Your Thoughts on Autism Alert Bracelets

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I can.

For instance:
-a fire, with a crowd of people trying to evacuate and acting like crowds of people do while the room fills with smoke and heat and the sirens blare and the lights flash, and everybody's talking while someone calls out commands and directions, and so on. A fire.
-a terrorist induced disaster, with all the fallout that entails, followed by authorities asking everybody if they saw anything unusual or anybody was behaving oddly, and your name or description pops up a lot. So, they get you into a room, start asking a lot of questions, maybe the media even catches on, and so it all continues...
-a drug ring or a bunch of KKK enthusiasts or bank robbers get busted, or some other criminal activity occurs and you're nearby. Maybe you're even in the same car as the drugs were found or maybe you just knew the head KKK enthusiast from your Friday night pottery class or whatever, and suddenly much like the terrorist scenario, you're suddenly the focus of everybody's attention.

And so on.

I think those bracelets are a good idea. I'm thinking of getting one.

I've just been reading over this thread because I've been vaguely wondering about getting a card or something to put in my purse.

I was only recently diagnosed (as an adult) and 90% of the time I pass easily for NT, I am also usually very good in crisis situations because I am able to detach and save the meltdown until I am in a safe space most of the time. However, it's partially because my Aspergers is not always 'obvious' that I've considered getting one of these cards.

Hopefully I would never have to use it, but since my father is a lawyer I have a bit of a thing about covering all bases. I know that if I were to be questioned by police, say as a witness or in any other capacity, what I would be most at risk of is getting myself into trouble because when I am stressed or have low energy I can't control my communication as well as most of the time- I take things a lot more literally than usual, I get hung up on technicalities, and I could easily see a police officer taking my behaviour as uncooperative or such if I get stressed and start ranting about their phrasing.

Similarly, if I were to be in an accident (I've recently got my driving licence hence the train of thought) and a paramedic were to assess me my processing/verbal skills would likely shut down. I can handle other people in an emergency very well, but myself not so much. I struggle to identify emotions and such and so if asked a simple question like 'one a scale of 1-10 how bad is the pain' that would likely tip me over because I don't understand the scale, how could I accurately quantify this sensation if I have never experienced both extremes before and been told clearly which number they were- and I would panic. I can also have a thing about medications, I get anxious unless I can read the information about them and know exactly what it does and why I need it.

But my biggest problem is probably that when in a highly stressed environment I have not encountered before with no-one else to channel my focus I become vulnerable to following whatever I am told and not speaking up. So I could struggle to communicate an injury if it wasn't obvious or I could struggle to pass on important information about a crime being committed because I didn't know when to say it or how or if I was getting in the way when trying to say it.

It's only occasionally, when I am drained or stressed that I lose my words, or that I would ever get near a full meltdown in a public situation, mostly due to the fact my sort of 'coping' mechanism was always escape, and so I have gotten pretty good at functioning on autopilot until I can get somewhere to let it all out- although it frays me right to the edge and I become very very anti-social.

My concern for wanting some form of identification is because I don't come across as autistic, because I can sound very intelligent and together using complex phrases as a learnt behaviour. I would be more likely to suffer because people would be very unlikely to assume the reasons for my behaviour as being Aspergers.

I agree it's a very personal choice, but little things- like when I visited the doctor yesterday and she examined my stomach, she read my slight reaction to her touch as pain, when in fact it was simply because my skin is very sensitive and the sensation was kind of intense, so I had to say that it was just because I have Aspergers and can be sensitive to touch- they make me realise how important it could be to have a short hand way of saying- there is another reason for this behaviour, if it should one day come up in an emergency situation.

I'm trying to think of a situation in which this would be useful.

I occasionally have moments in which I don't want to talk to people. Usually when I'm really mad, or sad. This basically never happens anymore, though, and when it does it's always around mental health people (people who make me mad and sad), and they already know I have autism. Lol

Nah, I don't see any reason to advertise the fact that I have autism. Things are complicated enough as they are

I recently had to speak to the police about a minor car accident I was in, and I put my card in my pocket for easy access in case I needed it. Fortunately my mom came with me and explained about my autism, and I managed to keep my words, which was helpful. I felt a little safer knowing I had that card if I needed it, and that I wouldn't just be arrested as a rebellious criminal for not answering their questions. My bracelet from my original post snapped back in April, and I've since replaced it with a more heavy-duty laser engraved metal tag on a nylon strap (this one: http://www.medicalidstore.com/inc/sdeta ... 1/1245/528 I hunted all over for a strap with dinosaurs on it ). The front reads, "Autism: Over Please" and the back has my name, my mom's phone number in case of emergency, and "non-verbal under stress". I recently started taking an SSRI though, so I had to order a new, updated tag with my meds listed on it in case I'm ever unconscious and being examined by paramedics.

I couldn't think of a reason I'd ever need it. I might have an anxiety attack but I've never felt I'm so bad off I couldn't communicate that to someone. Seems like it'd just be an attention grab if I wore one honestly.

I wear a lanyard when I go out. In new situations can freeze, have delayed responses, sounds instead of words.

I recently bought a paracord medical id bracelet, from here https://www.etsy.com/transaction/1155934090 and i am super happy with it. It has the words "I AM AUTISTIC" i would have gotten a silicone one but they are too uncomfortable for me

Chain bracelets drive me nuts. I always end up ripping them off, usually without being aware of it when it happens. Rubber and some leather are more tolerable, but usually irritate me more often than not. Can't stand necklaces of any kind.

Last edited by EzraS on 18 Jul 2016, 8:08 am, edited 1 time in total.

i can wear metal and other materials but silicone is impossible for me

I do always have a laminated card on me in case I get seperated and lost. I also have a recorded message on my phone that explains my condtions.

That's very smart. And practical.

Around where I live, EMS only looks for Medic Alert style BRACELETS only. I was told this when I had to figure out what to use for anaphylaxis.

The problem with your bracelet, it looks like all the generic plastic bracelets out there.

The problem with wallet cards is most EMS will not dig through a wallet.

If you truly need something to alert people, you need to use a silver medic alert style bracelet. That is what first responders are trained to look.

I'm all for SOME type of thing that identifies a person as being on the spectrum.

Even people who are on the high functioning end need some "protection" sometimes.

The card I got from the local Asperger's association (which more recently changed their name to NOT mention "Asperger's", but rather "Autism") warns people....like police officers....that an autistic person may not make eye contact or respond in expected ways. It warns them NOT to view such as "suspicious" behavior, since it can be totally normal in Autistics.

I'm glad to have that "shield". I mean, I've heard of fairly mobile people with CP being ARRESTED for being drunk in public because their movements and speech weren't normal. Police can be VERY unaware, and have a pretty narrow understanding of what's "normal".

i don't know, it might be appropriate i don't know, a do have meltdowns in public sometimes (which is embarrassing) and it most of the time renders me unable to talk or at least not able to talk properly. so a bracelet like that would tell people whats happening i guess. i don't see the point in the card though, what are they going to do "what the hell? he looks like he's having some sort of fit, better go through his wallet". its not entirely my first thought in a crisis. although you know, i do have some medical conditions that a bracelet might be appropriate for, at least as proof, as i can't eat a lot of things, dumb as that is because i can't eat a lot of things due to it, but im also a fussy eater so theres stuff i can eat, but won't. haha i don't know, i know me, i know what to do so i guess its unnecessary

I wish I had had a card to give to the kiosk lady in the mall yesterday who shouted at me to smile.
Then maybe she would think twice about harassing other people in that particular way.