Children with Autism can get easily stress out if they do not follow a routine. Thus, Preparing your child before travelling is important because his/her routine patterns will be interrupted during this process. Explaining what involves travelling, visiting an airport or talk about the process will help your child to assimilate the whole idea.
You might also consider to: Show your child (according to his/her age) a map of the final arrival destination or pictures of the places you are planing to visit. Listen a movie on what the language sounds like. Visit the airport or watch some planes to help your child building the concept of travelling. Get your child involve in the process of getting ready all the luggage. On your travel day, explain your child the whole process of checking the luggage and security controls. If possible, you can create a checklist (with pictures for younger children), of this whole process, so your child keep on track of what is happening around him. Recreate a story.Social stories are used for children with Autism for a variety of reasons, one of them being what to do and how to act in certain situations. Ideally the story has photos of activities of your child did last time he or she was doing last time was over there. If you are going somewhere new, search online for pictures of people doing things in that place. For example, you could create a story about a little girl (or boy) who went to the beach. Show photos of the activities that the child could do at the beach. You could mention that he or she didn’t like the sand, but it was okay to sit on a blanket. You could talk about the waves and the noise they make, and about how if they don’t like the water, you can stand at the edge or stay on the blanket.
The goal is to prepare your child for what is likely to happen and what he or she can do to be socially appropriate and to cope with a new situation. Read the social story daily leading up to the trip and take it with you if you need it there. Direct flights are the best.Rule: The less the changes, the better. Its is wise to take with you some favorite snacks just in case the airline doesn’t have something your child will eat.
Contact the hotel.Explain that you have a child with special needs who may need special accommodations such as a quieter room, a room on a certain floor, or a special diet. Most Autistic children has sensory needs, thus bring your own soap, pillowcases, bedding, and towels. Bring extra everything just in case something gets lost.
Schedule when you arrive.Create a schedule. For younger children, this can be a picture schedule. For older children, it can be written. Either way, have something so your child can predict what is going to happen next. Even if he or she needs something simple (8-9 breakfast, 9-9:30 bus ride, 9:30-12:30 sightseeing, 12:30 lunch, etc.), a schedule will relieve some of the anxiety of being in a completely new place. Schedule your visits to places so it looks organise.
Having problems? what about plan B.Back-up plans are ready to work in case it rains or in case there is an unexpected event, and be able to adjust the schedule accordingly. Maybe you leave a blank space in between each item, or maybe you just use a “surprise” icon (question mark, or a surprised face) to indicate that something different is happening.
Give your child a “job” that relates to his or her interests.If your child is really into history, have him or her take photos to create a book when you get home. If your child loves the color red, have him or her document everything red that you see.
Cater your child interests.Make sure to include some activities that you know your child will love. Save them for the last couple days if you can, and remind them the whole time about what’s coming up: “Today we’re going to this museum, but in two more days we’ll go see.”
If your child can’t wait multiple days, try your activity in the morning and his or hers in the evening. This is where the schedule will come in handy because you can remind them that there is only a certain amount of time for each activity, so you will have to leave at _ o’clock. Most of all, have fun traveling with your child.Just because your child is within the Autism Spectrum it does mean it cannot be fun. The idea is to get out there and do the things you want to do together. Preparations and accommodations can be made to create the best vacation yet, it just takes a little extra time and a little extra planning.
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