Problem
(19 May 2010)
(Sent to autsupott, the Autism Support email list for Ottawa)
Tonight our ASD six year old finally mastered the plastic door
"apples" that we have been using as a child-lock on his door handle.
So this means that we now need another idea for keeping him in his
room, mostly overnight, but also during time-out intervals when he is
being difficult and unhappy.
...oh and to protect the other doors he isn't permitted through.
Even if he couldn't dismantle a child gate (which he can), he could
easilly kick one down if he was so inclined (which he is when he's
being unhappy).
Before we resort to a sliding door latch or equivalent, has anyone in
the group had any experience in this, good or bad? I'd ideally like
something that can be unlocked from the inside, should an adult get
trapped inside… and I don't want to drill big holes in the door for
deadbolts, since they are overkill for other reasons.
I figure if we can come up with a solution that will just teach him
that the door doesn't open when we don't want it to, he'll leave it
alone for the most part -- that's part of the reason why the apples
worked so long.
I'm sort of resigned to having to sit up there until he goes to
sleep, ordering him back into his room every time he sticks his nose
out. Problem is, that turns it into an attention-seeking game and
totally defeats the purpose of confining him.
(I'm actually suprised that the door apples lasted this long -- his
younger brother had them figured at 2 1/2.)
Thanks for any ideas anyone has.
Solution
After doing a bit of research, I can find no supporting evidence that
confining a child for reasonable periods is specifically illegal.
Usually in discussions like this you can find someone who can quote
actual statute or case law (for any legal system, not just Ontario
Canada), and in the absence of that, I conclude that it is legal at
this time.
Not to say that unreasonable confinement (ie locking the child in a
room and then going out to a party; not providing suitable
ventilation, bathroom breaks, etc) is acceptable. The legal system will look at
individual cases and make a determination if it constitutes child abuse.
It is a risk in terms of preventing a rapid exit from a home in an
emergency situation. Best practices include making sure all caregivers
can rapidly unlock any door and are explicitly told to brief any
rescue personel as to the nature and location of any lock.
Specifically in our case, I like the reverse-privacy-knob idea the
best, in that it is simple, doesn't damage the door or the frame, and
can usually be "picked" from the inside by an adult with an
appropriate tool. In an emergency situation the knob/frame is
essentially unchanged and can be physically forced by rescue
personnel.
In the long run, building a framework with my child such that he will
self-regulate and such confinements will no longer be necessary is
the goal, one we are already working towards but we are not there yet.
This isn't an ideal solution, but it isn't an ideal problem either.
Right now I can't trust my child unattended in the house, and frankly
my wife and I have to sleep sometime. This to my mind balances the
risks involved.
Thanks all for the discussion.