When a child is diagnosed with Autism, the last thing parents are thinking about is swimming and water safety. But, there is information that tells us they should.
- 9 of 10 children who die before age 14 do so by drowning.
- National Autism Association, 2012
- Drowning is a known danger for children who are 1 to 4 years old. The risk decreases with age for most children. For many children with Autism, the risk does not decrease with age.
- Drowning is the number one cause of death for children with autism age 14 and under.
- National Autism Association, 2012
Why are children with Autism at greater risk?
Many children with Autism are drawn to water. Scientists and researchers do not know why.
Running away from safe places is a problem for many with autism. This behavior stops happening around age 4 for typical children. For many children with Autism, it continues well beyond age 4.
Professionals rarely teach parents about the risk of children running from safe environments.
Language delays and sensory problems can make learning to swim difficult. Many children with Autism learn differently. What they hear may not be what is said. What they have to say may not be heard.
Sensory differences are also a challenge. Water temperature. Noise level. Touch. All can get in the way of learning.
Autism-specific swim programs are hard to find. Typical swim programs may not be best. Some children may need trained teachers. One-on-one teaching may be necessary.
What can parents do?
Manage the surroundings. Make your home safe. Use fences. Use door and window alarms. Consider a tracking bracelet for your child. LoJack Safety Net is waterproof and can be tracked under water.
If you have a pool, call a professional to help with making it safer.
Speak to your local fire and police departments. Be sure they know you have a child at a higher risk for running from safe environments.
Work with your ABA provider and/or school system to develop a plan at home and at school. Make sure plans are in place. How can your child be kept safe? What is in place to make running from safe settings more difficult? What is the plan if your child is missing? Ask your school or ABA provider to work on words such as “DANGER” and “STOP”.
Tell everyone who works with your child if your child is drawn to water. Identify nearby water sources. List them in your plan.
Helpful Resources
- The National Autism Association has a program called Big Red Safety Box. It has safety information and tools.
- Sign up your child in Autism-specific swim and water safety classes. The Autism Speaks Resource Guide has listings by state. Autism specific programs such as Swim Angelfish can be found there. In Massachusetts, disabilityinfo.org has listings.
- Your area may not have Autism-specific swim teachers available. If not, there is an Autism Speaks Swimming and Water Safety Grant. Funding is available to help start programs.
