When you have a child with autism, you have to childproof your home a lot longer than you would for a child that develops normally. Most children with autism do not perceive danger the way other kids do, so they might not comprehend that many common household objects are threatening when played with. If you want to keep your autistic child safe in your home, you may want to consider the five following locks for his or her safety and well-being.

Cabinet Locks

Most baby-proofing devices can help keep toddlers with autism out of cabinets, but the older child with autism can either break a baby-proof device or figure out how it works. Your best bet is to have a locksmith install cabinet locks on under-the-sink cabinets and any cabinets with breakable items, cleaning products, and poisons in them. If only you and your spouse know where the keys for these locks are, that will make your cabinets (with potentially dangerous items in them) quite secure.

Coded Entry Door Locks

Many older children on the spectrum are able to open entry doors and run outside. If your child does not pay attention to what is happening in the street or does not understand that he or she needs to be dressed properly for the weather, then you definitely need a coded entry lock on each exit door of your home. A locksmith carries these types of door locks and can install them for you.

Gun Cabinet or Knife Cabinet Storage Locks

If you have guns, knives, or other weapons in the house, by all means they need to be locked up, even with neurotypical children in the home. You probably have trigger locks as well as gun safes in the home, but other weapons storage cabinets need locks as well. Many children on the spectrum are prone to emotional and physical outbursts, and if your child experiences these moments of turmoil you definitely do not want him or her to have easy access to weapons.

Outdoor Storage Shed Locks

Taking your children outside for family time can be fun, but if you have to worry about yard tools, pesticides, gas cans, and other lawn care needs becoming an attraction, then you should have storage shed locks, too. If your outdoor storage shed did not come with locks and you cannot padlock or chain and padlock the doors, hire a locksmith to install locks on the shed. While you are at it, have the locksmith put locks on the garage as well, just as an added safety feature outdoors.

Fence Gate Locks

If you have a fenced-in yard to prevent your child with autism from wandering, you probably also have a gate. A locksmith can install a lock on the gate that only you and your spouse can operate. It can be high-tech, requiring a digital entry card, or it can be low-tech, placing a locking mechanism on the outer side of the gate so that your child and his or her siblings cannot reach it.

For any or all of these lock solutions, contact a locksmith in your area like the ND Security Company.