In a collaborative effort to increase safety for children with autism, local advocate Sheletta Brundidge and the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office partnered to distribute free interior combination door locks to families in need. This gesture comes in the wake of harrowing incidents where three Houston-area children with autism tragically drowned this summer after wandering away from their homes. Brundidge, a known autism awareness advocate, organized the "Spread Love With Locks" campaign over the past weekend, where families could get a layer of security at no cost, according to FOX 26 Houston.
In the face of these tragedies, officials and advocates alike have emphasized the crucial need for preventive measures to protect children with autism who have a propensity to elope or wander off, sometimes with fatal consequences. "Kids with autism are always last," Brundidge told FOX 26 Houston. "At my events, kids with autism are first." Her sentiment highlights the often overlooked vulnerabilities these children face and the critical nature of community support to combat these risks.
Statistics from the National Autism Association note that children with autism are 160 times more likely to die from drowning. Their inclination towards wandering, paired with an attraction to water, underscores the importance of proactive defense measures. Katherine McMorty, owner of Texas Swim Academy, recommends not just swim lessons but survival swim lessons, teaching kids how to independently roll over and get their face out of the water. "Survival swim lessons -- knowing how to independently roll over, how to get their face out of the water almost as reflexive," McMorty said in a statement obtained by KHOU 11.
Despite the challenges non-verbal children might face, YMCA aquatics director Dillon Butler believes in adapting the approach to each child's needs. "We must meet these children at their level. Some of them may be non-verbal, may not be able to communicate in traditional methods and manners," Butler told KHOU 11. Other recommendations for preventing such tragedies include putting up fences around pools, installing pool and splash alarms, and ensuring home alarm systems are in place to alert caregivers if a child attempts to wander.
The combination locks, like those given out during Brundidge's event, are seen as another key safety mechanism. They use a 10-digit code to keep potentially vulnerable kids secure inside their homes. Brundidge's own experiences have shaped her proactive stance. "Those locks are the only thing that have kept my autistic child alive," she said to KHOU 11.
