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AUTISM RISK AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT Orange County Posted By: AIsForAutism
Posted On: 03/24/2008
Our local Orange County Register today carried an article about a man who is training police departments about individuals with autism. Here is the intro to the article, "Brad Debbaudt was 4 years old when the police were first called to a scene on his account.

The autistic child was in a toy store and threw a tantrum so big that an onlooker reported a child abduction. When Brad was safely buckled into his car seat, his father, Dennis, rose to see his car surrounded by police vehicles.

"That's what providing care to my son looked like to other people," Dennis Debbaudt said.

That incident spurred a new career for the private investigator, a job change motivated by fear for his son's safety. "I drove off wondering: What's going to happen when he's 24 and we're not there for him?" he said.

Debbaudt's research has found that autistic people are seven times more likely than others to come into contact with law enforcement officers, because of involuntary behaviors such as wandering off, repetitive movements, poor eye contact and a tendency to talk to themselves.

His training teaches officers how to recognize signs of autism, communicate effectively, contain someone without physical force and manage the sensory climate so the person isn't overwhelmed by sirens, flashing lights and other noise."

FOLLOWING IS THE ARTICLE LINK:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/autism-people-autistic-2003213-police-officers

FOLLOWING IS DENNIS' WEBSITE full of useful information and resources:

www.autismriskmanagement.com

As a caregiver, in the past, I thought for sure on many occasions I was going to be arrested during meltdown scenarios. Then who cares for the individual with autism? One time, my student and I actually were kicked out of a mall...reason, he tried to eat a french fry off of a bench...he was hungry, it was there, he is unable to communicate verbally. So, he "scared" an employee by eating a french fry nearby her. I even had my I.D. badge on and explained the situation, but we were a threat even though, in reality, there was no threat. Kids with autism do grow up and sometimes are BIG with strange looking hand movements or odd noises. Until society is educated about how autism presents, issues like this will be on the increase. The above information and education is in hopes of our citizens with autism not to get into deadly or dangerous situations caused by lack of education.

THOUGHTS?
Tags:  autism,  safety,  non-verbal,  police,  awareness,  education
       
Motherof4 wrote this reply on 04/01/2008
I'd heard about Dennis Debbault, but never knew why he started in his career. You're right, more awareness training needs to happen, but I've been pleasantly surprised by how many people are recognising autism now. I guess we'll just have to keep getting the word out.

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