Holiday Travel Tips
Introduction
Embarking on a journey with a child with autism requires thoughtful planning and a tailored approach to travel. Understanding the unique needs of your child is vital to ensure a smooth and comfortable journey for both the child and the family. This blog delves into essential strategies and considerations for traveling with children with autism, focusing on creating a reassuring, familiar, and less overwhelming travel experience.
From visual travel schedules to familiar foods, and navigating airport security, these tips are designed to address the specific challenges faced during travel and provide practical solutions to make your family trips more enjoyable and less stressful.
Travel Guide
Reach out to your Orchid Academy team:
Your Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) can help break traveling down into steps while helping to create visual schedules, practice routines, develop social stories, and much more!
Practice:
Practice wearing headphones with iPhone/iPad or other entertainment devices as well as any other tools you may use on the flight, such as a sensory blanket.
Visit Flight Museums:
Many flight museums and some airports allow for training opportunities to be around and inside airplanes before the big travel day!
Visual Travel Schedule:
Create a simple visual schedule for travel plans. This helps your child understand the journey step by step in a calm and reassuring way.
Comfort Items:
Pack cherished comfort items, like a favorite blanket or toy, to make unfamiliar places feel more like home.
Familiar Foods:
Bring along familiar snacks and foods, especially if your child has specific preferences. This adds a touch of comfort to their travel experience.
Travel During Off-Peak Times:
Consider traveling during quieter times to make the journey more relaxed for your child.
Prepare for Security Checks:
If flying, reach out to the airport beforehand to inquire about support for individuals with autism during security checks. This can make the process smoother and more comfortable. Work with the flight crew with any assistance you may require from them before boarding. If traveling with more than one adult, send the first adult on to set up your environment and board last.
Conclusion
To conclude, traveling with a child with autism doesn't have to be daunting. I can’t tell you how many families never traveled with their children prior to becoming part of the Orchid Academy family. Now we enjoy seeing posts and pictures of these same children in amazing locations spending time with their family - all smiles!
These strategies are not just about making travel easier, but about empowering families to explore new places and create lasting memories together. Each journey is an opportunity for growth, learning, and enjoyment, embodying the Orchid Way of creating life-changing outcomes for learners and their families.
