I noticed in this essay: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_i ... 3145970957
Quote:
Wandering
97% of individuals with autism wander. Wandering can be very dangerous. Many people with autism are drawn to water sources, have a love for water, and will go right into a lake or river. They don’t have the sense of danger to tell them that this can be dangerous. Not so shocking, the number one cause of death among individuals who do wander is drowning. Being drawn to things like train track or small places is also common and can be deadly as well. When you have an autistic child that wanders, you need to be vigilant 100 percent of the time. Many families live in "the house of locks," locking both inside and outside the house in a desperate attempt to keep their loved one inside and safe. When your child is a wanderer, looking away for even a moment is dangerous. It only takes a moment for a child to slip away and when they do, you don't know if you will find them and if you do, if they will be alive, when you find them. These are only a few common safety concerns.
I didn't realize this was a thing? I know I wandered several times in my childhood. I remember being caught outside and across the street one morning. I remember one occasion when I disappeared for most of a day. I remember another time I went for a walk and ended up at a park nearly a mile away from home (and got in so much trouble). I had other similar occasions as well, but my memory is not cooperating fully.
In early adolescence and my teens I had a tendency to go just about anywhere I wanted, which was aided significantly by the process of memorizing bus routes and hindered by my tendency to go places I didn't have permission for and come home later than I was supposed to.
Is wandering that common? Does this sound like wandering?