Air travel … with autism
by Beth
The holiday season is here, which means a lot of us will be doing some traveling. With that in mind, a post on the Autism United blog about traveling by plane with a child who has autism caught my attention. The post points out that any sort of travel can be stressful for a child who has autism, but plane travel can be especially rough — you can’t make the airplane make a stop any time your child needs one! Here are some tips from the blog post to help make plane travel less stressful:
1. Inform the airline ahead of time that your child has autism.
It is always a good idea to inform the airline ahead of time of your child’s special requirements. This will give them sufficient time to advise the flight attendants and allow them to prepare ahead of time so that they may be able to better address your child’s needs.Some families also prefer to advise the passengers who are within close proximity of their child’s condition. While doing so is completely optional, it helps a lot in the event that your child has a temper tantrum.
2. Have your child wear an identification card.
It is also a good idea to prepare some identification for your child to wear. This will come in handy in the event that he wanders off the airport and gets separated from you. It is also important that you include all the necessary information such as your child’s name, your name, address, and cellphone number. You can also choose to add as a note that your child has autism. This way, whoever sees him will be informed and can address him accordingly.
You can choose to print your child’s identification card and wear it around his neck with a lanyard or you can also opt to have it as a sticker and attach it to the back of your child’s clothing.3. Bring some earplugs and headphones for your child.
When riding the airplane, do not forget to pack some earplugs for your child. This will help your child avoid sensory overload and will definitely come in handy during take off and landing.If your child likes music, do not forget to bring his MP3 player. Load it with his favorite songs. The familiar songs will not only help him avoid sensory overload but will also help keep him calm.
4. Pack some of his favorite toys.
The best way to keep him entertained during the flight is to have some of his favorite toys with him during the trip. Familiar toys and games will not only comfort him but it will also keep his mind off the airplane’s less than ideal environment.
I still remember listening to author Dr. Stephen Shore giving the keynote address at the Easter Seals 2007 Training Conference. I was among the 400+ people in attendance for that speech, which was the highlight of the conference.
One thing I especially remember Dr. Shore describing during the talk was how much he loved take offs and landings during flights — he thought they were exhilarating and calming at the same time. With any luck, that will be the case with your child, too. The list above may come in handy for the time in-between, though. Happy flying!