Hot summer days often center around fun water play. Splashing around is a fantastic way for the whole family to cool down and get out all that energy. But parents of young children, and particularly parents of kids with autism, need to be vigilant. Drowning is the leading cause of death among children with autism, no matter their age. According to the Autism Society of Florida, they are 160 times more likely to drown than their neurotypical peers. 

These are scary statistics, and it’s not just dedicated pool days that pose a threat. “What a lot of parents don’t realize is most children are likely to drown during an unexpected time that they access the water,”Dr. Adam Katchmarchi, chief executive officer of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, tells SheKnows. “We see about 70 percent of toddler drownings happening during non-swim times.”