Erin Wilson is a Special Needs Mom whose son was lost in the past without the ability to ask for help or provide personal information on his own. Her solution was to create a non-profit, If I Need Help, offering a wearable iD and a special needs registry. Learn how this wearable iD is different from those you have seen before.
Our system is completely caregiver controlled. The caregiver creates the profile and special needs registry and can edit whenever necessary. Also, many families are on a budget so our membership is completely free and the products are very affordable.
I always start with my son’s needs in mind because he is my center and heart. Due to significant sensory needs he will not tolerate wearing a bracelet. He does keep his shirt on so we have the patches sewn to all his shirts. Many of the other products were developed from the feedback of the community. Such as the custom iD card for people who do not need the code that links to the profile to be seen all the time but available in an emergency.
The custom shoe tags get the most orders. People really like those. Some parents have said my child will not keep shirts and shoes on. So we came up with custom temporary tattoos. We also have safety alerts on window clings, bumper stickers, magnets and keychains. We try to have something for everyone. Our newest product is a pouch with the iD card info on it that medicine can be carried in. With the free membership you can print out your own code so I get contacted by people of unique ways they are using it to meet their needs.
The original idea was for when someone lost the patch, shoe tag or other item gives notice that this is a person who needs help and then provides the information on how to help. Now this has expanded out to helping people who may just need help during a critical situation such as Epilepsy, mental illness, allergies, asthma, and more. The profiles explain how to assist them.
When my son was included on the 6th grade field trip I edited his profile to include his one-on-one aide as his contact in case he ran from her at the museum. I was nervous about him darting into another room and getting out of sight. So it can have the contacts changed in real-time along with the additional information section as behaviors and symptoms change. Also, many of our members are children so their pictures need updating as they grow. One Mom told me when they go to an amusement park she takes his picture and edits it into the profile so in case he gets lost then she knows exactly what he is wearing and can show the picture with profile.
I gifted some patches, pins and clips to a special ed teacher and she started crying and hugging me. She said she wants to take the kids on field trips but has real fear of losing them and now this helps her feel better about it. Another time I sent patches to a special needs girl scout troop in the Bronx where the parents were afraid for the troop to do outings. The troop leader presented to the parents how the patch works and she was given permission to take the troop out into the community. Another member, a wonderful older woman in Florida ordered a keychain. She was afraid to leave her house because she thought she may fall. She said she is getting out more because she feels safer carrying her info.
Everyone is unique and that is why we have tried to create a variety of products. My son needs his code to be very obvious because he needs 24-hour care. For people who are independent and only need it to be seen in an emergency we offer the iD cards, keychains and dog tags.
Autism is a neurological disorder and people with Autism often have normal or even high IQs.
If I Need Help offers a way to wear iD and information. Elderly people often have more extensive medical info such as medications to list in the profile. People who have dementia or Alzheimer’s who need memory care help do wander frequently. Many are then unable to find their way back or provide their contact info on their own.
Our custom products of patches, keychains, shoe tags and bracelet have 2 lines above the code and one below to enter what the caregiver wants on those lines. Most often they put the person’s name, contact number on the second line then the diagnosis at the bottom. Then the code is there linking to the profile. We also offer a free special needs registry. The caregiver answers as much as they want about the medical, communication and behavioral info. There are questions like when leaving the house does he usually turn left or right? Can he swim? Where would he go or not go? And more. These are the questions a first responder would ask during a critical missing. It is better to answer these while calm and have a clear mind then when in a panic situation. This can be printed out and kept in house/car/purse or emailed to the first responder during the crisis.
Knowledge is power. This will provide the first responder with what the needs are of your loved one immediately.
I strongly believe in inclusion of people of all ages and abilities. This gives peace of mind to go out into the community and know their info is a click away if needed.
Want to learn more about how to care for your special needs patient or aging loved one? Access our free online caregiver videos today!
When you order any safety product at IfiNeedHelp.org between now (11/24/16) and Cyber Monday (11/28/16) we will give you a second identical item for Free. Get a second custom shoe tag for a second set of shoes, a second patch for another coat…
Your second item will be added to your order after purchase. We will just make and ship two of everything. Your email receipt will not have any information about this promotion, but we will see your order and add the second item.
This includes all products except safety kits and locks.
1. Go to ifineedhelp.org and log into your account.
2. Go to My account / and click on the “Edit If I Need Help Profile”
2. Follow the prompts to create your profile and your Emergency Q&A
3. Save & Print your information, store in a safe accessible place in case of emergency
4. During a crisis give the printed Profile & Emergency Q&A to first responders or select “Emergency Email”, enter the email addresses you wish to send the Profile & Emergency Q&A. 5. Click send & then click OK.
Yes. Our 15 year old son Jay has been receiving ABA for almost 11 years. Even though he has always improved with therapy it took almost this whole time for his elopement risk to greatly diminish. He or others like him could die or be greatly harmed while waiting for the behavioral elopement goals to be met without wearable iD. Also, what if they are in the community and get separated from their caregiver by accident.
We offer free memberships to people who might become lost, disoriented or unable to self advocate when alone or away from their caregivers. Our members are generally people with Autism, Down Syndrome, brain Injuries, diabetes, seizures, Alzheimer’s, dementia, intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and other similar issues.
This works everywhere there is internet access both domestically and internationally.
Identification and information is extremely important for a person who is lost or unable to communicate. It can help save a life. Wandering is the only cause of death due to Autism. 60% of people with Alzheimer’s wander. A person having a Seizure or other physical condition often can’t tell anyone who they are or how to help.
IINH is looking to increase our free membership. You can help with networking, donating, sponsoring, volunteering, grant writing, and partnering.
A five year old non-verbal boy with Autism was with his family in a giant packed park for a soccer tournament. After each match the teams, and families would pack up and move to another field for the next match. During one such move the father thought the mother had the child and vice versa. After the move to the next field both parents realized at the same time that the boy was with neither of them. Their hearts jumped out of their chests and in a panic they started to run. Just then they received a call from a person that had found their child in another part of the park, and scanned the If I Need Help patch the child had been wearing on his shirt. He was back with his parents in minutes.
I am his voice…He is my heart
The light turned green and I pulled into the intersection to turn left. My son, Matthew, was sitting in the back seat singing “The Wheels On the Bus”.
Then everything went black…
My next memory was being slumped over in my car, crying out in pain, staring at my own blood splattered on the dash.
I couldn’t move.
I couldn’t speak.
I couldn’t hear my sons voice.
I couldn’t help him.
I later learned that a young woman was talking on her cell phone and ran the red light. She was going at least 40 mph and her car t-boned into my door.
My adult son has down syndrome, autism, and is non-verbal. I was terrified that he might be injured, or worse, but then I heard his voice and a sense of calm came over me. He was alive and that’s all I needed to know at that moment.
Though I was incapacitated I was alert enough to know that he would need special care because he wouldn’t be able to communicate if he was hurt.
Finally, after what felt like hours, two young men arrived. One of them got Matt out of the car, and to a safe place, while the other comforted me until help arrived.
It took about 30 minutes to remove me from the car and into an ambulance. I received 9 stitches in my head and Matthew, thankfully, was unhurt.
Sounds like a happy ending, right? Here’s the problem…
Though Matthew was pulled from the car and was safe, no one knew anything about him. What if he had a meltdown, had medical issues or was hurt and couldn’t communicate it to anyone? They didn’t even know his name.
I seriously considered designing a product, with a national data base, that could easily identify children and adults with special needs in case of an emergency. I never got to it but someone else did and I am so honored to recommend “If I Need Help”.
“If I Need Help” is a company that was founded by Bruce and Erin Wilson. Their autistic son disappeared several times, causing fear in their hearts, and they knew something needed to be done.
Their product, though amazing, is simple and easy to purchase and sign up for. Just go to their website: www.ifineedhelp.org and select the right product for your child, and there are many to choose from. Then register your child, listing everything that someone would need to know in case of an emergency. Every product has a QR code on it that can be scanned by any smartphone or pulled up on a computer. Some of the products they carry are; t-shirts, magnets, ID pins, bumper stickers, window clings, ID clips, patches, keychains, dog tags and cards. Every child/adult with special needs has a different tolerance level for things on their bodies or clothes so I love the selection!
If I Need Helps Wearable iD
Greetings.We are Bruce & Erin Wilson parents of Grace and Jay and the founders of If I Need Help formerly QR Code iD. If you have any questions about our organization please contact us through our website, social media, or call us. We’d love to hear from you. |
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| We have changed our name and are now a Non Profit Corporation! |
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We have changed our name from QR Code iD to If I Need Help & are now a 501(C)(3) Public Charity. All your existing QR Code iD products still work with If I Need Help. |
| Free Membership & Emergency Emails |
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Our memberships are free, and designed to help caregivers and people with special needs. Upon joining you create a profile for your loved one. This profile can be accessed by scanning a unique QR Code or going directly to the website and entering unique number. You can print your code from your account page as many times as you want.
In an emergency your profile can be emailed to you, updated and forwarded to people that can help search. Please remember to setup your live profile and get familiar with Emergency email. That way in a situation you will already be prepared & know what to do. Emergency Email
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| PATCHES, DOG & SHOE TAGS, ID CARDS, PINS, CLIPS & MORE!! |
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Everyone has different needs for custom iD! Please check out our expanding product list and find what works best for your unique situation. Our products are priced to be affordable. Our Products
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| Donations |
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Your greatly appreciated tax deductible contributions help keep our website up, our prices down, fund our giveaways and community outreach programs.
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| Donations from Amazon Smiles & Ralphs |
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If you live in Southern California and shop at Ralphs please follow link & print Ralphs form, take it to Ralphs, have it scanned like a coupon and then IINH gets a portion of your purchase as a donation from Ralphs for a year.
Please sign up with Amazon Smiles and select IINH as your charity. Then a portion of your Amazon purchases is donated by Amazon to If I Need Help. Amazon Smiles
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Thank you very much
Warm Regards, Bruce & Erin Wilson
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A five-year-old non-verbal boy with Autism was with his family in a giant packed park for a soccer tournament. After each match the teams, and families would pack up and move to another field for the next match. During one such move, both parents thought the other had the child. After the move to the next field both parents realized at the same time that the boy was with neither of them. By the time they began to look for their son they received a call from a person that had found their child in another part of the park and scanned the patch sewn to his shirt. He was quickly reunited with his parents.
A family was having their annual reunion camping trip. The mom was very nervous about her 12-year-old daughter with Autism and sewed an If I Need Help patch on her vest. Sure enough when they were camping the child wandered. She was found some time later over a mile away by a Ranger who saw her If I Need Help patch, scanned it, and saw her profile. The profile told him who she was, her medical issues, and in what campsite her family was camped. He immediately drove her to the campsite for a successful reunion with her family.
A young adult with very high functioning autism (She can work and drive a car) has a history of panic attacks when in what she perceives to be stressful situations, and confronted by what she perceives to be authority figures. She has had many negative interactions with people in these situations including being screamed at and beaten. During these times she cannot speak, control her body, or express herself. She contacted If I Need Help and we created an If I Need Help card for her to carry with her. This card has a QR Code to access her profile, as well as text to describe who she is, what her health and emotional issues are, an emergency phone number, and how best to help her. Recently she was in a situation when she felt an imminent anxiety attack. An official approached her in an all-too-familiar way, which in the past has typically escalated. In this instance, she was able to hand her iD card to him, where he was able to understand the best course of action was to speak to her calmly and help her relax. She was able to regain calm, avoid a full anxiety attack, and communicate independently and successfully.
