NCT07225907

ESCAPE Kits for Elopement Prevention in Children With Autism

Education and Safety for Children With Autism to Prevent Elopement (ESCAPE) Kits Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 65 (actual)
• Sponsor: Medical University of South Carolina · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 4 Years – 11 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study will evaluate elopement prevention kits for children with autism spectrum disorder who exhibit elopement behavior such as dashing or wandering away from safe settings. Caregivers will be asked to rate how useful individual kit items are at reducing elopement, and to provide feedback about how ESCAPE kits affect their stress levels and ability to engage meaningfully in community settings. This study will also investigate how useful kit items are for various age groups in childhood and adolescence. Information will be used to guide development of a larger elopement prevention program.

Detailed description

open-label feasibility study evaluates the ESCAPE elopement prevention kits for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Kits include safety tools and visual aids intended to reduce elopement behavior. Caregivers assess the usefulness of each item and report on continued use, stress levels, and perceived impact on elopement behavior. Data will inform future large-scale studies.

Conditions

• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Child Safety
• Caregiver Stress

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Elopement Prevention Kits	Kits included high locks / bolts on doors (Wideskall 3" gate door latch), door/window alarm (GE 45117 Wireless Alarm with Programmable Keypad), stop sign visual aid (reusable sticker from stickergenius.com), ID tag (SmartKidsID Child ID / Medical ID shoe tag), Bluetooth tracker (BzT patch), safety harness (Dr. Meter AntiLost Link), temporary tattoos (SafetyTat), an information sheet that includes a disclaimer that kit items should be used as intended by manufacturer, that caregivers should monitor the continued proper use of kit items, and that the use of kit items is not a substitute for proper adult supervision of the child. This sheet also included other commonly-recommended EPM such inclusion of elopement accommodations in the child's individualized education plan (if applicable), informing neighbors and/or local law enforcement about the child's elopement behavior, use of safety gates at home, use of temporary tattoos, social stories, and consideration for swimming lessons.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-06-01
• Primary completion: 2022-01-04
• Completion: 2022-01-04
• First posted: 2025-11-10
• Last updated: 2025-11-10

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States