Safety.Com - Keeping Your Child With Autism Safe

A recent study by the American Journal of Public Health examined national mortality data and found that individuals with a diagnosis of autism died on average 35.8 years younger than individuals in the general population. Their research also found that the difference in deaths caused by injury was almost as striking.

Most parents place their children’s safety as a top priority as a rule. But for parents of children with autism, the reality is that it can be even more difficult to keep your children safe from themselves and others simply because of the nature of their disorder. However, parents of children with autism should not live in constant fear: there are tips parents and caregivers of kids with autism can follow to make sure they stay safe.

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Characteristics of Autism

Image via Autism Society

People with ASDs (autism spectrum disorders) share some symptoms, such as difficulty with social interaction, and their brains process information differently than those of unaffected people. Children with ASDs may exhibit a common set of characteristics that naturally make them more susceptible to danger. For instance, people with ASDs commonly have no real fear of dangers and an apparent insensitivity to pain. An inappropriate response—or no response at all—to sound is another common characteristic that could open the door to danger.

Scientists do not yet know the cause of ASDs. According to the CDC, ASDs occur in people of all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. While it is estimated that autism affects 1 in 88 children, boys are nearly five times more likely than girls to be affected by autism; in fact, the number of boys affected by autism is 1 in 54, compared to 1 in 252 girls. And, Autism Speaks points out that the prevalence of autism is not just growing: it is “the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the United States.”

Image via Autism Speaks

Keeping all children safe is important. But, keeping children with autism safe becomes even more of a priority because of their social, communication, and behavioral challenges.

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5 Tips for Creating a Safety Plan

Autism Speaks recommends that parents of children with autism create safety plans, and there are some basic tips to keep in mind when creating those plans for your child with autism.

1) Include family and community members who come into daily contact with your child with autism. Keep in mind school personnel, daycare providers, neighbors, extended family, etc. Make sure you have contacted each person and discussed your most pressing concerns about your child’s safety.

2) Think about all of the places in which your child needs to be protected. This probably includes home, school, friends’ homes, community centers, etc. Then, be sure to evaluate them for safety and to put preventative measures into place in each area. It is especially important to remember to include safety skills in your child’s Individual Education Program (IEP) in your school district.

3) Consider the top safety risks for individuals with autism: wandering, pica (the tendency to eat or crave substances other than normal food), drowning, and household toxins. Take the necessary precautions for safeguarding your child against these safety risks and practice safety skills with your child other family members.

4) Give your child a form of identification with contact names and numbers listed. Make sure your child always wears or carries this identification, especially because wandering could be a concern. Or, purchase a child locator and clip it to your child’s shoe, belt, etc.

5) Contact your local communications center, police department, and/or 911 call center to communicate your concerns and safety plan with the appropriate officials. Remember, you are your child’s best safety advocate.

Image via GDS Infographics

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Safety at Home

The home can be a very dangerous place for any young child, but it can be even more dangerous for your child with autism. The difference is that the safety measures and precautions most parents implement for very young children may need to be in place for a much longer period of time for children with autism. Consider this checklist to keep your child with autism safe at home

• Furniture – Secure especially top-heavy furniture to the wall with furniture brackets or safety straps. Don’t forget that some electronics also may be heavy or easily pulled over by your child, so use items such as TV safety straps.
• Cleaning products – All cleaning products should be locked in a safe location. You may want to put them in a locked area in the garage or basement, so they are not in the main living space of your home.
• Freezers – If you own a chest-style freezer, keep it locked at all times. Storing the key in a safe place where your child cannot access it is a good idea.
• Doors – Key locks may be enough for some children affected by autism, but you may want to use door alarms to prevent your child from leaving your home without your knowledge. Again, remember to keep your keys in a place out of your child’s reach. If your child has been known to wander (see the section on wandering below), you should use a child locator. There are several types available, especially online, but any you choose would help ease your mind about your wandering child.
• Visitors – As with any child, you should teach your child with autism the safety rules about opening the door to visitors, especially if he is home alone. The old safety rule of not opening the door to anyone when home alone is especially important for an child with autism who has a severe language or speech delay or who is completely nonverbal. One way to communicate this rule to your child with autism is to create a social storybook with pictures to help explain the rules.
• Hot water – Sometimes children with autism struggle with sensory challenges, so they may be more at risk for getting burned by hot water simply because they cannot feel hot and cold. One simple solution is to turn down the temperature on your hot water heater. If you have an older child with autism, you may want to practice turning on the hot water with the cold water. You may even put stickers on the hot water knob to remind your child that it is a potential danger to him. Don’t forget to do this in the shower as well as on your sink faucets.

Original & Full Article:
https://www.safety.com/autism-safety

7 ways parents can protect kids from child sexual abuse

Source: TODAY

By Kavita Varma-White

It’s the elephant in the room of parenting topics: child sexual abuse.

And it’s no surprise parents have difficulty addressing it — especially with their children — because the statistics are so horrifying and sobering, you don’t want to believe them.

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE STATISTICS:

1. Approximately 1 in 6 boys and 1 in 4 girls are sexually abused before the age of 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
2. 90 percent of children who are victims of abuse know their abuser, according to government reports.
3. 60 percent of child victims are sexually abused by the people a family trusts.
4. Nearly 40 percent of child victims are abused by older or more powerful children.

So what exactly can parents do? TODAY Parents asked experts for guidance on how to confront a threat that is still something many people feel “could never happen” to their child.

“What the statistics really should be telling us is that… all of us who care about kids and mental health and communities ought to be doing something about it,” says Janet Rosenzweig, author of ‘The Sex-Wise Parent’ and executive director of The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children.

Rosenzweig and Katelyn Brewer, CEO of the child sexual abuse prevention organization, Darkness to Light, offer this advice:

1. TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT SEX, EARLY AND OFTEN.

Rosenzweig says she’s always surprised at how parents find it difficult to talk about sex with their kids. “They can talk about poop and vomit… but for some reason, sex is more embarrassing than other bodily functions,” she says.

Start when kids are young enough to name their body parts and teach them proper anatomical terms. (Yes, call a penis a penis, a vagina a vagina, an elbow an elbow.)

Rosenzweig suggests making a “Family Values About Sex” checklist of questions and go through it with the family once a year. When kids are younger, start with questions like, “What terms are we going to use?” and “Who gets to see who in what stage of undress?” As kids age, the questions change accordingly.

Use as many teachable moments as you can find. If your child wants to be in a bedroom by themselves, explain it as a matter of privacy versus secrecy, saying: “Privacy means you get to do it by yourself but mommy and daddy know about it. Secrecy means that we don’t know about it, and our family doesn’t do secrecy."

2. TEACH KIDS ABOUT AROUSAL (AS UNCOMFORTABLE AS THAT MAY BE).

Arousal might be one of the most important physiological responses related to sexual abuse that your kids need to know about. Explain why touching certain parts of their body makes them feel the way it does and who is allowed to do it to them. (The answer: No one but themselves can touch their mouth, their chest and their private parts.)

“Arousal is autonomic, a reflex that your body does in response to a stimuli,” explains Rosenzweig. “But one of the things that makes kids so vulnerable to being exploited is when you have a really skilled molester, they go out of their way to make sure their victims experience arousal, which feels good. And when kids equate arousal with love, they are sitting ducks for bad guys.”

Ultimately, kids need to know from an early age that they have agency over their own bodies.That means parents should never insist that kids kiss or hug people, whether it’s the grabby uncle at Thanksgiving or the cool babysitter.

3. YOUR KIDS ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO TALK ABOUT SEX AND SEXUAL ABUSE.

If you feel like you “missed the boat” continuing to talk to teens about sex, it's not too late.

Nearly 40 percent of kids are abused by older children, and child on child sexual abuse has grown from 40 to 50 percent in the last 10 years, according to research by Darkness to Light.(The younger child in this scenario is in the 10-year-old age range.)

Much of these incidents are related to pornographic content online. Brewer says kids are “going to get access to [online] content anyway. And they don’t know what to do with their hormones once they see that content. So they test it with a younger, accessible child. They don’t mean to traumatize this child — they aren’t pedophiles — but the child is traumatized because something is taken from them that they didn’t consent to.”

“As much as we’d like to put our kids in a bubble, it’s not possible,” she says. “Actually sitting down and having that uncomfortable conversation with your kid is going to help prevent things in the long run because… they are going to understand that you are a safe person to talk to and you aren’t going to freak out that they’ve said the word sex to you because you brought it to them first.”

Also, if you have teens that won’t entertain a conversation, Brewer suggests different ways to communicate.

“Send them a link via text to an article," she says. "That’s a great way to continue to have the conversation without even having it.”

4. PAY ATTENTION TO WHO YOUR KID IS SPENDING TIME WITH.

Kids are going to be in situations where they may have one-on-one time with individuals, whether it's friends, teachers, coaches or sitters.

So how do you not get paranoid with every person your child is with?

For starters, check in with your kid in detail after they’ve been alone with someone, says Rosenzweig. “Keep the line of communication open. It doesn’t have to be in a paranoid way. Just ask, ‘What did you do?’ ‘Did you have fun?’ ‘Who was there?’”

Having such routine conversations will make a child feel OK to tell you if there is ever an incident where they do feel uncomfortable.

Brewer adds that while it’s important to minimize opportunity of incidents of child sex abuse by avoiding isolated situations with adults or other youths, it’s best to take a rational approach and trust your gut.

“If someone is spending considerable one-on-one time with your child, redirect their energy. Make them get together in public places. A lot of sexual abuse happens in the car. Don’t let them be in the car together,” she says.

5. KNOW THAT 'STRANGER DANGER' IS A MYTH.

“We have grown up with ‘stranger danger’ being forced down our throats,” says Brewer, referring to the idea that kids should avoid strangers to be safe from predatory activity.

The reality: 90 percent of people who are abused are abused by people who they know and trust.

“If that doesn’t make you pay attention to what is happening in your own back yard, I don’t know what will,” says Brewer.

People who abuse children look and act just like everyone else. They go out of their way to appear trustworthy, and seek out settings where they can gain easy access to children.

6. EDUCATE YOURSELF ON THE SIGNS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.

This is always the hardest with parents, says Brewer, because there aren’t always specific physical signs. “Trauma manifests itself differently" in everyone, Brewer says.

Focus on the extremes, she says. “If there is an extreme reaction to something, trust your gut and know something may be wrong.”

One example is the student who all of a sudden is growing their hair out, gaining weight, wearing baggy clothes, dabbling in substances. They are doing things that are going to hide the pain, hide themselves from what’s actually happening.

“They do that to try and look unattractive, so their abuser won’t want them anymore,” says Brewer.

7. KNOW THE THREE WORDS TO SAY IF A CHILD TELLS YOU OF ABUSE.

If your child, or any child you know, comes to you with a potential disclosure of being a sex abuse victim, there is only one thing to say: “I believe you.”

“Those three words alone start a conversation off the right way," says Brewer. "Don’t interrogate them. There are professionals who know how to do that. Making your child relive that trauma is not helpful to you, to the child, or to the professional. They are the ones that are going to ask the right question to get the information they need.”

BLUE CAMPAIGN - Homeland Security March 2019

March 2019 For more information visit the Blue CampaignTo report suspected human trafficking: 1-866-347-2423To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733)

In this issue:  What’s New with Blue? BLI Corner News You Can Use Social Media Shareables What’s New with Blue? In Case You Missed It: Facebook Live on Reporting Human Trafficking Polaris and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) came together to discuss what happens when you report human trafficking during a Blue Campaign Facebook Live in February. Panelists covered what to expect when calling the National Human Trafficking Hotline, how tips are investigated, and how victims are supported in the process. Watch the full conversation here: http://bit.ly/2BQ4dQH. Human Trafficking 101 It’s always a good time to revisit the indicators of human trafficking. Please share this content in newsletters, on websites, or repurpose it for social media sharing. Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide – including right here in the United States. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations. Language barriers, fear of their traffickers, and/or fear of law enforcement frequently keep victims from seeking help, making human trafficking a hidden crime. You can help identify potential victims by learning the key indicators of trafficking. Some common indicators to look for include: PhysicalDoes the person... Show signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture? Appear to be deprived of food, water, sleep, medical care, or other necessities? Lack personal possessions? SocialDoes the person... Work excessively long and/or unusual hours? Show sudden or dramatic changes in behavior? Act fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or nervous/paranoid? Defer to another person to speak for him or her? Appear to be coached on what to say? Appear disconnected from family, friends, community organizations, or place of worship? Not have the ability to leave where they live freely? For more information about this heinous crime and how to help identify victims, check out our Human Trafficking 101 one-pager or the “What is Human Trafficking?" infographic. You can help raise awareness by sharing these resources online or displaying them in your office or community. View more Blue Campaign resources here. Thank you for joining us in the fight against human trafficking. BLI Corner The Blue Lightning Initiative (BLI), led by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Department of Transportation (DOT), is an element of Blue Campaign. BLI trains airline personnel to identify potential traffickers and human trafficking victims, and to report their suspicions to federal law enforcement. The “BLI Corner” section of our newsletter will contain updates and stories related to the aviation industry and human trafficking. BLI Hosts Stakeholder SummitBLI stakeholders recently met for a one-day summit to discuss the importance of human trafficking awareness and response training in the aviation industry. The summit attracted stakeholders from across the United States including air carriers, port authorities, industry associations, and law enforcement agencies. Speakers at the summit included representatives from Blue Campaign, DOT, CBP, DHS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), Anchorage International Airport, Federal Aviation Administration, and a human trafficking survivor and advocate. To learn more about BLI and how you can play a role in combatting human trafficking, click here. Caption: Panelists answer questions regarding the role of their organizations in combating human trafficking at the BLI Stakeholder Summit (CBP Official Photo/Glenn Fawcett). News You Can Use Human-Trafficking Rings Stopped by Federal Authorities Increased by 20 Percent in Two Years (NBC Washington) A review of U.S. Justice Department data on trafficking cases initiated between 2015 and 2017 revealed a nearly 20 percent increase in the number of people charged with human trafficking by federal prosecutors during that period. Albert Pujols' Campaign Against Human Trafficking Inspires $500,000 Commitment From Major League Baseball and Players’ Association (Los Angeles Times) Major League Baseball player Albert Pujols and his wife launched a campaign against human trafficking two years ago. Major League Baseball and its players’ association recently joined the fight, announcing a $500,000 donation to charities focused on combating the crime. Health Professionals Learn How to Notice and Treat Victims of Human Trafficking(KRTV) The America Unchained Project, in collaboration with the Montana Department of Justice, recently trained health care workers in Helena on how to notice and treat human trafficking victims. Nearly 88 percent of human trafficking victims will see a medical provider when they are in captivity, making it essential for health care workers to know the physical and verbal indicators of a trafficking victim, America Unchained Project founder Charity Perenzini told the group. Project PA | 60 Percent of Sex, Human Trafficking Victims Once Involved in Foster Care System (CBS 21) Several nationwide studies show as many as 60 percent of sex and human trafficking victims in the United States were once in foster care. CBS21 News takes a look at the numbers and how they relate to victims in Pennsylvania for Project PA: Children in Crisis. Social Media Shareables Blue Campaign can now be tagged on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using @DHSBlueCampaign. Each month we will share content you can distribute on your own social channels to raise awareness of human trafficking in your communities. Who are the victims of #humantrafficking? Who is at risk? Learn these answers and more from @DHSBlueCampaign: http://bit.ly/2GEcbAj Check out this infographic from @DHSBlueCampaign to learn more about the different types of #humantrafficking: http://bit.ly/2U48qam Learn the indicators of #humantrafficking and the differences between trafficking and smuggling with this pocket-sized card from @DHSBlueCampaign: http://bit.ly/2NlSZrD ICYMI: @DHSBlueCampaign @Polaris_Project @ICEgov discussed what happens when you report a #humantrafficking tip. Watch here: http://bit.ly/2BQ4dQH For more information visit the Blue CampaignTo report suspected human trafficking: 1-866-347-2423To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733)

Epidemic of missing Black girls continues to stump authorities, frustrate parents

by Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

Lashaya Stine, 16

Lashaya Stine, 16, was walking down the street alone in Aurora, Colorado.

It doesn’t appear that the young African American female had any sort of trip planned, as she left her wallet and phone charger, and she didn’t take any clothes.

According to a television station in Denver, police released surveillance video of Stine taken on the morning of July 15 around 2:30 A.M. She is seen walking by herself in the area of East Montview and Peoria Street. The video was sent out to the public a little over two weeks after her disappearance in hopes of generating more leads.

Anya Washington, missing from Houston, Texas since Jan. 29.

The estimated 75,000 missing black women and girls continue to stump law enforcement while frustrating and devastating families. It forces the question: Does anyone care?

Since NNPA Newswire reported on the alarming lack of interest in the cases of missing black females, readers – including law enforcement – have responded by using social media to bring to light the host of African Americans and others of color who’ve gone missing.

The social media account for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children retweeted the NNPA Newswire story and then accumulated a long thread of missing girls – some as young as a few months old.

They began each tweet with: “Have you seen this child?”

Hazana Anderson, missing from College Station, Texas, since Oct. 28, 2018.

Among the missing are:

Tim’Monique Davis, missing from Moorhead, Minnesota since Jan. 20.

Anya Washington, missing from Houston, Texas since Jan. 29.

R’Mahnee Williams-Turner, missing from Palmdale, Calif., since Jan. 26.

Whitney Elliseau, missing from Lakewood, Calif., since Feb. 5.

Jada Cyrus, missing from Boston, Mass., since Jan. 29.

Myla Abanda, missing from Fairfax, Va., since Nov. 16.

Zakiah Abdul-Khaliq, missing from Austin, Texas, since Aug. 27, 2018.

Yasmin Acree, missing from Chicago, Ill., since Jan. 15, 2018.

Harmony Adams, missing from Columbus, Oh., since July 18, 2018.

Kelli Allen, missing from Atlanta, Ga., since Dec. 20, 2018.

Kelly Allen, Missing from Berkley, Miss., since March 13, 2007.

Kaaliyah Alston, missing from Hillsborough, NC., since Aug. 21, 2018.

Hazana Anderson, missing from College Station, Texas, since Oct. 28, 2018.

Karyn Anderson, missing from Walkersville, Md., since March 24, 2018.

Rae’vanna Anderson, missing from Duluth, Ga., since Nov. 3, 2018.

Rae’vanna Anderson, missing from Duluth, Ga., since Nov. 3, 2018.

A comprehensive list can be found on the website for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children(NCMEC).

For families with a missing or sexually exploited child, NCMEC provides crisis intervention and local counseling referrals to appropriate professionals.

The organization’s “Team HOPE” program connects families with peers who have had similar experiences and can offer coping skills and compassion. When a missing child is recovered, NCMEC helps the family with the reunification process, including mental health services and travel assistance.

Psychologist and Navy veteran Sheri Davis said it’s vital that the missing are given attention by the media and especially law enforcement.

Davis said she relates well with them on a couple of fronts: She once went missing and she’s also the victim of domestic violence, a trigger for some who’ve been made vulnerable to abductions, run away and become the eventual victim of sex trafficking.

“One thing I think for sure about the missing teens is that human trafficking is a hotbed in my city [and around the country],” said Davis, who lives in Madison, Alabama. “I think it’s very easy for the courts and police to turn their heads the other way and not deal with the problem at hand.”

Tim’Monique Davis, missing from Moorhead, Minnesota since Jan. 20.

Davis continued:

“I had to escape from my abuser in the middle of the night … naked and running down the road and praying that a good bystander helps me while I’m covered in blood. The families of these young ladies need to be in the face of [law enforcement officials] and let them see the pain they are in every day that those girls aren’t home or safe.”