The Hidden Summer Danger Every Autism Parent Needs to Know About
Summer in Dubai is intense — blazing heat, busy beaches, crowded malls, and disrupted school routines. For most families, it means more quality time together. But for parents raising a child on the autism spectrum, summer also quietly raises one of the most frightening risks they face: wandering. If your child has ever bolted toward a door, slipped away in a crowd, or disappeared from a play area in seconds, you already know the terror of that moment. You're not alone — and this is not something to brush aside. What Is Wandering in Children with Autism? Wandering, also known as elopement, refers to when a child leaves a safe, supervised space without permission. It could mean darting out of the front door, running away at a park, or disappearing in a shopping centre. For children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), this behaviour is surprisingly common. Research published in the journal Pediatrics found that nearly half of children with ASD had attempted to wander or elope at...