Why is My Child Eloping and What Can I Do? | Autism Community

Why is My Child Eloping and What Can I Do? | Autism Community

As with any problem behavior, it is essential to first determine the function of the behavior. This is the WHY. There are two common reasons an individual with autism may elope (defined as the act of leaving an area without permission or notification which usually leads to placing that individual in a potentially dangerous situation): (1) to GET something or somewhere preferred, or (2) to ESCAPE something or somewhere non-preferred. Once you’ve determine why the individual is eloping, there are a few strategies which may be helpful.