Locator bracelets ease burden for parents of autistic children in Myrtle Beach area

Monique Clement has a lot to handle with two young sons, both diagnosed with forms of autism, but the busy mother said a simple bracelet has lifted a little bit of that burden.

Clement's youngest son, Thomas, 7, wears a bracelet from Project Lifesaver on his ankle. The bracelet emits a radio frequency to help police find him if he wanders off, a scenario that is a real possibility for children with autism because they become distracted by or engrossed in outside stimulation such as water or bright lights depending on the severity of the disorder. For Thomas, who was nonverbal when he began wearing the bracelet two years ago, the bracelet has been a huge relief.

"More than anything it's peace of mind, that if we were at the beach or in a congested area and he wandered off like any child, there would be someone to help," said Monique Clement, who also is an administrator at the Autism Advocate Foundation at the Beach. "Even if he could hear me calling his name, he couldn't answer me or tell someone his name and where he lives. As a parent, that fear is tremendous. This program gives you a peace of mind in your everyday life."

Clement was at Jersey Mike's Subs in Murrells Inlet Friday, Autism Awareness Day, helping kick off a month-long fundraiser for the Project Lifesavers program. The restaurant will donate money to the program, which currently has a waiting list, from every No. 7 menu item purchased this month. The money will be used to buy more bracelets.

"We just started helping with this last year," said Chris Harrison, owner of the Murrells Inlet eatery. "I have a friend who's a baseball player who does autism advocacy and he told me about the program."

More than 40 bracelets have been given to children with autism or Down syndrome, and to older adults with Alzheimer's disease or dementia, said program director Gordon Harris. The bracelets cost about $325 each and maintenance of a new battery and new band costs $6 each month. Harris said the program has been able to provide the bracelets for the past two and a half years at no cost to families.

"Not only does it give us the ability to track those people who are at a higher risk for running off, it also gives those families a greater sense of well-being. If you're an autistic caregiver, and you have one or more kids and one is autistic ... going to the mall can be a chore," Harris said. "We wanted to be able to provide these at no cost. For a family that has the expense of treatments for a child with autism or for an older adult with Alzheimer's living on a fixed income, every little bit matters."

The program began in 2007 at the urging of the Autism Advocate Foundation because of a local need. Clement said Horry County and Myrtle Beach are well known in the autism community for being friendly places for children with special needs.

The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce also has started checking out bracelets to vacationing families with autistic children or adults with Alzheimer's.

Horry County, Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach police departments all have purchased equipment to help them track bracelet wearers if needed. Harris said members of the Horry County Public Safety Department also were certified to conduct helicopter searches as part of the program.

Harris said the bracelets have only had to be used three times and in each case, the bracelet wearers were found and returned to their families within 30 minutes.

Clement said the foundation will hold fundraisers and awareness events throughout the month, such as today's pig roast at Bimini's Oyster Bar in North Myrtle Beach, and Thursday during the opening night for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. For more information, visit the group's Web site at autismadvocatefoundation.com.