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A study reveals that children with autism are at risk of accidental deaths. It was mentioned that they are three times more likely to injure themselves compared to their peers.

Children with autism are more likely to die from preventable accidents by 40 percent according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. Thousands of children in the United States are diagnosed with autism, and the numbers continually increase as years progress.

Preventable injuries which can potentially lead to death risks are common among children and teen with autism, according to the CNN's report. Drowning is listed as one of the most common causes of death involving a child or a teen with autism.

Dr. Guohua Li, the senior author of the study, opened up about the motives of her team's research involving autism death toll. People with autism spectrum disorder are said to have challenges with their social skills and communication; thus they are reportedly more likely to die before reaching 40.

"First, the prevalence of autism has been increasing," Li said, noting that there are an estimated 3.5 million people living with autism in the US, including about 500,000 children under the age of 15. "Second, there is anecdotal evidence that people with autism are at higher risk of injury."

Since drowning is said to be one of the major causes of death among children and teenagers with autism, parents and caretakers should be keen enough to watch their children. Michael Rosanoff, an epidemiologist, stated that 50 percent of children with autism spectrum disorder tend to wander. They are also highly attracted to water which makes it important to look after them at all times.

As the years progressed, people diagnosed with autism are incredibly growing. The autism rate reportedly doubled in a span of two years from the year 2000 to 2012, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.