Alert issued after record number of drownings of autistic children

Autistic children are drowning this summer at a much higher rate than in the past, and experts are now sounding the alarm about the dangers facing children who wander off and what to do if they do.

The National Autism Association and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children recently issued what they are calling an “urgent alert” to remind first responders and members of the public to first check areas containing water whenever a child with autism goes missing.

“We want to encourage people to be more vigilant,” said John Bischoff, who oversees the missing children division at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. “It’s important that everyone knows what to do in these fast-moving situations, not just the families of these children. You could save a life.”

Since the beginning of June, 27 autistic children and two autistic adults have drowned after going missing, according to Lori McIlwain, co-founder of the National Autism Association. The total number of wandering-related deaths among autistic people is 44 for the year, which includes drownings and traffic-related injuries. These are the only cases the group has been able to confirm, she said, adding that the actual numbers are likely higher.

“This is the worst summer on record for deaths for autistic and stray people,” McIlwain said. “We’re trying to get the message out to parents to be especially vigilant. We usually see two or three deaths a month on average. Now we’re seeing two or three a week.”

Most drowning cases this summer involve children 9 years old or younger who were found in natural bodies of water, often ponds, the alert said.

A 2012 study found that autistic children were four times more likely to wander than other children. Among autistic children, about half of those who wandered away were gone long enough to be considered “missing.”

Wandering is more common during warmer months, the alert says, when children are playing outside and are in less familiar spaces while on vacation or after moving.

Family gatherings present some of the highest-risk situations for autistic children who may be distracted by noise or overstimulated, McIlwain said, noting that singing “Happy Birthday” is a common trigger.

In addition to the drownings this summer, the alert says there have been 12 “near misses,” including situations where children were rescued from the water. In one case, a child was hospitalized in intensive care and in another, a father drowned trying to save his child who was eventually rescued by an aunt.

“These rescues were timely,” McIlwain said. “We ask everyone to call 911 immediately. Avoid going door to door, but first search all nearby waters. Those first minutes, if not seconds, are critical.”

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