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SALT LAKE CITY — Riley Nelson was diagnosed with Autism when he was 2-years-old, and he has been wandering ever since.
Wandering is one of the biggest issues for parents of children with autism. Utah leads the nation with one in 47 children diagnosed with the disorder, and about 50 percent will wander.
"As soon as he goes missing I am terrified," said Riley's mother, Tricia Nelson. "It becomes a life or death situation immediately."
Lieutenant Mark Lowther, of the Weber County Sheriff's Office, is teaching law enforcement how to track down children who've wandered.
"Time is critical and we don't want officers behind the learning curve," Lowther said.
Lowther said over 50 percent of autistic children are non-verbal, so if you're searching for them they may not respond. He suggested going inside buildings instead of just calling for the child, and checking near water, because children with autism often have a fascination with it. When the child is found, an eye should be kept on them until family can arrive.
• Check near water
•Keep an eye on the child until family arrives
Researchers haven't identified the reason for wandering, said James Vaughan from Families of Autism and Aspergers Standing Together.
"We just don't know what is in their DNA, what is in their pathology that says, 'I need to get out of a safe place,' " Vaughan said.
It's a challenge Nelson faces every hour of every day, and she said she wants the community to learn what to do if they ever find Riley or any other child with autism alone.
"It's a worry that consumes me all throughout the day and the night as well," Nelson said.
