Can You Put a Tracking Chip in Your Child?

The question of whether or not you can GPS chip your child, similar to chips put in pets, comes up occasionally and the answer is no. First of all, it would not be practical or useful – A tracking chip wouldn’t let you see the actual location of your child as it is simply a barcode with basic information about the pet. It has to be scanned to get the information, so putting a chip in your child would only help if the child was lost, taken to a police station and scanned.

GPS trackers, allow you to see in real-time where your child is. This technology requires a GPS receiver and a battery, which obviously can’t be put under a child’s skin. The best way to track your child is to use a device that has continuous tracking updates all day and non-removable wearing options to ensure it stays on your child. This brings us to the next question.

Should You Use a GPS tracking?

The question of whether or not someone should use a GPS Tracker for Kids is a hot topic, that is separate from the question of whether or not it is legal.

Whether or not you agree with GPS tracking for typical children, everyone should agree that those with special needs who require extra measures to keep them safe are an exception.  

This is not something that most parents with typical children have to worry about, although there are cases where these children have issues with sleepwalking for instance, where a tracking device could provide added protection. It is also normal for parents to worry about their child going to and from school on their own and wanting the peace of mind knowing they made it safely.

When we see comments on social media from parents of typical children, or who don’t even have children at all, saying how wrong it is to track your child, we just shake our heads and wish they understood that their reality is not the reality of so many parents who desperately need help keeping their children safe. 

Unfortunately, parents with children who have autism or other special needs don’t have the luxury of trusting that their child is safe when they are out in the world without them. The anxiety and worry that accompanies sending their special children to school is unimaginable. This is tenfold when a child is prone to escaping, wandering, running, or eloping. Something as simple as taking the bus to school, is a cause for great concern when your child can’t communicate, has meltdowns, is a target for bullying, or doesn’t have the faintest clue when it comes to safety awareness.

Parents who don’t have to deal with the serious safety issues that so many others have to face every day, can never fully understand how important it is to use a device.