VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Three children with autism have drowned in the last month in Central Florida after or wandering away from their families.
On Tuesday, 7-year-old Charlie Newton was found in a lake in Deltona after an extensive search. Community organizations want to prevent more drownings and long searches if a child runs off.
In Volusia County, one company called Sharewear is stepping up to the plate.
“This would be a holiday campaign that we would be launching. The idea is to get donors in the community to donate. It would go towards not only bands with the geo-locations for these children in the community but would also go towards drowning prevention, education, put on by Easter Seals,” said the band’s inventor Amanda Anderson.
Anderson has already partnered with eight Central Florida law enforcement agencies to give out Sharewear bands to those with medical conditions since rolling out the bracelets in April.
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Now, she said, they could help with autistic children, too.
“Some of them are unable to communicate their needs, non-speaking, anybody in the community that has found this child after eloping can tap the bracelet, access the information, and immediately make contact,” Anderson said.
If someone is wearing one of the bracelets, a phone can simply be put up to it, and a profile will open with medical and emergency contact information.
Last month, Anderson said they also rolled out a geotag feature where if a child gets lost, someone finds them, and scans the bracelet, a text will immediately be sent to their parents with the exact location.
They’re waterproof and aren’t electronic, so no charging involved.
“We have different symbols for different autism symbols, medical alert symbols, we actually have ones that specifically say ‘if lost tap here.’ Just anything that can let someone know, whether it’s a good Samaritan or first responder, to take an extra look at this bracelet,” she said
Anderson said they understand children with autism may have sensory issues with bracelets so they’re open to ideas for other devices. She said they also have stickers and keychains that can be worn around a belt loop.
The donations for these, along with drowning prevention and swimming lessons, are just part of this campaign they hope to roll out in the next few weeks.
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