Autism GPS Tracker: How to Choose the Best GPS Tracker for your Kid

Looking for the best GPS tracker for your kid with autism?

Research suggests that 49% of kids with ASD engage in elopement behavior at least once after the age of 4 (Interactive Autism Network).  A GPS tracker for kids may be one of the best ways to keep your child safe. But as a parent of a kid with special needs, you must know that not all the options out there will work for you. A GPS tracker for kids with autism must have some special features.

Are worried about your child wandering off?  Are you afraid one morning you will wake up and find out that your kid has left the house? If you are the parent to an autistic kid or a child with special needs, chances are this is a real threat and not a parent’s paranoia.  In these cases, a special needs GPS tracker may be a life-saving device.

My son has already run away from the house four times. And half of my special needs Mom friends have experienced the exact same situation. So, our reality accurately reflects the elopement statistics I shared with you in the first line of this post.

The scariest thing is that our kids may be drawn to dangerous places like heavy traffic areas, train tracks or water attractions like rivers or lakes. And to make things even worse, lots of our autistic kids are not verbal and won´t be able to communicate.

A special needs GPS tracker is one of the best options to keep our kids safe. But it may be a bit overwhelming to look at all the options available and try to choose the best one.

I have produced a checklist with features and aspects you may need to consider when you shop for an autism GPS tracker. I hope it will help you make the best decision for you and your kid.

Table of contents:
– What is a GPS tracker for kids?
– How accurate are GPS Trackers?
– Autism GPS Tracker Checklist- Features and points you should consider
– AngelSense GPS Tracker: Why I think it is the best GPS tracker for kids with special needs.

This post contains affiliate links and we’ll earn a commission if you shop through them, at no extra cost for you. You can also read our Disclosure & Disclaimer policy here)

What is a GPS tracker for Kids?

A kid´s GPS tracker is a device that uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) to track the kid´s movements and location.
The GPS is a global navigation satellite system that provides geolocation to the GPS receiver.

How accurate is a GPS tracker?

GPS technology is very accurate when your kid is outdoors. But there can still be interferences when the satellite signal is blocked by buildings, bridges or trees.
The GPS typically has no reception when the kid is indoors.

For more details on GPS accuracy, you can read the Official U.S. government information about the Global Positioning System (GPS).

Autism GPS Tracker Checklist

Not every GPS tracker for kids will work for you if you have a child with special needs.

The following checklist lists a number of features and functionalities you may need to consider when choosing your child GPS tracker. 

GPS Tracker for Kids Checklist:

• How accurate is the location tracking?
• Does it feature geofencing?
  Geofencing is the ability to identify an area within which your child is allowed to move. For example, let´s say you live near a river. If you “fence” that area, you will receive a notification if your child goes near the river
• Does it feature “safe zone”?
  You would get a notification when your kid wanders from a set distance (for examples, if your kid gets away more than x meters)
• Does it notify fast movement?
  It will allow you to know when your kid is traveling by car or bus
• Is it battery operated and if so how long does the battery last?
  If the battery lasts 7 hours and your kid is going to be away all day, it may run out of battery by the end of the journey
• Is it water-resistant?
• Does it have a two-way communication feature?
  This feature allows both of you to easily communicate (if your child is verbal).
• Does it require a specific app or can you just use it on your phone?
• Can you add more than one person to the system (guardian & first responders)
  In the event of your kid getting lost or wandering off, this feature allows you to send an instant message to a list of pre-designated responders who can help in the search.
• How will you get the notifications?
  Some trackers send notifications via email and text  (you pay for text) and some others receive in-app notifications
• How does it show your kid’s location?
  A map, satellite view?
• Does it have an augmented reality mode?
  With some GPS trackers, you can actually see where your child is
• Does it provide you with a history of your child’s movements?
• Does it have a listen-in feature? This feature allows you to know what is happening around your child

Child-specific considerations

• Where do you put the GPS?
  Lots of child GPS trackers in the market are meant to be carried in a backpack, on a necklace or in a pocket.But what happens if he leaves his backpack behind or she removes her necklace?. Which takes me to my next point:
• Will your kid be able to remove it?
  It does not actually work if your child decides to remove the device, does it? A tamper-proof GPS tracker is essential for those kids who will remove the GPS.
• Is it small or bulky? Will he/she be comfortable?
• Is your child always at risk of wandering off or just in specific situations? This may also be an important consideration when you try to decide what the best option for you could be.

Other considerations:

• How good is their customer service? Can you call them 24 hours? Do they have a live chat?
  Some manufacturers will not be based in your own country. Check what their customer service availability is

AngelSense Autism GPS Tracker: Why I think it is the best GPS tracker for kids with special needs

What is AngelSense?

AngelSense is a wandering and safety solution that includes a non-removable GPS device for the child and an app for the parent.

I am an affiliate for AngelSense because I think they are the best GPS tracker solution for kids with special needs. The company was founded by a parent to an autistic kid, the majority of their employees are special needs parents, and their Customer Care Team is entirely made up of special needs parents that use AngelSense with their own children.

In other words, they get it, and know what they are doing. And this becomes obvious when you read through the AngelSense GPS tracker features.

But, let´s dive into its features, its pros, and some cons.

AngelSense Autism GPS Tracker for Kids: Features/ Pros

• It is tamper-proof. It can only be removed with the parent key.
• They have different wearable options available to suit different needs:
  • the device can be attached to clothes with a fabric sleeve and special pins (it can go discreetly in the pocket)
  • for kids who don’t have pockets or need to change clothes, there is a fabric belt option that goes under the clothing.
  • one of the wearable options is a compression shirt with a pouch. This is a great option for sensory seekers. The sleeveless shirt has flat seams, no tags, and soft, stretchy material.
• Listen-in option. You can listen to what is happening around your kid. This is a great anti-bullying feature
• Two-way call. The best thing about AngelSense two-way call is that your kid doesn´t need to pick up the phone. The device will auto-pick up the call.
• Unexpected place alert– you get a notification in your app if your kid is in an unexpected place
• Late departure alert– you also get a notification if he has not left the school at the usual time and make sure your kid is not left behind.
• Runner mode– lots of our kid are “runners”. It just takes a few seconds for them to disappear. The runner mode provides live 10-second updates and directions on the map to where your kid is.
• An alarm that can be activated to locate your kid in a crowd or when hiding
• Indoor search: this solution uses Wi-Fi hotspots to find your child in a mall, school, or large indoor facility.
• First responder group alarm– you can send an alert to a group of first responders with information regarding the kid´s location and direction
• Your own location on a map– you can see your own location on a map and the distance between you and your child

Great, isn´t it? Well, it is also a risk-free trial with a 30-day money back policy that gives you time to make sure it actually works for you.

The Cons

When you start doing your own research you will realize that there is no perfect option.

I wanted to mention a few issues that you may find with this GPS tracker for you to have the full picture:

• It is not a cheap option
• Although it has a listen-in feature, the sound may be muffled by the layers of clothes
• Sometimes devices freeze
• It doesn´t have an augmented reality feature. But, I must also say that it would actually not work because the GPS is hidden in the clothes, so you would not really see anything anyway.
• It currently only ships to the USA, Canada and most recently the UK.  (This is why I´ve made sure I was providing you at the beginning with a list of features and points to consider in case you are reading this from another country.

I hope this post helps you navigate through all the features and decision you may need to consider when you look for the best GPS tracker for your special needs child.

Other Autism Resources in this blog

• Autism & Elopement: 30 Tips to Help Prevent Autism Wandering
• Autism & Head Banging: How to Prevent it / Minimize Harm
• Autism & Anxiety: 25 Calming Strategies / 24 Anxiety Triggers

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