Peer-reviewed article
Parental Perceptions of Water Safety among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Amanda Casey, Jennifer Blok, Katherine Vaughan, William O'Dwyer ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001Children with autism spectrum disorders are twice as likely to die from drowning as other children. This study surveyed 49 Canadian parents of children with ASD about their perceptions of water safety. Most parents believed swimming ability was more important than supervision for keeping their children safe around water. The research found that parents often did not accurately know emergency resuscitation procedures and may underestimate how important adult supervision is.
Key points
- Children with ASD are twice as likely to die from unintentional drowning compared to same-age children without ASD
- 70% of parents believed swimming ability was more important than supervision for water safety
- Discrepancies existed between parents' reported and actual knowledge of emergency resuscitation procedures
- Parents may underestimate the importance of supervision and overestimate the role of swimming proficiency
Limitations
This is a small survey of self-reported perceptions from 49 parents in Canada, so it cannot show whether parental beliefs actually affect child outcomes or whether these perceptions differ in other countries or populations. The study describes what parents think rather than measuring actual water safety practices or drowning prevention effectiveness.
Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are twice as likely to die from unintentional drowning compared to same-age children without ASD emphasizing the importance of water-safety skills and knowledge. Yet little research has been published on perceptions of water safety for this population. The objective of the study was to investigate parental perceptions of water safety amongst children with ASD. An online questionnaire focusing on parental perceptions of water safety was distributed to parents of children with ASD associated with autism support groups across Canada. Forty-nine parents completed the self-report questionnaire with items related to demographics, swimming proficiency and lessons, adult supervision, and emergency safety procedures. Most parents (70%) believed that swimming ability was more important than supervision in ensuring water safety amongst children with ASD. Results highlighted discrepancies between reported and actual knowledge of emergency resuscitation procedures amongst parents of children with ASD. Parents of children with ASD may underestimate the importance of supervision and overestimate the role of swimming proficiency in ensuring the safety of children with ASD in aquatic environments. Future studies may benefit from exploring ways to promote effective strategies for encouraging water safety in this population.