Finally, the research supports what we’ve known all along…. children with Autism Spectrum Disorders are known to wander and bolt. This is a very stressful experience for parents, and one with which they receive little support because of the false belief that this is due to poor parenting or inattentiveness. :http://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/study-confirms-autism-wandering-common-scary
The main reasons for why children wander or bolt, as indicated in this article are: “When asked why their child with autism wandered, just over half of parents indicated that their child “simply enjoys running and/or exploring.” Other common reasons included heading to a favorite place, escaping an anxious situation, escaping uncomfortable sensory stimuli or pursuing a special interest (each reported by roughly a third of parents).”
Help a fellow parent out – In the next time you see a child wandering or bolting, intervene to prevent injury or allowing the child to get too far from his/her parent!