Teaching help‐seeking when lost to individuals with autism spectrum disorder

Carlile et al. (2018) worked with children with autism. The goal was to teach them what to do if they got lost.

The team used short videos. Each video showed a child asking for help in two ways. One way was calling a parent on FaceTime. The other way was handing an adult an ID card.

The study ran in real places like stores and parks. The kids first watched the clips. Then they practiced during real errands with their families.

Every child learned both help-seeking moves. They used FaceTime or the ID card without reminders.

The skill stuck. One to two weeks later the kids still asked for help when the team pretended to be lost again. They also used the skill in new stores and new towns.

Abadir et al. (2021) used the same video-package to teach a different safety skill: refusing abduction lures. Both studies got fast, strong results. This pattern shows one method can cover many street dangers.

Groom-Shedler et al. (2025) later copied the idea for poison safety. Video modeling again worked, but two kids needed a quick real-life rehearsal. That small tweak updates the 2018 protocol: start with video, then add live practice if needed.

Cohen et al. (1990) once taught autistic teens to offer help, not ask for it. Their old behavioral-skills package also showed wide generalization. Together the papers prove autistic learners can master both giving and getting help in the community.

You can add this two-step safety plan to any community outing. Show a one-minute clip, then practice during the actual trip. No extra toys or drills are needed. Parents like it because the child keeps an ID card or uses the family phone—tools they already carry. Start this week by filming your own short clip of a child saying “I’m lost, please call my mom,” then test it at one new store.