Pool safety is an important concern for all families, and families with children who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are no exception to the rule. If your home has an adjoining swimming pool, it is essential that you take some fundamental steps to ensure that your child stays safe at all times. These are some important safety guidelines to keep in mind:
Secure your home with locks.
One of the best ways to ensure that your child with ASD doesn’t wander into a pool area without adult supervision is to invest in childproof locks, both for your house and your yard. After installing the locks, double-check them to make sure that your child cannot open them without assistance. Having these locks can both keep your child safe and provide you with greater peace of mind.
Invest in an alarm system.
Alarm systems aren’t just useful for deterring burglars—they can also be used to keep your family members safe. Buy a reliable alarm system and set it to go off when someone opens a door or even a window from inside your home. If the pool is on your property, you can even add an alarm system to the fence around it.
Inform the local authorities.
It’s also smart to let local authorities know that you have a person with ASD in your household. To do this, simply call the non-emergency number for your local emergency responders and tell them. This can be extremely invaluable in the event that they ever need to respond to an emergency situation involving your child.
