A MUM has been forced to lock her child to his bed to keep him from getting into trouble.
In a video, mum Meghan Joy Rodgers, shows the contraption she had made to keep her young son in his bed.
TikTokMeghan shows the contraption (pictured) she had made to keep her son in bed[/caption]
The tent which sits in the boy’s cot is fastened shut with several safety pins (pictured)
“This is the only way I can keep my autistic son safe in his bed,” she explained.
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world.
Children with condition can display some behaviours which health professionals call “challenging”.
They are also prone to meltdowns, which is when the person has complete loss of control over their behaviour.
Meghan has put a tent in her son’s cot, which she fastens shut with several safety pins.
“However, sometimes he gets out even with the safety pins…help,” she said.
The clip, which has been shared on TikTok, has been viewed by over 4million times.
Social media users have flocked to the comment section to raise concerns over the little boy’s safety.
“What happens when there is a fire?” one person asked.
“If there is a fire it’s not safe, small children are not going to get themselves out if there is a fire,” another added.
However, Meghan assured users that she has something on hand to rip the tend open in case of a fire.
“It’s right next to me on my night stand, so i can grab it very easily if needed,” she explained.
What are the signs and symptoms of autism in young children?
The NHS outlines the signs of symptoms of autism spectrum disorder in young children:
avoiding eye contactnot smiling when you smile at themgetting very upset if they do not like a certain taste, smell or soundrepetitive movements, such as flapping their hands, flicking their fingers or rocking their bodynot talking as much as other childrennot doing as much pretend playrepeating the same phrases
How to manage challenging behaviour and support children with autism
There are ten behaviourial strategies that are super easy to implement with children with autism, in the classroom and even at home.
Teach time management Set realistic expectations Reinforce positive behaviorsGive choices for non-preferred activities Use visuals and social stories Teach coping skills and calming strategies Practice transitionsBe consistent each dayConsider sensory needsTeach self-monitoring and emotion regulation
Source: Applied Behavior Analysis programs guide