FEATURED STORY ON WCCO MINNESOTA: 

 

 

 

 

ABOUT OUR PETITION

We just received news again, that another autistic, nonverbal child has been found deceased - drowned in a Minnesota lake. A few months ago, it was 4-year old Waeys in Hopkins, now it is 11-year old Mohammed in Eden Prairie. How many children do we have to lose before we make ACTUAL, IMPACTFUL and FREE state-wide changes??!

As a parent of three beautiful children on the autism spectrum, including a non-verbal 7-year-old daughter who often elopes, every day is steeped in worry. I find myself in constant fear for her life, even in our own home as she has figured out every type of lock we install. In our state, a place blessed with 12,000 lakes, the lure of water bodies is a constant threat. Far too many heartbreaking incidents have punctured our community, where children, especially those from communities of color, have lost their lives in these waters. It is an unbearable sight that keeps repeating itself, a tragedy that could be prevented.

However, this is not just a personal story; it represents a larger societal crisis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Autism Association reports suggest that:

• Accidental drowning accounted for 91% of deaths among children with autism aged 14 and younger in the US between 2009 to 2011 (Ward, 2017). 
• Roughly half, or 48%, of children with an ASD attempt to elope from a safe environment, a rate nearly four times higher than their unaffected siblings.
• 32% of parents reported a “close call” with a possible drowning
• According to a study published in Pediatrics, nearly one-third of wandering incidents occurred from a school setting; more than one-third of children with autism who wander/elope are never or rarely able to communicate their name, address, or phone number; and 40% of parents experience sleep disruption due to fear of elopement. 

This is a distressed call for our state to take the lead in implementing swimming education for all children and young adults with an acute focus on those who are on the Autism Spectrum. 

It is essential to remember that with appropriate training, resources, and commitment from the community, sufficing preventive measures can be set in place. Swimming lessons can be a life-saver for these children and adults, equipping them with the skills they need to stay safe. Additionally, we encourage the development of better safety measures at homes, schools, and care facilities that address the unique challenges posed by these vulnerable loved ones.

Let us come together in making our community safer and more inclusive for all. It is high time we paid attention to this issue and made swimming education and safety measures a requirement for autistic children and adults. This is a plea directed at lawmakers who CAN create solutions for parents beyond expensive adaptive swimming classes, long wait lists for waiver supports and county services and months and months indoors with multiple locks for fear that their children will drown. Here are some of the changes we demand, because ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

WE ASK FOR & WILL FIGHT FOR: 

1. Alerts for Autistic Children similar to Amber Alerts.

2. Free Swimming Classes for Autistic Children and Adults

3. Mandatory Measures for Landlords to Protect Vulnerable Populations

4. The process of getting supports from DHS being made easier, currently the waitlists are extremely long.

5. DHS to make EIDBI and early education programs and elementary and middle schools create swimming programs that can be incorporated into curriculum, so that it can be added to the ITP and IEP. These are life skills and a child's basic human right to safety must be protected.

6. Create easy access to safety locks with children who elope. Home modifications should be supported by landlords as it can be a life and death issue for families. 

7. Work towards greater acceptance of autism as there’s a direct link between acceptance and safety. We need to reduce the stigma, because less stigma means lives saved. Parents need to know that their acceptance of autism is crucial to moving forward.

8. Almost 1,000 signed the petition, with close to 70% being in the Twin Cities metro area. What does this tell you? People are outraged, and they want change. 

9. Reduce the bystander effect and educate people about what to do when they see a vulnerable autistic child, especially one that is nonverbal. 

Support this initiative and sign the petition today!