Traveling comes with the excitement of seeing unfamiliar places and meeting new people. It is not always as easy as it sounds when your children or those under your care are dealing with autism. Professionals have provided travel tips for children with autism that will make it easier for guardians and also enable the kids to enjoy the tour.
Are there routines and preferences that these children must engage? Consider them when planning your trip. Some of the routines and preferences could involve comforting toys, a special breakfast, a ritual during bedtime or such other options. Pack whatever will be required for the tour and ensure that they achieve comfort. Without this familiarity, routine and comfort, you will be in a lot of trouble.
Be familiar with the place you will be traveling to. You need full details of the hotels, airports and railway station that you are going to use. You also need to know what is permitted in these places to avoid getting in trouble with authorities. If the special foods or preferential treatment you are looking forward to is not available, you can make alternative plans. It will not be a shock when you find something you are not familiar with.
Children should be involved in the planning. Parents are in the habit of making plans and tagging their children along. If the child is of an age where he or she can understand what is happening around, involving him or her will be an added advantage. In case you overstay, there will be no boredom because the kid was already aware. The ideas of the child also form part of the planning.
Prepare the emergency bag and medical information. There are medical cards with details of the history and present status of your kid. There are airlines and hotels where you might be required to proof autism in order to get preferential treatment. A letter from your physician will also serve a great deal. You also need to carry the Must Have toys, snacks and medicines because they might not be available at your destination.
An activity kit should also form part of your luggage. The bag should include sensory toys, games, CDs and other items for comfort. You may also consider the interactive iPad games and books that provide comfort. Do not rule out the possibility of finding new and interesting toys.
Be creative in the course of your trip. You will need to consider his likes and dislikes when planning the trip. Include breaks that involve the entire family. Since boredom is an enemy of autism, meticulous planning and involving others in the travelling party will ensure that everyone is appropriately engaged. Unexpected delays should be taken care of to avoid boredom.
Take note and also remember what did not work. This helps you when you are planning for the next trip. You will also understand your child better and in the process cater for his or her needs. Take enough and valuable photos of the child in question in different locations. Engage the child using the photos to enhance his memory, concentration and narrative skills.
Are there routines and preferences that these children must engage? Consider them when planning your trip. Some of the routines and preferences could involve comforting toys, a special breakfast, a ritual during bedtime or such other options. Pack whatever will be required for the tour and ensure that they achieve comfort. Without this familiarity, routine and comfort, you will be in a lot of trouble.
Be familiar with the place you will be traveling to. You need full details of the hotels, airports and railway station that you are going to use. You also need to know what is permitted in these places to avoid getting in trouble with authorities. If the special foods or preferential treatment you are looking forward to is not available, you can make alternative plans. It will not be a shock when you find something you are not familiar with.
Children should be involved in the planning. Parents are in the habit of making plans and tagging their children along. If the child is of an age where he or she can understand what is happening around, involving him or her will be an added advantage. In case you overstay, there will be no boredom because the kid was already aware. The ideas of the child also form part of the planning.
Prepare the emergency bag and medical information. There are medical cards with details of the history and present status of your kid. There are airlines and hotels where you might be required to proof autism in order to get preferential treatment. A letter from your physician will also serve a great deal. You also need to carry the Must Have toys, snacks and medicines because they might not be available at your destination.
An activity kit should also form part of your luggage. The bag should include sensory toys, games, CDs and other items for comfort. You may also consider the interactive iPad games and books that provide comfort. Do not rule out the possibility of finding new and interesting toys.
Be creative in the course of your trip. You will need to consider his likes and dislikes when planning the trip. Include breaks that involve the entire family. Since boredom is an enemy of autism, meticulous planning and involving others in the travelling party will ensure that everyone is appropriately engaged. Unexpected delays should be taken care of to avoid boredom.
Take note and also remember what did not work. This helps you when you are planning for the next trip. You will also understand your child better and in the process cater for his or her needs. Take enough and valuable photos of the child in question in different locations. Engage the child using the photos to enhance his memory, concentration and narrative skills.
About the Author:
You can now get useful travel tips for children with autism directly from our blog posts. Take a moment to read the latest articles on http://www.autismtraveltips.com.