Water safety for the kids who need it most

A birthday party around the pool at a friend’s apartment complex should be a safe and fun time for a child. So should a day at the lake or exploring the woods by a nearby creek.

But for kids who do not know how to swim, being near any body of water can be deadly.

The good news is that overall, drowning deaths have decreased steadily in recent decades. But some children are still particularly at risk.

Children on the autism spectrum are more likely to drown. This past summer, two young autistic Somali children drowned after wandering away from their homes in the Twin Cities.  

And nationally, Black and Indigenous children, teens and young adults are more likely to drown than their white peers.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks about the importance of water safety skills, basic swim lessons and other prevention efforts so that all children can be safer near water and enjoy it.

Guests:

• Kyra Miles is the early childhood education reporter for MPR News. She recently reported on the drowning deaths of two Somali children with autism and the push for more awareness and resources to prevent similar tragedies.     

• Malik Rucker is the executive director of V3 Sports, a nonprofit organization that opened the first phase of a large aquatic and fitness center in North Minneapolis in June, 2024. It offers water safety classes and swim lessons to the surrounding community.  

• Ellie Wilson is the executive director of the Autism Society of Minnesota, one of several Minnesota organizations focused on reducing the drowning rates among children with autism.

• Tammy Ebert is the CEO of Swim Possible, which provides adaptive swim lessons to children and adults who need a more personalized approach.   

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.    

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.