Today I have been rudely reminded about the importance of autism awareness in our local community, of unconditional love, faith and hope.
During our traditional post-Christmas clear out of empty cardboard boxes and wrapping paper, we took our attention off Houdini for about 2 minutes but that was all it took for him to vanish from playing on the trampoline in our supposedly, secure back garden.
His dad checked the house, looking in cupboards, under beds, all the safe havens imaginable and all the time, losing valuable minutes. We checked out the sheds. Tick, tock! I took the car and searched the surrounding roads for any sight of him wandering.
Our wonderful neighbours came to our assistance and searched their own properties and helped conduct door-to-door inquiries in our street and beyond. Tick, tock! The near by cemetery was examined but he could not be located.
There really are no words to describe the overwhelming emotions and physical pain you experience when your heart is literally in your mouth and you can hardly breathe because you know your child has no road sense, will not respond to their own name, is attracted to water and has been missing for at least 30 minutes.
In panic I phoned 999. It had never got to this point before. I'd seen things on television where a person has to be missing for a specific length of time before emergency services will intervene. I now know that with an autistic child, this is not the case.
The policeman on the switchboard said his girlfriend's little brother has autism and it soon became apparent that he could relate to exactly what Houdini's difficulties are. I seemed to be on the phone for ages answering follow-up questions. The clock kept ticking. An hour had passed. The panic remained.
Suddenly optimistic news arrived that there may have been a sighting of him at a local petrol station. The policeman on the phone said to wait until the child's identity was confirmed.
Within 5 minutes, Houdini was home, completely caked in mud and not overly concerned about his adventure at all. Meanwhile his parents and grandparents shared torrents of tears from relief and the vivid realisation of what could have happened.
Another young policeman visited our home to tie up loose ends of paperwork and witness the happy ending to the incident and we, still in shock, hugged our boy that little bit tighter. Picking up on our energies, Houdini cried as he cuddled.
It was only later that we were able to find out some of what happened. We can only assume that Houdini climbed our fence into our next door neighbours' garden and then climbed their fence into a church car park.
On finding the main road, he was spotted walking up the centre, admiring the white lines. He was approached by a local man out on his bicycle who got him safely off the road but he immediately bolted on a mission towards a play park. Fortunately, this man had a fleeting enough glimpse to glean that Houdini is pre-verbal and after phoning his wife for back up, followed in hot pursuit.
It was then that an amazing coincidence occurred. I rarely attend church any more but I do bring my children on Christmas day. Houdini rarely settles and it proves to be a bit of an ordeal to be honest but I think it's important that they understand the true context of Christmas. Turns out this man's wife was also in the congregation and although we never actually met, she recognised Houdini straight away. Since my parents are regular attenders, she was able to reunite him with my dad at the local petrol station where they all ended up.
So all's well that ends well for us at least. The materialism of Christmas has been put in its place and for now, the regular, accidental destruction of our possessions seems so much less important!
I am glad that I have always been "upfront" about autism. I am so very grateful that our neighbours are informed and supportive of Houdini's condition. I appreciate all their help and the help of the PSNI in trying to locate our vulnerable little boy. I am relieved that despite society often being too fearful to approach children, somebody did and kept him safe. Most of all I am thankful that he is home where he belongs!
P.S. 2/1/16 Hopes and prayers go out for the safe return of this little boy currently missing in the US.
http://www.wfmz.com/news/news-regional-lehighvalley/Search-for-missing-autistic-boy-enters-third-day/37232842
P.P.S. 3/1/16
R.I.P. little Jayliel Vega
Read more from WFMZ.com at: http://www.wfmz.com/news/news-regional-lehighvalley/coroner-confirms-body-of-missing-5-year-old-boy-found-in-lehigh-canal/37234666
During our traditional post-Christmas clear out of empty cardboard boxes and wrapping paper, we took our attention off Houdini for about 2 minutes but that was all it took for him to vanish from playing on the trampoline in our supposedly, secure back garden.
His dad checked the house, looking in cupboards, under beds, all the safe havens imaginable and all the time, losing valuable minutes. We checked out the sheds. Tick, tock! I took the car and searched the surrounding roads for any sight of him wandering.
Our wonderful neighbours came to our assistance and searched their own properties and helped conduct door-to-door inquiries in our street and beyond. Tick, tock! The near by cemetery was examined but he could not be located.
There really are no words to describe the overwhelming emotions and physical pain you experience when your heart is literally in your mouth and you can hardly breathe because you know your child has no road sense, will not respond to their own name, is attracted to water and has been missing for at least 30 minutes.
In panic I phoned 999. It had never got to this point before. I'd seen things on television where a person has to be missing for a specific length of time before emergency services will intervene. I now know that with an autistic child, this is not the case.
The policeman on the switchboard said his girlfriend's little brother has autism and it soon became apparent that he could relate to exactly what Houdini's difficulties are. I seemed to be on the phone for ages answering follow-up questions. The clock kept ticking. An hour had passed. The panic remained.
Suddenly optimistic news arrived that there may have been a sighting of him at a local petrol station. The policeman on the phone said to wait until the child's identity was confirmed.
Within 5 minutes, Houdini was home, completely caked in mud and not overly concerned about his adventure at all. Meanwhile his parents and grandparents shared torrents of tears from relief and the vivid realisation of what could have happened.
Another young policeman visited our home to tie up loose ends of paperwork and witness the happy ending to the incident and we, still in shock, hugged our boy that little bit tighter. Picking up on our energies, Houdini cried as he cuddled.
It was only later that we were able to find out some of what happened. We can only assume that Houdini climbed our fence into our next door neighbours' garden and then climbed their fence into a church car park.
On finding the main road, he was spotted walking up the centre, admiring the white lines. He was approached by a local man out on his bicycle who got him safely off the road but he immediately bolted on a mission towards a play park. Fortunately, this man had a fleeting enough glimpse to glean that Houdini is pre-verbal and after phoning his wife for back up, followed in hot pursuit.
It was then that an amazing coincidence occurred. I rarely attend church any more but I do bring my children on Christmas day. Houdini rarely settles and it proves to be a bit of an ordeal to be honest but I think it's important that they understand the true context of Christmas. Turns out this man's wife was also in the congregation and although we never actually met, she recognised Houdini straight away. Since my parents are regular attenders, she was able to reunite him with my dad at the local petrol station where they all ended up.
So all's well that ends well for us at least. The materialism of Christmas has been put in its place and for now, the regular, accidental destruction of our possessions seems so much less important!
I am glad that I have always been "upfront" about autism. I am so very grateful that our neighbours are informed and supportive of Houdini's condition. I appreciate all their help and the help of the PSNI in trying to locate our vulnerable little boy. I am relieved that despite society often being too fearful to approach children, somebody did and kept him safe. Most of all I am thankful that he is home where he belongs!
P.S. 2/1/16 Hopes and prayers go out for the safe return of this little boy currently missing in the US.
http://www.wfmz.com/news/news-regional-lehighvalley/Search-for-missing-autistic-boy-enters-third-day/37232842
P.P.S. 3/1/16
R.I.P. little Jayliel Vega
Read more from WFMZ.com at: http://www.wfmz.com/news/news-regional-lehighvalley/coroner-confirms-body-of-missing-5-year-old-boy-found-in-lehigh-canal/37234666