Vacation - when did u, how did u These are my tried and true tips. Hope some can work for you. When I fly I try to get the front row. My dd tends to want to put her feat up and/or push the seat in front of her in order to sit up. Most airlines let you pre-board with others with disabilities. You cannot always get the first row if there are many people in wheelchairs but you can try.This is for Southwest. If you are flying an airlines with reserved seats, try and book those seats. Also, give her the window seat. One, she's trapped and it's harder to escape and two, it provides a diversion. Once you board, take down the tray and give her a snack and a diversion. It will take a while for the rest of the plane to board, so spend some time relaxing. then you can put the tray up. If you think the belt will be an issue, wait until the last possible moment. (I've done it while taxiiing). You can tell the crew she has special needs. I think they appreciate knowing ahead of time. I've had all good experiences with crews but you've heard the horror stories, so just assess them as best you can. If she's never flown explain everything(!), including what happens before at home, at the airport, and on the plane. Be sure and tell the TSA person at security that you're traveling with a child with special needs. They are trained on what to do. There is more info. on their website. I also let my dd buy snacks at the airport before we board. There is something really calming about this ritual that helps her even if I bring the exact same snacks from home so I just splurge and let her do it. Whatever rituals you think will work, you can come up with them and they will be lifesavers whenever you travel. If you ever do decide to go to Disney, you can ask for a Guest Assistance Card that will allow you to wait for rides in a separate area (no long lines!) Have a great trip! Thankyou SO much guys! I know I can always count on you to give me advice.... Still dreading the trip tho@! DVD Player or Nintendo. Something to get them addicted and their minds off of everything else. Make sure you can fill up the flight time with something to do. i always take my nindeo ds .my ipod an a few other  things an some snacks in case i dont like there snacks .im a member of the picky eater club still lolVacation??? What's that??? LOLmaybe you can bring her a backback with some toys an if she listen to music bring a cd walkman or ipod .i was 3 when the family to a big trip an so dont really rember it .maybe you can give her something mild to keep her calim for the plane  ride . Ok so my dd's spring break is coming up and I really want to take her somewhere but we decided to just go to my sister's in TX bec I dont know how dd will handle change etc. This is my first trip after dd's autism became apparent and hence I am mortified... she is 3.5 and difficult to control... Any tips for the flight? Should  I be wearing a Tshirt from Austim Speaks or something to that effect so that if anything I may be able to ward off unncessary stares and remarks? I amso scared.... when did planning a mini vacayion get so hairy?! First I thought we'll do Disney - but with all the issues, i dont think she is ready.. so this will just be a home away from home.... We rarely travel, and when we do it is only to see other family members.I usually have my son wear an autism T shirt and pack a lot of fun toys and snacks. Having a picture schedule helps too. Have fun! Harriet PECS for the schedule would be a huge help, a backpack full of whatever would soothe her (toys, snacks, portable DVD player with favorite movies, etc). Also, have you asked about first on and off since you have a child with special needs? This way she wouldn't have to wait in a crowd for a long time. Most airlines will accomodate this and might even give you some preferred seating areas. We actually chose the very back of the plane with our son. It was right by the place where the drinks are stored so no one was next to us, no one was behind us because there were only 2 small rows and then the bathroom, and it felt a little more private. This worked great for him. It wouldn't work for all kiddos. Realize you might have a really hard time for the first few days, or even the entire trip. Relax, realize it's going to happen, warn your sister and anyone else that will be there, and just accept it. Then, if it doesn't become hard, you have an easier trip. If it does become hard, you are prepared to help her through it. Try to keep the things you can the same (bedtimes, bathtimes, routines, favorite blankets/pillow, soaps and washclothes you use, etc). This will help give her some sense of security. it good if you can take your child out as much as possibly everytime you take your child out is an experncie you dont even no your child is geting about the world .it a cheap way to learn social skills with out knowing it an helps you learn coping skills later on for those who maybe come mordeate to hf later on ,.i no a few low f adults whpo do pretty good in social situion from this to .my parents took me everywere ,if something came up they dealt with it . My advice is - 1) When you book the tickets - inform the airline that you are using that you are flying with a child with Autism.  We have done this everytime we have flown and in most cases the flight crew already has been informed of this by the airline. I ussually also tell the flight crew again as we are entering the plane just to make sure they know. 2) Booking the bulk head seats as someone already mentioned is a plus if it is just you and the child flying. 3) Use guest services at the airports you are flying from - they are great for helping to get through security and to your gate. (I have to deal with the busiest airport in the U.S every time we fly) - so they are great help. You can ussually find them on your airports website by looking up handicap assistance. 4) Try taking her on a dry run to the airport if possible,if you aren't too far away.Walk around all the public areas you can go and explain to her - this is where we will go.  this is where our baggage will go etc. Hope you go and have a great trip. We travel fairly frequently.  We've been flying with the kids 2 - 3 times per year since they were born.  Here's what works for us: 1.  For seating we sit one boy at window and 1 adult in middle seat in one row, and 2nd boy at window and 2nd adult in middle seat in the row directly behind.  C always sits in the 2nd set of seats so if he does have wandering feet he's only annoying his own family.  It's also so much easier for dh and I to pass things between us this way. 2.  Electronics are key!  At age 3 it was the portable DVD player, then at age 5 it was the Gameboy Advance, now it's the Nintendo DS, mommy's ipod and mommy's laptop. 3.  Fly at odd times.  Avoid Monday mornings and Friday afternoons like the plague.  Those are peak times for business travel and planes tend to be fully booked with tired, irritated people (like me lots of times LOL). 4.  When the boys were younger (ages 2 - 4) I would bring a little grab bag in my carry on full of new small toys.  If I sensed C getting restless I would pull out a new matchbox car or Thomas Train to distract him.  I also had lots of candy and fun snacks. 5.  Once when C was 2 1/2 I gave him Benadryl for a 5 hour flight to CA and it helped him get to sleep.  I'm fortunate that my kids travel really well. The DVD players are great, but make sure it's fully charged and operational before you get on the plane. Ours failed on board and ds had a panic attack! Snacks are also useful, but of course they have to be just the right kind. My ASD son (5) actually travels well, he loves planes for some reason but his NT sister (3) is quite a handful! New toys, as Puddin says, are a great idea. Anything they have never seen before will be a good distraction. Also, seat your child by the window and sit next to them, that way you can wall them off. Good luck! When my son was 3.5 we went on his first flight for only 2.5 hours.  I packed a toy backpack and had a new toy wrapped that he could open every 20 minutes (he had a very short attention span).  He loved unwrapping the toys.  One of his favorite activities at the time was a glue stick and a paper plate and ripped up wrapping paper to make into a funny hat.  I think most of the toys we wrapped were activity based that would occupy some time rather than just a hot wheels.  I don't know with the newer security in airports if you could still wrap things, but it sure did make the time pass quickly for him.  Good luck and have fun. If there is ever internet access on planes, we'd be able to fly around the world. ;-) Hi Rita, Trips can be tough, but I find that once they get adjusted, they enjoy it, too. It always takes my son a couple of days to get used to a hotel room.  However, water is his salvation .  He LOVES the beach.  He can spend all day there, come back to the hotel exhausted, and sleep like a rock. As far as the plane goes, in my personal experience, I would put on a t shirt for my son. He was completely overwhelmed, although happy, and shrieked and chirped for the entire plane ride to florida.  The other passengers were not very understanding. I guess I can't blame them.  They paid good money for their ticket, and didn't want to hear my son's noise (as one of the passengers said to her travel partner) . Anyway, you can't worry about everyone else.  Just go.  It may be a lot less of a headache than you anticipate.  Just talk to her about it A LOT.  Show her pictures of airplanes, etc.  That's what I do.  It can't hurt.  They understand more than they think we do. Good luck Everyone has given good advice.  One thing I have to remember is that I shouldn't expect too much of the kids.  I think we want them to be perfectly quiet and still the whole time which isn't realistic.  Maybe it is just me but I usually am annoyed by someone on my flight and it is rarely a child so don't worry too much.  My husband always looks at me about half way through the flight and asks "why do we always get stuck in front of these people?" and it is usually some really loud annoying adult! THANKYOU SO much everyone! I wish all of YOU were travelling with me on that flight - then I wouldnt be so nervous. I booked my ticks! Now we chose an evening flight - 7.00pm that  gets there at 11.00!! I know I know.. but I think (I hope) dd will get tired and get some sleep so it would minimize her time awake on the plane... Now do the airlines allow "food" ? Coz dd needs her chocolate coverred raisins and rice puffs and cheetos (the white cheddar ones) and I carry these in ziplocks...Plus what should I do abt the rice milk? She NEEDS it... She will cry her lungs out if she doesnt get her milk... and I know they arefunky with liquids.. I need to have her straw cup... OH GOD I am scared all over again! Rita, You can bring food through security but not liquids, but there are some exceptions.  Usually milk for a baby or toddler is allowed but I wouldn't risk it.  Last thing you want to do is stand there in line arguing with some TSA worker about a sippy cup.  My son used to love his milk too.  What I used to do is bring the empty sippys through security along with an empty cooler bag and an empty baggie.  I'd then go to an airport food stand, ask for a cup of ice (to fill my baggie) and then buy a bunch of small cartons of milk.  I'd then put the ice and baggie in the cooler bag and be all set.  No one cares what food / drink you bring on the plane, it's only going through security that it's an issue.  Milk cartons should be readily available.  Worst case, walk into the bar and ask the bartender to fill your sippys.  There is always milk behind the bar. I have had good luck with the evening flights when I've taken them in the past.  My son always fell asleep as I'd hoped. I hope you have a great trip!   Hi, my 4-year old has flown a total of four times. The first time she was 2 years old, for a family funeral in Flordia, and the last time was last summer when we went to Virginia on vacation. She had a little trouble in the middle of one flight when she was 2, but it was minor. She threw a fit for about 15 minutes and then fell asleep. It wasn't any worse than a typical 2 year old who was tired on a plane. Last summer she was really cute when we were getting on the flight home. While we were boarding she kept saying, "We're going on a rocket ship!" Portable DVD players with headsets.   Worked great for us .
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