Gilbert, AZ
A recent article in the American Journal of Public Health states that swimming lessons can be life-saving for children with autism.
The study confirmed that swimming lessons for children with autism should be a priority due to an increased risk of drowning for children on the spectrum.
Dr. Guohua Li, Founding Director of the Center for Injury Epidemiology and Prevention at Columbia, stated “Our analysis reveals that children with autism are 160 times as likely to die from drowning as the general pediatric population. Given the exceptionally heightened risk of drowning for children with autism, swimming classes should be the intervention of top priority.”
When asked why drowning should be such a common cause of death for individuals with ASD, Dr. Li says: “With impaired communication and social skills, autistic kids tend to seek relief of their heightened from the serenity of water bodies. Unfortunately, this behavior too often leads to tragedies.”
Children are often diagnosed with ASD at the age of 2 or 3. At this point, Dr. Li says that “pediatricians and parents should immediately help enroll the child in swimming classes, before any behavioral therapy, speech therapy, or occupational therapy.” He continues: “Swimming ability for kids with autism is an imperative survival skill.”
You can read the article here!
