03/19/2026
TW: Autism and Drowning.
A 2017 study by Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health found that Autistic children and youth were 160 X more at-risk of accidental drowning than the regular pediatric population.
The number is growing.
Splash Aquatics Inc. : Ben, Scott, and myself sat down with Milton's MPP Zee Hamid to highlight this tragic and preventable statistic.
He was taken aback and genuinely wanted to know more.
In our meeting, we discussed why Autistic individuals elope stemming from the need for sensory input, a fight or flight response to internal and external stimuli, or the need for independence without the awareness of dangers.
We described how Splash Aquatics is responding as a "Call to Action," in making our swim sessions
neurodiverse-affirming by providing programming and environments which are accessible and inclusive; trained instructors, parent/instructor communication, and neuro-inclusive aquatic environments to meet sensory needs and safety. Currently, Splash runs their programs in the We Rock The Spectrum - Brampton and ErinoakKids pools in Brampton. Without their partnerships, the Splash's programs could not run and families would not have access.
We explained the barriers to inclusive environments for Autistic individuals due to lack of neurodiverse-affirming environments in overstimulating recreation centers and instructor capacity, or the overwhelming numbers in need to limited spaces available. There are also geographic and economic barriers for caregivers who are already at reduced work loads due to caring for Autistic children, youth, and adults, and the overall financial costs of caring for a special needs individual.
We advocated for government intervention discussing the importance of a proposed "Autism Aquatic Safety Voucher Program" (similar to Florida) to all those waiting for OAP clinical core services in Ontario, and expanding the eligibility of OAP services to include drowning prevention and sensory regulation. This would create more neuro-affirming capacity and programming with towns and cities.
We brought evidence of therapeutic Aquatic benefits for Autistic individuals-
🐟Regulation of the Nervous
System.
🏊♀️Movement and Exercise.
🙌Sensory Input and
Connection.
🏘Community Accessibility.
🤽♂️Social Emotional Wellness
and Engagement.
🌿Clinical Therapy and Mental
Health Well Being.
Ontario has abundant access to lakes, ponds, streams and residential area reserves. In 2022, The tragic death of 11 year old Dravin Graham who was Autistic and eloped from his home in Lindsay, Ontario was later found in the Scucog River by Police underwater search and rescue. The National Autism Association reports 50% of Autistic children attempt to elope (Journal of Pediatrics). The NAA also has made its mission to educate caregivers & police on Autistic elopement and drowning with their "Search Water First" campaign.
We ended our presentation with gratitude for taking the time to listen to us. The access to equity is removing barriers, justice is access to what was not available. Justice for the children, youth, and adults who have been/ are excluded from just about every place in society.
The other important piece we described was what it was like for a Caregiver to see their child in an environment where everywhere else had been so difficult to access. How caregivers were now sitting and watching their child with a trusted and caring person who believed in them, rather than being asked to leave or get in the water themselves during the lesson.
Autism can be a gift, it can also be a disability. Both are true and can co-exist. Splash Aquatics Inc. is shifting the paradigm to "unable to" or "cannot do" to "all can learn given the right environment."
My son Max is proof of this, along with so many.
"When a flower does not bloom we do not blame the flower, we change its environment," I once heard.
My most memorable part of the presentation was the ending when I took Max's "Baby Shark" toy from the table who lay there life less and did not move or engage, and then put it in the blue water bin. Once in water, "Baby Shark" sang, moved, and was happy.
And that moved all of us.
I left "Baby Shark" for MPP Hamid to remember us by.
Help us spread the word for Aquatic safety and therapeutic benefits.
It's a matter of saving lives, and changing lives, too.
