Water Safety for Every Ability: Your Questions

Mostly because of wandering toward water. The CDC (opens in a new tab) says deaths among people with autism are nearly 40 times as likely to be caused by drowning as deaths in the general population. In a study of news-reported drownings of children with autism, most happened in ponds near home after the child wandered off (Guan and Li, 2017 (opens in a new tab)). Nearly half of parents in a national survey said their child with autism had tried to wander or bolt after age 4 (Pediatrics, 2012 (opens in a new tab)). See water safety for children with autism.

Sources: cdc.gov (opens in a new tab), pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (opens in a new tab), pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (opens in a new tab)

Combine swim lessons with strong barriers. The Columbia University researchers who studied autism and injury deaths recommend helping children with autism take swimming lessons as soon as they are diagnosed (opens in a new tab), and the AAP (opens in a new tab) says lessons can be adapted for children with autism. Keep water rules short and use the same words each time. Because teaching takes time, keep locks, door alarms and fences in place too. See autism water safety and a wandering safety plan.

Sources: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (opens in a new tab), healthychildren.org (opens in a new tab)

Adaptive swim lessons change the teaching, pace, group size or equipment so people with disabilities can learn water skills. The AAP (opens in a new tab) says swim lessons and recreational aquatics can be adapted for children with special health needs and developmental disabilities, and that these programs reduce drowning risk. Red Cross Water Safety Instructors (opens in a new tab) are trained to accommodate participants who move, learn, communicate and behave differently. See finding an adaptive swim program.

Sources: healthychildren.org (opens in a new tab), redcross.org (opens in a new tab)

Many can, with extra precautions. People with seizure disorders have a higher risk of drowning (CDC (opens in a new tab)), and a meta-analysis found the risk was 15 to 19 times higher than in the general population (Bell et al., 2008 (opens in a new tab)). The CDC (opens in a new tab) advises one-on-one supervision around water for people with seizure disorders, and says the buddy system is especially helpful for them. Swim in lifeguarded areas, and talk with your doctor about your seizure control. See water safety with epilepsy.

Sources: cdc.gov (opens in a new tab), pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (opens in a new tab), cdc.gov (opens in a new tab)

The CDC suggests considering it. The bathtub is the most common place people with seizure disorders drown, according to the CDC (opens in a new tab), and its prevention guidance (opens in a new tab) says people with seizure disorders can consider taking a shower rather than a bath. If a bath is needed, have someone stay with the person the whole time. Talk with your doctor about what fits your situation. See water safety with epilepsy or seizures.

Sources: cdc.gov (opens in a new tab), cdc.gov (opens in a new tab)

Call 911. The CDC (opens in a new tab) lists a seizure that happens in water as one of the times to call 911. Get help right away, and stay with the person until help arrives. After any trouble in the water, watch for coughing, trouble breathing or confusion, which Water Safety USA (opens in a new tab) says need medical care. A seizure first aid class teaches the steps. See drowning emergency first aid.

Sources: cdc.gov (opens in a new tab), watersafetyusa.org (opens in a new tab)

Layer barriers so one lapse is not enough. The AAP (opens in a new tab) suggests door locks, doorknob covers, safety gates and door alarms, and four-sided fences around pools. Know the water near your home, since many drownings of children with autism happen in nearby ponds (Guan and Li (opens in a new tab)). If your child goes missing, check water first, including neighbors' pools and ponds. Our wandering and water safety plan walks through each step.

Sources: healthychildren.org (opens in a new tab), pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (opens in a new tab), redcross.org (opens in a new tab)

No. The National Autism Association (opens in a new tab) cites research in Pediatrics finding that nearly one-third of wandering incidents happened from a school setting, and its own research found nearly half happened while a child was with someone other than a parent. More than one-third of children with autism who wander can rarely or never tell someone their name, address or phone number. Share your wandering plan with teachers, sitters and relatives. See wandering and water.

Source: nationalautismassociation.org (opens in a new tab)

Yes. The NYC Parks Adaptive Swim Program (opens in a new tab) offers swim instruction and water exercise for children and adults with disabilities, from water walking to basic swimming and safety skills. It is free with a recreation center membership and assigned by lottery. NYC Parks (opens in a new tab) lists the membership for people with disabilities at $25 a year, and free for anyone 24 and under, as of October 2026. See free swim lessons in NYC.

Sources: nycgovparks.org (opens in a new tab), nycgovparks.org (opens in a new tab)

Newly built and altered public pools do, under the ADA. The 2010 ADA Standards (opens in a new tab) set minimum access requirements for pools for the first time. Large pools (over 300 feet of wall) need two accessible ways in and out, at least one a pool lift or sloped entry; smaller pools need one, which must be a lift or sloped entry. Existing pools at businesses must comply where readily achievable, and city and state swim programs must be accessible. See water safety for people with physical disabilities.

Source: ada.gov (opens in a new tab)

Yes. The CDC (opens in a new tab) says to avoid swimming if you take medications that impair your balance, coordination or judgment, and the Red Cross (opens in a new tab) says not to use alcohol or drugs, including certain prescription medications, before or while swimming or supervising swimmers. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether your medicines cause drowsiness or dizziness, and plan swim times around them. See heart conditions, medications and swimming.

Sources: cdc.gov (opens in a new tab), redcross.org (opens in a new tab)

Ask directly, and ask for specifics. Find out whether the instructor is certified through a nationally recognized program, as the AAP (opens in a new tab) recommends, how many students with similar needs they have taught, what class size they use, and how they handle sensory issues or communication differences. Red Cross Water Safety Instructor (opens in a new tab) training includes accommodating people who learn differently. Parks departments sometimes run adaptive programs. See adaptive swim lessons.

Sources: healthychildren.org (opens in a new tab), redcross.org (opens in a new tab)

Yes. The CDC (opens in a new tab) says heart conditions are linked to a higher risk of drowning, and its prevention advice (opens in a new tab) says to take extra care around water if you or a family member has a condition that raises drowning risk, including using the buddy system. Cold water is a particular concern: the National Weather Service (opens in a new tab) says cold shock can trigger heart failure or stroke in vulnerable people. Ask your doctor about swimming. See heart conditions and swimming.

Sources: cdc.gov (opens in a new tab), cdc.gov (opens in a new tab), weather.gov (opens in a new tab)

Pick the step that closes the biggest gap. Add a door alarm or a high lock on doors to the outside, and walk your neighborhood to note every pond, pool and creek. Sign up for an adaptive swim class or the next lottery. Write a one-page water safety plan for school, sitters and relatives with the . The CDC (opens in a new tab) recommends one-on-one supervision for people with seizure disorders. See the wandering safety plan.

Sources: cdc.gov (opens in a new tab), healthychildren.org (opens in a new tab)