Saturday, November 9, 2013

GPS Device Helpful in Protecting Autistic Children

In May 2013 the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), was published and created big news in the autism community by combining what had formerly been disparate types of brain development disorders into one category called “autism spectrum disorder” (ASD).


Autism on the RiseSo what is autism? It’s difficult to define simply. It refers to various complicated disorders that affect normal brain development. These conditions tend to reveal themselves in communication and social interaction difficulties, delayed intellectual and motor skills, difficulty with attention span, and in repetitive actions. At the same time, there are numerous documented cases of individuals with ASD excelling in certain areas, especially mathematics and the arts.


One particularly troubling way that autism manifests itself in some children is in a tendency to wander away from home, day care, church, school, and so on. That’s why it has been exciting to see the MedicAlert Foundation (a nonprofit, charity organization) release a new technology in August 2013: the MedicAlert® GPS + Essential. This GPS device allows parents to know exactly where their children are at any time. How does it work?


According to the company, the device is equipped with a feature they’ve dubbed the “Safety Circle.” This lets parents or other caregivers create a number of “circles” around the child’s home, educational institution, day care, place of worship, etc. When the child is wearing or carrying the device (which is very small and can be attached to the child’s clothing or placed in a backpack or pocket) and leaves a Safety Circle, the parent is immediately notified through email or text message. Since it’s a GPS device, it not only notifies parents that the child has left an allowed area, it also enables parents to know exactly where the child is—before he or she is in a dangerous situation.


One can imagine this type of GPS technology being helpful in a variety of situations, including being expanded to elderly patients suffering from dementia. This lifesaving application of GPS is gaining ground internationally, although some privacy groups advise caution when considering the tracking of individuals without their knowledge. Some police departments, for example, want to track seniors with dementia in their precincts in order to save time if they wander from home and require rescuing.



GPS Device Helpful in Protecting Autistic Children

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