don't find him. In the stores though I will suddenly (at times) hear my name because Andy couldn't find me so he is very sharp and no one ever told him to do that, he just does it on his own! So, I get my name broadcast across Wal-Mart on many a visit to that store. Everyone should know me there by now LOL They sure know Andy! I just get to where I have to laugh it off and be happy Andy is so independant. He even fixes his own meals that are simply and that is a big relief for me sometimes! If I get busy and think, oops, I need to get something for Andy to eat, well, he beats me to it. YES!Carol in IL <ps1272000@...> wrote: is pretty much the same as everyone already described. Seems to be a common problem. I have found if I don't find a way to allow her age appropiate freedoms, she finds a way to TAKE it and that is when we get into serious trouble. Course the problem is that she can't always handle age appropiate freedoms!!! So we do a lot of shadowing with her. It's so surprising how well she behaves when we do this as opposed to the all out fits she can pitch when I try to 'hold her back'. When in the store we start out with her walking and helping put things in the cart etc. She used to take off most of the time, but since she loves to be walking so she can talk to everyone and help, the threat of being put in the cart has worked wonders for her. ;-) Behave, listen, stop when I tell you and all is right with the world. :-) Run, don't come back, keep disapearing with me not being told, or grabbing everything in reach to put in the cart- and YOU end up in the cart. And she goes kicking and screaming too! So be prepared for stares and such. Those don't phase me much, but I know some people don't like to bring attention to themselves with kids screaming in protest, and of course the kids KNOW this and will use it against you. So stand firm. Same for outside- if she takes off, she comes IN. If she runs away while I am calling and in hot pursuit, she gets a time out on top of coming in or having to stay in the cart. Here are a couple of on on-line resources for wandering and teaching street safety. http://do2learn.com/games/songs/streetsafety/songs.htm http://disabilitysolutions.org/pdf/4-3.pdf Carol in IL Sneak preview the all-new .com. It's not radically different. Just radically better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 Sam is 6 and while I still would not trust him as far as I could throw him .... he has gotten a lot better with this !!!! He is too big for shopping trolleys etc so he has to walk. I could not get over the improvement when we went abroad on holiday this year. Walked alongside good as gold with no attempts to escape!!! When he takes trips with his school he is a little angel . Never moves from his teachers side . Now he only uses he escape trick to get attention when he feels deprived of same . Something we are working on. Its amazing how much Sam despite his delays is age appropriate though. He HATES any of his "baby" toys and books . Will look at age appropriate tv . ( sport sport and sport again ) Would not look at cartoons or anything babyish. Also he naturally graviates to boys his own age or older and is completely happy playing football or playstation ( if he was left lol) etc with them. This is totally amazing to me and I LOVE it !!! That was one of the huge problems I had with s school . They kept trying to link him into the pre-school classroom . I put up with it for his first year but did expalin had completed two years pf pre school and needed to move on . When they suggested he be linked in with the pre school again for the new school year I knew it was time for him to go !!! They were really not respecting his age or the fact that he is a social learner. He is not going to learn much from pre school children at this stage !!!He needs to be with his peers!!!! Ok enough !!! Just to say there is hope on this wandering as I thought would never get better and he has !!! By miles !!! RE: Wandering..? is pretty much the same as everyone already described. Seems to be a common problem. I have found if I don't find a way to allow her age appropiate freedoms, she finds a way to TAKE it and that is when we get into serious trouble. Course the problem is that she can't always handle age appropiate freedoms!!! So we do a lot of shadowing with her. It's so surprising how well she behaves when we do this as opposed to the all out fits she can pitch when I try to 'hold her back'. When in the store we start out with her walking and helping put things in the cart etc. She used to take off most of the time, but since she loves to be walking so she can talk to everyone and help, the threat of being put in the cart has worked wonders for her. ;-) Behave, listen, stop when I tell you and all is right with the world. :-) Run, don't come back, keep disapearing with not being told, or grabbing everything in reach to put in the cart- and YOU end up in the cart. And she goes kicking and screaming too! So be prepared for stares and such. Those don't phase me much, but I know some people don't like to bring attention to themselves with kids screaming in protest, and of course the kids KNOW this and will use it against you. So stand firm. Same for outside- if she takes off, she comes IN. If she runs away while I am calling and in hot pursuit, she gets a time out on top of coming in or having to stay in the cart. Here are a couple of on on-line resources for wandering and teaching street safety. http://do2learn.com/games/songs/streetsafety/songs.htm http://disabilitysolutions.org/pdf/4-3.pdf & Sneak preview the all-new .com. It's not radically different. Just radically better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 we took alex on hols last week and he did escape a few time scary as the caravan was next to a fishing lake ? will ask next time before i book it but he loved the beach hugs sylvia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 Too funny -- (who also keeps reminding me!!) turns 9 on August 12!!!! ===================== From: pbeurrier@... Date: Wed Jul 12 07:41:52 CDT 2006 Down Syndrome Treatment Subject: Re: Wandering..? I think that has always been Faith's problem, too. She sees other kids doing it and does, too. It is too difficult for her to stop and explain to me what she is doing. We go to the mall just to practice staying together and having her tell me where she wants to go and what she wants to do. We have had limited success. But I think repetition and practice are the key. Learning some easy to deliver phrases, I try to put in 3 or 4 words what she can tell me. When will be 9? Faith turns 9 August 11, as she reminds me several times a day! ette --------- Wandering..? Have you experience your ds kid wandering on his/ her own? I tried to explain to Casey to stay with his family over and over, especially in the store. I do not want to restraint him to cart seat... Then I was amazed how my youngest child would stay with the family. Personality??? well, what should i do about that? Thanks, kk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 took off on his bike a couple of weeks ago and said he was going to Pop-Pops house and knew which way to start out -- they live a couple of miles away on a busy street! Scary! ===================== From: Jill <thrill@...> Date: Wed Jul 12 08:34:12 CDT 2006 Down Syndrome Treatment Subject: Re: Wandering..? This JUST happened to us on Monday night and it is partly my fault. Mac (8) usually goes out in the yard by himself and I just check on him every 10 minutes or so. On Monday he wanted to ride his bike (which he can't) and I told him I thought it was at Nana's house, but he could go in the garage and look. He went out and Kit and I played on our front (enclosed) porch. I would look out and be able to see/hear him--about 10 minutes later I see that my significant other () is here and I figure the two of them are in the garage, etc... He comes in about 5 minutes later and I ask " What's Mac doing? " --he says, " I don't know I didn't see him " . Then the search is on. We both walk to his favorite places (neighbors) and then heads for the lake (the worst place we want to look and Mac never heads that way, but you never know) and I head up the street to the restaurant and to go towards my parents house as I'm thinking maybe he didn't find his bike and decided to go to Nana's to get it. As I " m heading down the street in my van--I get about two blocks--and a friend is heading towards me and she's waving her arms. We stop and she says " I got him " . Sure enough he'd gotten out a tricycle--which is WAY too small for him--put on his helmet and was heading for Nana and Papa's house. HE knew where he was going and what he was doing, but no one else did. He told my friend he was going to Nana's house. She told him no and they got in an arguement about it, but she won and loaded him and his bike up. My parents only leave a 1/2 mile away, but he's not ready to go alone yet. Maybe another couple of years. So we also have to work on if you want to go some place you need to come tell us or have us go with you. JillMom to Mac (8 yrs., 3rd grade, Ds) and Kit (almost 5, preschool, Ds) Wandering..? Have you experience your ds kid wandering on his/ her own? I tried to explain to Casey to stay with his family over and over, especially in the store. I do not want to restraint him to cart seat... Then I was amazed how my youngest child would stay with the family. Personality??? well, what should i do about that? Thanks, kk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 This just seems to be something that a lot of kids w/Ds go through at some point. My husband has a brother,Joe, w/Ds who is now in his 40’s. I remember when (my husband) and I were dating, his family told me how Joe used to just take off, and they would find him blocks away…or across the busy highway, waving at them. Their mom decided that, for his own safety, she would have to tie Joe to the clothes line post with a rope around his waist when he was out in the yard (I don’t know why he was allowed outside by himself,,but…) She only did that once,though, because the clothesline was close to the garage, and she happened to look out to see Joe cutting the rope with a saw that he had gotten from inside the garage.. That seems to be one of the paradoxes of Ds..the ‘Danger, danger, Will ” part of their brains seems to lag behind the problem-solving part sometimes. Joe couldn’t remember that he needed to stay in the yard, but he was able to remember that there was a saw in the garage, and he could use that to cut the rope. He eventually grew out of his wandering ways, though. KathyR From: Down Syndrome Treatment [mailto:Down Syndrome Treatment ] On Behalf Of rdavis900@... Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 11:33 AM To: Down Syndrome Treatment Subject: Re: Wandering..? I am new to this group but this wandering information is scaring me! Sara is only 4 and will run if given the chance. My mom lives across the street from me but there are 2 acres between us. It never fails if we turn our back sara is running to grandma's. She can also see the house which doesn't help any. She has to cross a very busy street and others would see her. Geez! I am glad to hear it gets better the older they get. Marcy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Don't be scared. May not even happen with your daughter. All the kids are different. It is good to be aware of the tendency though so you can be on guard. Also, four is not too young to be telling her that she is not allowed to leave the yard with out you and that she needs an adult to go to Grandma's. Never know, she just might LISTEN. Kid have been known to that once in a while. Carol in ILrdavis900@... wrote: I am new to this group but this wandering information is scaring me! Sara is only 4 and will run if given the chance. My mom lives across the street from me but there are 2 acres between us. It never fails if we turn our back sara is running to grandma's. She can also see the house which doesn't help any. She has to cross a very busy street and others would see her. Geez! I am glad to hear it gets better the older they get. Marcy Groups are talking. We´re listening. Check out the handy changes to . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 lol! Thank you Carol! I actually told her to stop the other day when she was "running away" and she did stop dead in her tracks. We had a party right there in the middle of the mall, hooting and hollering, clapping and high fives all around from everyone! Marcy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Yep!! That is the way to do it. :-) That reminds me of a game we played with when she was that age- stop and go! Use the signs too as often they can still see the signs even when they are out of hearing range. A real potential life saver. Anyway... just do what you did at the mall in other places and make it LOTS of fun. Do it esp out side in your yard. When she was around three, the one way I could count on her stopping was to sign. Mr Sun from Barney. She would always stop dead and in her tracks and start to do the moves from the videos. ;-) Carol in ILrdavis900@... wrote: lol! Thank you Carol! I actually told her to stop the other day when she was "running away" and she did stop dead in her tracks. We had a party right there in the middle of the mall, hooting and hollering, clapping and high fives all around from everyone! Marcy Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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