May 20, 2014

Summer Water Safety

Summer is the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy some new activities. One of the best ways to beat the heat but enjoy the weather could be in a swimming pool, the beach or at neighborhood splash pad. Many children with special needs are fond of water but don't always understand the risks and dangers involved. If your summer plans call for water play and/or swimming, here are some helpful tips to remember.

The best way to keep anyone safe is to never lose sight of the swimmer. Always be within arm's reach in any situation. Older kids may need some independence - and building confidence is extremely important - but staying close is always the best approach to take.

The right life jacket or flotation device that meets the size requirements and needs of the child is critical. If you have any doubt about the jacket (adaptive or otherwise), you can visit this page for guidance.

To help find the right gear for water safety, whether it's flotation devices, earplugs, or toys, visit this page for a comprehensive list of products available here.

Splash pads are an innovative way to stay cool in hot weather and is a great alternative to a pool or body of water. Play structures with water play can be stimulating and interactive but safety precautions should be as important as open water safety guidelines. Children should wear protective clothing and the right footwear. Splash pads can be slippery so the right non-skid water shoe will help avoid any missteps or falls.

General safety reminders:

Always drain small pools when not in use, put safety gates around all hot tubs and pools or motion sensors around water features.
Keep a supply of sunscreen and protective headwear.
Start swim lessons early and if your child struggles with swimming, look for adaptive swim lessons in your area. Taking the class together will help you understand the techniques and survival skills to make the experience fun for everyone.

Enjoy your summer and stay safe!

View Our Previous Blog Posts

October 7, 2026

The 4 Functions of Behavior in ABA Therapy: Understanding Your Child’s Behavior

In ABA therapy, understanding the functions of behavior helps clinicians (and you) uncover what your child is trying to communicate through their behavior. And once we unlock the “why,” we also reveal the pathway to teaching new ways to communicate that same need (thus reducing challenging behaviors like tantrums, aggression, or throwing things) and setting up your child for success.

October 7, 2026

Differential Reinforcement in ABA: The Most Powerful Tool Behavior Therapists Use

Differential reinforcement is a behavior-support strategy that strengthens one response while reducing another. It has two moving parts: reinforcing the behavior you want to see more of, and reducing reinforcement for the challenging behavior that isn’t meeting your child’s needs in the best way.

September 8, 2026

7 Famous People with Autism Who've Shared Their Diagnosis

An autism diagnosis never determines your success. For many of the most creative, driven, and groundbreaking minds in history, it may have been the very thing that fueled it. An intense focus, pattern recognition, and a willingness to see the world differently are not limitations. They're superpowers. And when a person with autism is given the right support and space to grow, truly incredible things can happen.

September 8, 2026

What Is DRA in ABA Therapy? (Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior)

Every time your child wants to play with a toy, they have big emotions until they get it. At school, when presented with difficult work, they might run away. These are all examples of behaviors your child might exhibit to serve a communicative purpose. They might need something or want your attention. Or maybe they just want access to an opportunity. Whatever the behavior might be—it works, so it continues. Sometimes, we as adults may reinforce these behaviors without realizing it.

September 8, 2026

The 7 Dimensions of ABA Therapy (Baer, Wolf & Risley, 1968)

What guides every intervention in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy?The 7 dimensions of ABA.Think of ABA therapy like a multi-dimensional figure. It has many angles, perspectives, and ways to evaluate it. That is exactly what the dimensions do. They give clinicians and families a complete way to see how well an intervention is working, from every angle.

September 8, 2026

Errorless Learning in ABA: How and Why Behavior Therapists Use It

In Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, errorless learning is a way to teach new skills by giving the right amount of support from the very beginning.When your child with autism is learning something new, mistakes are part of the process. But for some kiddos, too many mistakes too quickly can feel uncomfortable, frustrating, or discouraging. The last thing we want is for your child to shut down, guess, avoid the task, or lose confidence before the skill has a chance to grow. That's where errorless learning can help.