"Tracking Devices Reduce Wandering Frequency, Risk Among Children With Autism"
Tracking devices using radio, Bluetooth or GPS technology significantly reduce the frequency - and associated risks - of wandering behavior among children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disorders, as well as minimizing parental anxiety, according to survey results presented at the 2017 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting. Maria del Pilar Trelles Thorne, MD, a psychiatrist and autism expert at The Mount Sinai Hospital offers her perspective. "I know wandering can be a great cause for concern among parents of children with autism, especially those who are nonverbal and cannot ask for help to find their way home. In these cases, an electronic tracking device could significantly improve quality of life for a parent worried about their child wandering away in the supermarket or, worse, outside the home while the family is asleep."
- Maria del Pilar Trelles-Thorne, MD, House Staff Fellow, Associate, The Mount Sinai Hospital