A dad created an app to help his son with autism. It saved another child's life.
When children with autism started losing their lives to wandering off alone, one dad used technology to save them.
Every parent wants to keep their kids safe, but that task can be difficult for parents raising children with autism.
Being a parent is a challenging job, but it's even more complex for those raising children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a developmental disability that affects individuals socially and behaviorally. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 1 in 68 children in America has been identified as having ASD. That is a significant number for a disorder that currently has no cure.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, wandering off or "eloping" is a major cause for concern for children with ASD.
Children with ASD often wander off, and that can be extremely scary for parents. Photo via iStock.
Studies have shown that almost 50% of families dealing with ASD reported that their kids wandered off at least once between the ages of 4 and 17.
Many of these wandering cases don't end well. In 2015, the National Autism Association recorded 32 wandering deaths for the year, which was a new record. Many of these wandering children die due to drowning, walking into traffic, and hypothermia.
One dad with a son diagnosed with ASD decided to use technology to prevent wandering, and it saved a child's life.
Doron Somer is a co-founder of AngelSense, a GPS and voice-monitoring app designed for children with special needs.
Doron and his son, Itamar, are all smiles when they're together. Photo courtesy of Doron Somer, used with permission.
On Jan. 21, 2016, his company launched its First Responder Alert, which gives parents the ability to broadcast an emergency alert to a predefined group of trusted people in case a child wanders off.
"We have made it our mission to prevent, or at the very least limit, the potentially disastrous effects of this behavior," Doron said. "During an emergency, every minute is crucial, and the first hour is often critical in determining if the child will be found."
Precious minutes can tick away when parents panic and worry about who to contact for help. But the First Responder Alert app sends an instant push notification with the child's location to a predetermined team to begin a rescue mission.
That saves valuable time.
A click of a button on the AngelSense First Responder Alert will instantly notify a team to find the missing child. GIF via AngelSense, used with permission.
When the First Responder Alert was beta-tested in late 2015, it saved the life of a missing 17-year-old boy with autism in New York City by alerting the NYPD to track his location.
Since then, AngelSense helped save the lives of multiple children. That's all of the proof Doron needed to know he was onto something powerful.
There are a lot of GPS tracking apps out there. What makes this so special?
"AngelSense is much more than a tracker or child locater," Doron told Upworthy.
According to the company, AngelSense is the only device designed for children with sensory sensitivities. It is attached to the inner part of the child's pants pocket and can only be removed by a parent with a special magnet key.
Additionally, AngelSense learns the child's daily schedule and lets parents see their child's route and locations during the whole day in a user-friendly format.
The AngelSense app is designed to be extremely easy to use. Photo from AngelSense, used with permission.
If for some reason the child visits an unexpected location, parents are notified instantly.
If a child is in a place where he or she isn't supposed to be, parents will alerted immediately. Photo from AngelSense, used with permission.
Parents can also listen in to the child's surroundings to sense their well-being and ensure their safety. According to AngelSense, this feature helps validate emergency situations and helps parents improve special-needs care.
One of the coolest features about AngelSense is one that few people know about.
"Our entire customer care team is comprised of parents with autistic children," Doron said. "That allows them to have a flexible schedule with the ability to work from home."
That's an extremely valuable perk.
Additionally, AngelSense users who contact the company for help will know there will be a human being on the other end who knows exactly what they're going through.
The world can be scary at times for parents raising special-needs children. Props to Doron and AngelSense for helping to provide moms and dads with some much-needed peace of mind.
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12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.