Re: blake wandered off today

[Guest guest]

>

>

>I guess we will have to get a fence.

>

>

I'd suggest a tall one, with a gate that you can lock LOL.

still cannot get over the 4 ft. chain link, but I know that day will

come..... she love to run, and has no fear.... it's all fun and games

for her. It's hard, and I (like many others on the list) am constantly

asking " Where's " , (must drive everyone around here nuts), but

you just can't take a chance with her. She might be sitting playing on

the computer for 2 hours straight (if you'd let her :-), but then you

take 30 seconds to try and go to the bathroom and she's down the hill,

letting herself into the neighbor's house. Fortunately, when she

escapes the yard, she always (so far) has gone to this one neighbor, and

they are very understanding..... they either call, or just bring her

home. She took off at 's school the other day, and I lost her for

probably 2 minutes (which seemed like an eternity) as and I

frantically ran around all the different groups of buildings. Of

course, she was all the way over to the kindergarten playground, happily

playing on the swings (should have checked there first, but I thought

she ran the other way). Life with a wanderer is never dull, that's for

sure! My friends and family have sure learned to IMMEDIATELY mobilize

at the " Where's " call, as they have all been witness to a few

moments of uncertainty as we searched for her.

Good luck..... he's still little, maybe he will outgrow it! Not all

kids with DS are runners!

, mom to (7), (5 DS), and (3)

>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/26/2003 4:50:37 AM Central Standard Time,

jls1995@... writes:

> The only thing I can do now is to just keep a very watchful eye on her and

> when I get my house, make sure that the yard already has a fence around it.

> I'm just wondering if any of the parents on the list with adults with DS

> have ever had this problem or even if anyone managed to avoid this issue all

> together?

> Judi

HI Judi

Sara was an escape artist, still is at times .... Like last night, she came

in and told me she was going to play outside for a bit with the girls (best

friends 2 doors down). I told her she canNot go outside without her dad, she

lied

and told me he was outside watering the flowers (another issue story telling)

about a half hour later Mike came upstairs and asked where Sara was, I said

she's with you. he didn't even answer and off he went to look for her. Well,

the " girls " were not home so she went up the street and then into the cove to

see a friend of mine. Penny has a daughter with CP. and the best backyard in the

neighborhood lol Penny also was a preschool teacher and is the best lady

around children she fed Sara ice cream and had a talk with her, she then

escorted Sara to Mike who was looking up and down the street for her sorry to be

so

winded lol but at age 11 Sara still takes off on a whim.

My son, NDA (25 ... Not Doing Anything) was also one who would take off as a

child. The only differences is Joe faced a spanking from his daddy, so the

behavior only happened a couple of times.

my oldest daughter would not leave my side, she was my shadow until

2nd grade. I had her tryout for cheerleading in 2nd grade to just get her

involved with her own peers lol to this day we at are still close

Kathy mom to Sara 11 ............... who stays very busy watching Miss Sara

[Guest guest]

My son wandered until he was between 8-10yrs old. he now just carelessly rans

into the parking lots. The flop and drop is still here at almost 16yo. The

1-2-3 magic system works great for getting him up and doing most things.

Sorry to tell you that in our house and friends experiemce that their kids

with DS did all this too and it has lasted the same time span. Seems at 10 they

get better at not disappearing.

Jean

www.enchantedcelticharp.com

Celtic Harp Music

[Guest guest]

We are fortunate here also, never escaped, wandered, or flopped! LOL.

Jackie, Mom to 15ds, 12, and Bradley 9

[Guest guest]

You know, I've been hearing this a lot from the people on this list and it

really scares me. The fact that Jordan could do this scares me. She is very

independent and likes to do her own thing. She's already gotten out of my mom's

house once or twice and although she hasn't done it to me, she's locked me out

of the house a few times (I was taking out the trash). She seems to interested

in the front door and likes to lock it. It is a reality that I didn't want to

accept but hearing this happening from so many people, only brings to life the

seriousness that it probably will occur in my home just as well. I think the

hardest thing for me is the " knowing " that it will happen and not knowing WHEN

it will occur. I don't know what I'm going to do when that day hits. The only

thing I can do now is to just keep a very watchful eye on her and when I get my

house, make sure that the yard already has a fence around it.

I'm just wondering if any of the parents on the list with adults with DS have

ever had this problem or even if anyone managed to avoid this issue all

together?

Judi

[Guest guest]

I find it worse when you tell a family member that your child wanders

off ,and that they are brilliant escape artists- and that family member

shrugs it of and say things like " oh they cant get out of MY house " or

" dont worry about him/her- they will be fine with us " ....that train of

thought scares me- and I will never let them watch my child when they

have that attitude- as they will more than likely run form them. Our

kids may be disabled- but it doesn't mean they are stupid If Natasha

has a drink that is 3/4 full, and he has nearly finished his,

will swap it over so he has the nearly full one and she has the nearly

empty one. He also steals her sandwiches or toast- he leaves her his

crust and takes her full slice of sandwich or toast. BJ is very cheeky

Ya gotta watch em 24/7

--

Leis.... Aussie mum to 5 ,Natasha 1 and Jellybean due Oct 03

An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an

adventure wrongly considered.

G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936)

[Guest guest]

doesnt wander, just got lost once last year at a NYC street fair. But

she said she wasnt lost, just buying herself a hot dog! Meanwhile we had an

all out alert and they almost closed the fair to find her. Very scary 10 mins

there!

I think she used to drop/flop when she was around 5, 6 years old, but only

when she was really tired.

Now at 12, shed love to get out on her own! LOL

~ Mom to 12 DS and Diabetes Type 1 and 8 NY

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/26/03 8:26:01 AM, b4alltoday@... writes:

<< My son, NDA (25 ... Not Doing Anything) >>

ROTFLMAO!!!! This time!

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/25/03 8:41:11 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

_Schulte@... writes:

> Today we were outside and my 14 year old was playing with Blake (2

He's only 2? Then wandering can be normal for ANY kid, DS or not. My NDA 9

year old would wander - not maliciously or deliberately but just out of

curiousity - until much older than that. At 4 he wandered next door and knocked

the

top off the neighbor's beehive (4H project). He actually tipped off a 5 gal

container of sugar-water. The neighbors had no clue why the 2000 bees inside

didn't swarm him.

- Becky

[Guest guest]

(8) has never done the wandering or escaping. That is one of the

ONLY common characteristics we somehow avoided. in Dallas

Re: blake wandered off today

You know, I've been hearing this a lot from the people on this list and it

really scares me. The fact that Jordan could do this scares me. She is very

independent and likes to do her own thing. She's already gotten out of my mom's

house once or twice and although she hasn't done it to me, she's locked me out

of the house a few times (I was taking out the trash). She seems to interested

in the front door and likes to lock it. It is a reality that I didn't want to

accept but hearing this happening from so many people, only brings to life the

seriousness that it probably will occur in my home just as well. I think the

hardest thing for me is the " knowing " that it will happen and not knowing WHEN

it will occur. I don't know what I'm going to do when that day hits. The only

thing I can do now is to just keep a very watchful eye on her and when I get my

house, make sure that the yard already has a fence around it.

I'm just wondering if any of the parents on the list with adults with DS have

ever had this problem or even if anyone managed to avoid this issue all

together?

Judi

[Guest guest]

Karrie hasn't wandered from our yard yet, but I always have to know exactly

where she is. We used to have a fence at our last house, but she learned to

climb over it within 3 days.

Karrie loves to lock us out whenever she gets the chance. She'll laugh and

laugh before she's finally convinced to open the door. I've started turning

away, walking out of her sight. She'll open the door quick enough, then!

Sue mom to Kate 13 and Karrie 7 w/ds

[Guest guest]

I was reading this on Sunday and thinking that it had been a good long time

since my daughter with DS had wandered off - (now 18) used to be forever

planning to run away to grandma's house (damn those cute little twins that made

an adventure of it!!) and we would find her sitting on the bench on the front

deck with her bags packed. Then she would get more adventurous and walk down the

street, thinking she could walk to grandma's house (it's about 90 miles).....

Well, yesterday evening the DH went out for yet another trip to the hardware

store. He seems able to take a Sunday of household chores and turn it into a

shopping extravaganza. On his way back, he rounds the corner of the busy street

waaaaay down at the end of the block, and there is - on her bike, no

helmet, riding in the middle of the street! She had gone to *check the river*

(remember the part in Madelline where she falls in the river?) which is really a

drainage slough that runs behind our row of houses...

So maybe it's a spirit of adventure - or a need to recreate someone else's

adventure - that makes her want to go out and do things.... and maybe she needs

a little more freedom to be out and about on her own... she is 18, and will be

spending the summer with an adult county program that teaches them how to ride

the city bus system, shop at the grocery store, go to the library, prepare for

work... maybe that will give her more ideas and she will be farther from home

by the time we start looking! Ahhh, well...... whatever way it goes, she is

growing and learning - doesn't seem to make the same escape mistakes twice - so

far... :-)

So my original intent was to be able to send a reply email that would be

re-assuring - that they do grow out of that wandering / escaping mode.......

but apparently not!

Hang in there! It's a wild ride!

Kathy

mom to (18-DS) - http://www.waycool2.com/sarah

and a whole lot of others.......

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

2-4-6-8, Schulte is Cool! Schulte is Great!

On 5/25/03 , at 10:40 PM , Schulte opined:

) Today we were outside and my 14 year old was playing with Blake

) (2). I went inside and when I came back out a few minutes later, I

) saw a strange woman walking into our yard carrying Blake. My 14 year

) old had gotten busy talking and " forgotten " that he had Blake with

) him. Blake was a block and a half away and in the road before a the

) stranger stopped the car and kindly brought him back. She said she

) stopped at a few houses before she realized which house he " belonged

) to. "

)

) Schulte

*********** END OF REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/26/03 1:18:57 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

mom2bridget@... writes:

> This is interesting, because Bridget just turned 10 and disappeared this

> past April from home for the first time. She has disappeared in stores

before.

> She went for a walk and was about 300 yards down the road when we realized

> she was gone. She was going to the playground at school.

>

> mom to Bridget 10 ds

>

for a while last year (then 10) would go back to the car if she

couldn't find me. Smart... but dangerous because sometimes it even meant

crossing

the street. Now I make it clear where our meeting place will be if she can't

find me and she's been good about going there.

- Becky

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/26/03 2:13:57 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

_Schulte@... writes:

> The minute I set Blake down outside he starts walking. We have 1 1/2 acres

> so he can walk relatively far before leaving our yard. A few times I

> followed him just to see where he thought he was going. He doesn't appear to

be

> going anywhere! He just walks and walks. He's quite the explorer and he has

> no fear! This is what I am referring to when I say " he wanders. " It was not

> typical of my other children.

>

> Of course, making sure that I constantly have my eye on him will eliminate

> the problem. But, you can't take your eye on him for a second...or he is

> gone. This was not the case with my older NDS children.

>

> Schulte

>

this is EXACTLY what my non-ds kid would do. My DS kid always had a purpose

in mind (like the neighbor's swing set). It's my non-DS kid that couldn't be

trusted!

- Becky

[Guest guest]

<<I'm just wondering if any of the parents on the list with adults with DS

have ever had this problem or even if anyone managed to avoid this issue all

together?>>

Brytani will be 9 this week and we never had to deal with the wandering or

running off either. We have a fenced yard, but she also plays in the

driveway and rides her bike down the street and turns around and comes back.

I don't know any special " tricks " that we did to prevent the wandering.

Re: blake wandered off today

>

>

> You know, I've been hearing this a lot from the people on this list and

it really scares me. The fact that Jordan could do this scares me. She is

very independent and likes to do her own thing. She's already gotten out of

my mom's house once or twice and although she hasn't done it to me, she's

locked me out of the house a few times (I was taking out the trash). She

seems to interested in the front door and likes to lock it. It is a reality

that I didn't want to accept but hearing this happening from so many people,

only brings to life the seriousness that it probably will occur in my home

just as well. I think the hardest thing for me is the " knowing " that it

will happen and not knowing WHEN it will occur. I don't know what I'm going

to do when that day hits. The only thing I can do now is to just keep a

very watchful eye on her and when I get my house, make sure that the yard

already has a fence around it.

> I'm just wondering if any of the parents on the list with adults with DS

have ever had this problem or even if anyone managed to avoid this issue all

together?

> Judi

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

's wandering started at age 2.5. We were staying in a hotel and he

disappeared while we slept and ventured down to the bar (they had a band that

night). It does get better with age. Now, he goes out windows, but he

generally stays in the yard.

I think having Snoop has been the best teaching method to control the wandering.

Snoop is also a wanderer and has learned from watching us find him (and

the panic feeling, too!).

We use brass plate locks on the doors. We have a few windows nailed shut.

[Guest guest]

I remember when my older boys were toddlers I could take them outside and

entertain them while I worked on my garden by just giving the boys a plastic

shovel, bucket, etc. They more or less stayed with me and played.

Occasionally, they might have walked away, but I would just bring them back and

ask them to stay close to mommy.

The minute I set Blake down outside he starts walking. We have 1 1/2 acres so

he can walk relatively far before leaving our yard. A few times I followed him

just to see where he thought he was going. He doesn't appear to be going

anywhere! He just walks and walks. He's quite the explorer and he has no fear!

This is what I am referring to when I say " he wanders. " It was not typical of

my other children.

Of course, making sure that I constantly have my eye on him will eliminate the

problem. But, you can't take your eye on him for a second...or he is gone.

This was not the case with my older NDS children.

Schulte

He's only 2? Then wandering can be normal for ANY kid, DS or not. My NDA 9

year old would wander - not maliciously or deliberately but just out of

curiousity - until much older than that. At 4 he wandered next door and knocked

the top off the neighbor's beehive (4H project). He actually tipped off a 5 gal

container of sugar-water. The neighbors had no clue why the 2000 bees inside

didn't swarm him.

- Becky

[Guest guest]

Wow! Thanks to everyone for your responses. I learned a lot from them and got

some great ideas for prevention.

I guess it is really unknown as to whether or not this is more common among our

kids with DS.

I think a lot of it just has to do with reasoning. When my older kid's were

toddler's I could reason with them. I explained the road was dangerous and

explained about getting lost. I've tried with Blake and he simply doesn't

comprehend it. All he understands is that there is a lot of space to explore

and he wants more than anything to go explore it!

Schulte

[Guest guest]

This is interesting, because Bridget just turned 10 and disappeared this past

April from home for the first time. She has disappeared in stores before. She

went for a walk and was about 300 yards down the road when we realized she was

gone. She was going to the playground at school.

mom to Bridget 10 ds

Re: blake wandered off today

My son wandered until he was between 8-10yrs old. he now just carelessly rans

into the parking lots. The flop and drop is still here at almost 16yo. The

1-2-3 magic system works great for getting him up and doing most things.

Sorry to tell you that in our house and friends experiemce that their kids

with DS did all this too and it has lasted the same time span. Seems at 10

they

get better at not disappearing.

Jean

www.enchantedcelticharp.com

Celtic Harp Music

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/26/2003 10:44:35 AM Central Standard Time,

kathy@... writes:

> So my original intent was to be able to send a reply email that would be

> re-assuring - that they do grow out of that wandering / escaping mode.......

> but apparently not!

>

> Hang in there! It's a wild ride!

>

> Kathy

> mom to (18-DS)

HI Kathy

This is why MY Sara will NEVER have a drivers license or access to a car

lolol imagine how far she could get with wheels

Kathy mom to Sara 11 .... her epilepsy will legally keep her from driving

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/26/2003 10:57:17 AM Central Standard Time,

linman42@... writes:

> << My son, NDA (25 ... Not Doing Anything) >>

>

> ROTFLMAO!!!! This time!

>

>

Heehee OK how about this~~~> my daughter, NDA (23.... Not Dressed

Appropriately)

NDA has more meaning and individuality then you think

Kathy mom to Sara 11 and 3 NDA kids heehee

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/26/2003 8:37:25 PM US Mountain Standard Time,

b4alltoday@... writes:

> my daughter, NDA (23.... Not Dressed

> Appropriately)

>

Ok....I have a ......my son NDA, 14, Naturally Disgusting Attitude.

Hey.....I LIKE this!!

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/26/03 8:31:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

b4alltoday@... writes:

> Kathy mom to Sara 11 .... her epilepsy will legally keep her from driving

>

>

depends on the kind of epilepsy & the amount of control the meds are

providing...

I have a friend who has petit mal seizures ( " absence " seizures... the kind

that causes you to go blank momentarily) altho her siezures have been medically

under control more than 3 years and her doctor could write a letter that would

clear her for driving with the DMV, she chooses not to drive. She told me

that she has a cousin, however, who gets grand mal sizures. Because she can

feel them coming on (it feels like the start of a migrane) she DOES drive,

because she has enough warning if need be to pull off to the side of the road.

- Becky

[Guest guest]

I have a few of those attitudes here I call them my teens-lol,, and they are

making a mom crazy!! Nettie619

[Guest guest]

My daughter, non-DS, got mad at me one day and said, " I'd run away

and get lost if I didn't know my way around so well! " So I offered to drive her

somewhere she wouldn't know her way. But she said, " That wouldn't do any

good. You'd just come and get me in a little while " . I was glad she had that

kind of faith in me. By then she was over being mad.

never wandered but he did try to run away from home one day

before he could walk. He couldn't get the door open. When he was a little

older he tried to get our neighbor lady who was one of his favorite people, to

run

away with him. He figured she had a car! But she said if she was going to

run away she wasn't going to take any KIDS with her. End of that. We've had

some pretty silly times around here.

Jessie