NOBLESVILLE — Autism Acceptance Month begins Tuesday.
To kick off the month of April, a local nonprofit is educating Hoosiers about the resources available to families of individuals with autism.
Children with autism are 160 times more likely to die from drowning than other children, according to the National Autism Association. A partnership with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is trying to help families in Central Indiana.
Christina McGairk lives in Fishers with her 13-year-old daughter who is on the autism spectrum.
“She loves water. It’s very calming and a sensory thing as well. But it makes me nervous," McGairk said.
Children with autism are at risk of wandering away from a safe environment. It is called elopement, and it potentially can be life-threatening if the child goes towards a body of water.
“I see the fascination in her eyes, and I fear one day she’s gonna get too curious and go into the pond," she said.
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Project Lifesaver program is helping families like the McGairk’s.
HCSO tells WRTV that around 50 local families are registered in the program.
Law enforcement can track a location using a radio tracking signal emitted from a wristband.
The program helps reduce search times from hours or even days to just minutes.
“You get a band to put on the individual around their ankle. You monitor them 24/7. If they do elope or wander away, you can find them by triangulating their location," Rachel Deaton with the Autism Society of Indiana said. “With the technology we have today, there’s no reason to not utilize it to help find your children.”
April is Autism Acceptance Month.
Deaton is working the next few weeks to educate Central Indiana families.
“The Autism Society is doing 30 days of autism. We have events throughout the entire state. We wanna help families learn more about autism and the community learn more about autism," she said.
To enroll a loved one in the Project Lifesaver Program, contact Project Lifesaver of Hamilton County at 317-776-6PLS (6757).
