This section on water safety is intended to help caregivers and others appreciate and manage the risk of immersion injury. By way of introduction:
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Drowning is nearly always preventable. So why is drowning one of the leading causes of accidental death in the USA and throughout the developed world? |
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Because the risk of accidental drowning is underestimated by adults of all ages. |
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| "You are never prepared for how quiet it is and how quick it is.", Mitch Geller, Diving Canada, on CBC Television, August 19, 2009 - Watch the video - Apple Quicktime (approximately 10 megabytes) |
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| "Waterway Houseboats is pleased to offer Safety Turtles as a tool in assisting in your child’s security" - Learn more |
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 There are proven methods of managing immersion injury risk. There is no reason for you and your family not to enjoy the water!
The following physiological conditions heighten risk:
- Autism in children under 14
- Epilepsy
- Downs Syndrome in children under 14
- Alzheimer’s
- Sight or balance impairment
"Seizure disorder is a known risk factor for drowning. Children with epilepsy have been estimated to be at 4 to 14 times the risk of submersion compared to children without epilepsy."
Pediatrics, Volume 112, No. 2, August 2003.
However, there are methods to manage child immersion injury risk. There is no reason for you and your family not to enjoy the water!
Caregivers may be eligible for financial assistance from their state or underwriter to adopt special security measures. Minnesota, for example, recognizes Safety Turtle as an eligible expense by parents of an autistic child.
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