"Crisis Card"

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I have an Autism Alert card from the National Autistic Society which I have used in the past when I had been very distressed; when I am very distressed I go non-verbal, I scream, I lash out at people when they get too close and I cannot communicate my feelings (due to being non-verbal at the time and not knowing any sign language).

However my occupational therapist I feel that the Autism Alert card is not good enough as it doesn't list what I find most helpful when I am having a panic attack or otherwise distressed.

I have a long history of absconding/running off. Last week I ran out of my house at 8pm and didn't come back home until much later. I walked and walked in the dark and then sat on a bench, extremely distressed (I was pacing and rocking back and forth). I couldn't speak and I couldn't communicate by texting either. The only reason I got back home was because I was really bursting for the toilet. If I hadn't needed to go to the toilet, I would have walked for hours in the dark. I have been picked up by police several times after absconding from school or running off otherwise, and some of those times turned out very badly when the police made physical contact with me, or tried to force me to speak.

So my OT and I think I should make a "crisis card" which I can show to people who are trying to help me when I run off and am found.

What do you think I should put on it? Any suggestions?

Maybe just directly write something like:

Hi, my name is:

I have a communication impairment due to Autism.

Please do not touch me or ask me questions. (maybe: I am unable to process your intent and this increases my distress).


Then it depends on what you want from people from there:

Here are three simple steps:

or, this is what I need from you:

and maybe: please notify: so-and-so at this number.

Just keep it short and clear: 1-2-3 sort of thing.

What happens and why
What people can do to make it better
Anyone they can contact if need be

Try making them on a website like vistaprint.com - you can see what you're making and it's pretty cheap

How about something like this:

Does anyone have any experience with that actually working? I'd love to carry one of those if it would actually help rather than panic people more.

What about going to your local PD at some point when you are calm and talking with a cop there and let him know that you have been picked up by them several times, and that you wanted to make sure they had some information on you. They can take your picture and write down the information and show it to the cops in the areas you go to, so they are familiar with you and will know what to do when you are in a crisis. It will be especially helpful if you go either by yourself or have someone take you there to talk to them. That way they see that you are wanting to cooperate with them and wanting to teach them how to help you when you need it.

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I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
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In 1991 I worked in a mail room. The boss told a story of when he used to be in a rock band and had long hair. Driving through a suburban area of Houston with it's own police force, he was pulled over nearly every day. He finally called the police station, politely asked to speak with a sergeant, and said, "Hey, I'm just a guy driving to work." And it worked. They stopped pulling him over.

So, I agree with OliveOilMom. Calling or visiting your local police department in a positive spirit can work. I think having an advocate with you helps, in that the advocate acts as a fair witness, and the officer is likely to be on his or her best behavior. Just have a couple of positive suggestions ready of what the police can do to help you.

Hi SteelMaiden, maybe your occupational therapist could help line someone up to teach you some basic sign language?

Even knowing just two short phases would help. It would give yourself something energetic to do with your hands. And hopefully the person could see with their own two eyes that you can't talk. And if need be, just keep signing the same two phases over and over again.

Thank you everyone for these great ideas.

I will compose a card using your ideas soon.

And going to the police station with an advocate is a good idea. I can take my support worker with me as my advocate. I can ask the police officers to input what I suggest to them into the Police National Computer. I actually already have a record on the PNC that says I'm autistic, but I don't think it was typed very well because the last time I was picked up by the police, they didn't seem at all understanding and I ended up handcuffed in the back of a police van.