GPS Tracking

Disease Experts Recommend Tracking System

Two new studies were released in February, offering new information about the possible causes of autism, a developmental disorder that is said to affect 1 percent of children.

• The first, a long-established study that suggested autism is linked to childhood vaccinations, has been debunked by medical specialists in Britain. Dr. Andrew Wakefield did some famous research 12 years ago and concluded that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and other inoculations that use the mercury-based preservative thimerosal were unsafe. Wakefield’s professional peers concluded that his research was biased because the doctor stood to benefit financially from the results.
• The second study said that a woman significantly increases her risk of having an autistic child when she is over 40 years old. In fact, the older mother has a 50 percent greater chance of bearing an autistic child than a woman in her 20s. This goes against a 2006 study that suggested it was the father’s age that most affected the likelihood of autism, and not the mother’s age.

But many parents are finding it hard to abandon their established beliefs about autism’s cause.  Controversy continues, but only adds more mystery to the disease.

Autism, virtually unheard of a generation ago, is a disease that is growing at an alarming rate. Disability ranges from people with poor social skills and a sensitivity to light and touch; to a complete inability to communicate and interact with others – even family.

Though autism varies by individual severity, some of the common symptoms include:

• Withdrawn.
• Exaggerated reaction to loud noises.
• Inability to accept changes in route.
• Speech and language delays.
• Difficulty making eye contact.
• Performing repetitive movements like banging, rocking  or spinning.

There is no known cure for autism, although symptoms might become less severe with early intervention, and as the individual matures.  Some parents do not care about how or why their children got the disorder; as much as they want to protect them and help them develop.

Safety is one of the biggest issues affecting the daily lives of autistics and their families. According to the National Autism Association, 92 percent of parents who responded to a survey said their autistic child is prone to wandering. At the same time, children with autism are extremely weak in communication and socialization skills. They might run, withdraw or react violently when approached by a stranger.

The National Autism Association recommends that families draw up a safety plan for their autistic loved one.  It should include: teaching neighbors and first responders how to react prior to an emergency; securing the home, school and workplace against easy escape; and employing some form of personal tracking system.

Electronic tracking systems got their start, mostly for vehicle tracking in fleet management, law enforcement, military and private investigations. Today, GPS tracking devices are used to monitor every generation in a family: small, vulnerable child; new teen driver; college student; evasive spouse; and forgetful parent.

Some GPS tracking solutions for autism currently on the market are also being used for the elderly or those suffering from brain trauma or Alzheimer’s disease.

Below are some examples:

• Most  wireless (cell) phone companies offer GPS tracking applications. Location is determined by cell tower triangulation or a combination of wireless and satellite technologies. Cell phone tracking systems have been criticized for being inconsistent. Location data is usually general, rather than exact.
• GPS tracking units incorporated into ordinary personal objects. Examples are watches, pendants and shoes. A tracking system like this might be good for the autistic because the individual does not bear responsibility for carrying it and it is not obtrusive and obvious.
• Handheld or belt-clip tracking systems. These units often look like a cell phone but are more simplified; often with an alert or panic button that will dial a preprogrammed number, email or text a caregiver. They might have a geo-fencing feature that trips an alert if the individual moves outside a designated “safe zone.”
• Modified GPS vehicle tracking systems. This solution would be very similar to the real-time GPS tracking systems that monitor the location of cars and trucks. Today the hardware is very small and lightweight, battery power is extensive and the electronics are more sophisticated, all due to advances in the industry.

Some GPS tracking systems put the tracking responsibility on a family member or care giver. Some systems forward their GPS tracking data to police authorities and still others use an independent 24-hour response center.

It should be pointed out that some autism sufferers highly object to changes in routine, surroundings or people, so there might be some initial resistance to a GPS tracking solution. GPS experts and autism specialists suggest: gently, keep trying. Repetition eventually becomes routine.  And you can’t put a price on peace of mind.

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Tags: Autism, causes, developmental disorder, symptoms

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This entry was posted on Friday, February 12th, 2010 at 5:24 pm and is filed under GPS Tracking, Personal Tracking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.