What to Do if a Non-verbal Child Wanders in Public?
When a non-verbal child wanders away from their caregiver in a public space, the situation can escalate quickly — not because families aren’t attentive, but because wandering (also called elopement) is a known safety risk for children with autism and other developmental differences.
According to the CDC, nearly 1 in 2 children with autism have wandered from a safe environment at least once after age four. Many of these children are unable to communicate their name, address, or medical needs if found alone.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/autism
Why Wandering Is So Dangerous
Organizations like Autism Speaks identify wandering as a serious concern due to the risks involved — including traffic injuries and drowning, which is one of the leading causes of death for children with autism who wander.
Source: https://www.autismspeaks.org/wandering-and-elopement
For non-verbal children, even a short separation can become dangerous if responders don’t have immediate access to identifying information.
What to Do Immediately If Your Child Wanders
Alert staff or authorities right away — provide a photo, clothing description, and any known tendencies (attracted to water, doors, elevators, etc.).
Expand the search quickly — wandering children often move farther than expected and may not respond when called.
Use visible identification tools — responders consistently report that visible ID significantly shortens reunification time.
How Identification Tools Help
Identification does not need to rely on a single item. Many families use layers of safety tools, including:
Medical ID bracelets or watch bands with emergency contact info
Shoelace tags that stay with a child even if shoes come off
Stickers on tablets, phones, or communication devices
Buttons or pins attached to jackets or backpacks
T-shirts with discreet safety messaging for busy outings
Sharewear offers multiple identification formats at sharewearshop.com, designed to work together — because children don’t all tolerate or use the same tools.
Preparation Is Not Fear — It’s Care
Wandering can happen in seconds, even to the most prepared families. Having identification already in place means responders can focus on helping, not guessing.
