When Teddy was little, one of the first life skills my family prioritized was teaching him how to swim. We knew that swimming wasn’t just a fun activity—it was an essential safety skill. While nothing can replace constant supervision, learning to swim gave us greater confidence whenever Teddy was around water.
As families, it’s so important that we continue talking about water safety, encourage swim lessons when possible, and raise awareness about the increased risk of wandering and water attraction for many autistic individuals.
Just recently, a young autistic boy not in far from my home went missing and unfortunately was found in a neighbors pool. This reminded me of Teddy and the importance of water safety for all children especially those on the Autism spectrum.
