| Work has become tedious. The walls of your home | | | | create "downtime" for the child with autism. This may |
| seem to be closing in. You NEED a vacation. But the | | | | mean allowing that child to participate in a favorite |
| thought of traveling with your children, especially your | | | | activity for a portion of time; whatever activity the child |
| child with autism, is less than enticing. | | | | truly enjoys doing that helps him to unwind. It may |
| Families need vacations: time to escape the regular | | | | mean that the child spins, jumps, twirls a sensory toy |
| chores, schedules and routines of home and family. | | | | or just sits in a chair. |
| Holidays mean a chance to break away from routine, | | | | Watching the history channel while the family is down |
| a change of pace, new setting, food, people and | | | | at the beach may be just what the teen with autism |
| activities; not exactly autism friendly! Traveling with | | | | needs. The activity is driven by the child and NOT the |
| children is always more challenging, but planning a | | | | parent. Using a timer or visual clock helps to set |
| vacation with a child with autism can seem downright | | | | parameters around the activity. Using cell phones or |
| daunting. | | | | Walkie Talkies allow parents and kids to communicate |
| There are ways to alleviate some of the stress and | | | | when they are not in direct contact. |
| create a getaway that is enjoyable for every member | | | | 6. Avoid over planning |
| of the family. Some simple guidelines and smart | | | | Choose a few favorite activities rather than trying to |
| planning will make a big difference! | | | | cram everything into the day. A trip to Disneyland can |
| 1. Start small | | | | be a sensory nightmare for a child with autism. Limiting |
| Children with autism do best with small steps. If your | | | | the amount of activity that is done in a day will go a |
| child has never had time away from home it is wise to | | | | long way to making the trip more pleasant for the |
| take a "mini vacation" for a few hours, build up to a | | | | whole family. Do you really have to visit all of the |
| whole day and soon after that a night away. The | | | | theme parks? Is it necessary to shop in every mall? |
| more familiar a child is with a new activity the less | | | | Must you participate in all of the resort activities? Your |
| anxiety they will experience. A few hours spent in an | | | | child with autism may not be capable of managing the |
| activity close to home that is similar to what you plan | | | | sensory, emotional and social stimulation that more |
| to do on vacation, will be worth the time and energy. | | | | typical children are able to cope with. |
| You may choose to visit a local beach, shop, sight - | | | | 7 Plan for unstructured time |
| see in your town or spend some time on a boat. The | | | | Children with autism may not be able to entertain |
| closer the "mini holiday" matches the real thing, the | | | | themselves and parents shouldn't have to be |
| better. | | | | entertainment directors. Some simple tools will make |
| 2. Take time to preview | | | | unstructured times like travel time and waiting for flights |
| Our anxiety levels typically increase when we have no | | | | much more bearable. Start with a written or picture |
| clue what to expect about an upcoming event. Many | | | | menu of all of the available items to play with. Be sure |
| people have a difficult time with the "unknown." This is | | | | to show only the choices that ARE available! Fidget |
| particularly true of kids with autism! As adults, we may | | | | toys, digital toys, magnetic travel games, iPods, |
| choose to browse a travel guide, read rating scales | | | | handheld games, a whiteboard with markers and |
| and look at photo galleries of places where we plan to | | | | magnetic puzzles are invaluable when down time is |
| visit in order to preview where we are going and what | | | | non negotiable. "Wait cards" and "Unavailable cards" |
| we can expect. Our children who live with autism will | | | | are invaluable when we need to let a child know that |
| benefit from these activities as well. Browse the | | | | an activity or item is either delayed or not available. |
| Internet, peruse travel brochures and maybe even visit | | | | These cards must be part of the child's daily life |
| a bookstore and/or library to allow your child to read | | | | before the vacation so that they are tolerable for the |
| about a specific place that you plan to visit. There are | | | | child during the holiday. |
| numerous books about traveling on an airplane, visiting | | | | 8. Don't leave home without the Visuals |
| grandparents, ocean life or life in big cities. Whatever | | | | Visual supports are an absolute necessity when |
| you decide to do with your family, reading about it is an | | | | traveling with children that have autism...even if you are |
| awesome way to acquaint your children with the idea. | | | | away from home for a day! Pictures, calendars, maps, |
| 3. Pack a map | | | | brochures, photos and short scripts provide individuals |
| Individuals with autism gain a sense of calm from | | | | with autism a priceless gift of predictability and order. |
| predictability and familiarity. When planning a trip, | | | | Holidays can be filled with distractions, changes of |
| highlight the route on a map and if you know where | | | | plans, new events and unknown people. Sensory |
| you plan to stop, mark those spots on the map. Maps | | | | stimulation, emotions and expectations are on overload |
| are often appealing to children with autism and they | | | | and the potential for meltdowns is high. Visual supports |
| provide a visual tool that the child can hold and | | | | can act as an anxiety reducer and a welcome relief. A |
| manipulate as they travel. For children that can read | | | | social script can be quickly written on paper or a |
| you may consider providing a list of some of the | | | | whiteboard before the child is expected to participate |
| towns or cities through which you will travel. Children | | | | in an unfamiliar social situation. |
| can check them off as they go or just use them as a | | | | For example, the rules of hanging out on the beach |
| reference when they want to know, where they are. | | | | could be written as a social script and reviewed each |
| Maps and trip itineraries are useful tools to reduce | | | | time a child goes to the beach: |
| anxiety because they provide a tangible reference | | | | People like to play on the beach and some people like |
| point and predictability. Route changes can also be | | | | to lie down on the beach. |
| made quickly on the map or just written on a piece of | | | | We are careful not to kick sand on people when we |
| paper. | | | | walk in the sand. |
| 4. Pack a calendar with Velcro | | | | We can lay our towels next to each other in the |
| Not knowing how days will be filled and what will | | | | family. |
| happen next is unnerving for individuals who live with | | | | We can lay our towels 1 or 2 big steps away from |
| autism (and for many non autistic people)! Many of us | | | | someone that we do not know. |
| rely on electronic gadgets or day planners to keep us | | | | When we lift our towels we are careful not to shake |
| feeling directed, calm and in control. When planning | | | | sand on other people. |
| your family trip, bring along a calendar or a day planner | | | | The beach is fun. |
| of some sort. Attach a strip of Velcro on each day of | | | | The most important item to make sure you bring along |
| the trip and bring along pictures of activities or places. | | | | on a vacation is the expectation to enjoy it. Our |
| Photographs, brochure cut outs, or homemade pictures | | | | thoughts control much of what we experience so it is |
| will work. If the child is able to read, then writing on the | | | | worthwhile to affirm in your own mind that this time |
| calendar may be just as useful. By attaching events | | | | away will be fun. Remind yourself to really watch your |
| and activities to specific days we give our children the | | | | children as they experience new things; smile, breathe |
| opportunity to see what is coming and to organize the | | | | deeply and laugh often. When plans don't quite work |
| time in their minds. The Velcro gives us the flexibility of | | | | remind yourself that "it is what it is" and your reaction |
| changing plans if necessary. It also demonstrates to | | | | to a situation is really what determines the outcome. |
| our kids that events are not always fixed; plans | | | | Choose to be cheerful and positive and your mood will |
| change. The key is to teach the child to refer to the | | | | likely rub off on the rest of your family. |
| calendar when they are feeling uneasy. Reward them | | | | Plopping your children in a car, driving for six hours and |
| when they do so. The alternative is to listen to a | | | | telling them to stop whining will not likely result in a |
| constant barrage of questions. | | | | great vacation! Planning ahead will play a huge role in |
| 5. Plan time fairly | | | | creating a holiday that is fun filled. There are little things |
| Each person needs to know that their needs will be | | | | that we take for granted about traveling that we must |
| met. Children with autism need time away from the | | | | be aware of so that we can create a great vacation. |
| hustle of holidays. Holidays by nature, tend to be very | | | | You need it. Your family needs it. Go ahead and have |
| social, unpredictable and novel. If we want to set up | | | | fun! |
| the experience to be enjoyable we need to try to | | | | |