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With summer just around the corner there will be a lot of pool time and water activities to enjoy with family and friends. The Arc of California hopes everyone enjoys this Memorial Day, the warm weather, and summer months to come. We also want to take this opportunity to remind everyone to MAKE WATER SAFETY A PRIORITY! Drowning happens fast and it is silent. The Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report drowning as the leading cause of death in children age 1 -4 and the leading cause of death among teens. The National Autism Associations (NAA) reports drowning as one of the leading causes of death for individuals with autism. Recent statistics show that 91% of total US deaths reported in children with autism ages 14 years and younger were a result of drowning after wandering.
Drowning prevention requires layers of protection, information, and education for families with children of all ages. The DDS has many great resources and we encourage EVERYONE – parents, grandparents, siblings, family members, babysitters, and anyone else who spends time with child and individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities who may be at-risk for water accidents – to take some time to go through these resources and educate everyone about the needs for layers of protection in water safety. The DROWNING IS SILENT campaign is a great way to encourage everyone to make water safety a priority.
To learn more about this campaign and other prevention efforts visit: https://www.dds.ca.gov/initiatives/drowning-prevention/
Swim skills
Install alarms
Layers of protection
Eye (always keep an eye on children or at-risk adults when near or in water)
Never leave children or at-risk adults alone in the water
Touch means within arms reach