First Airplane Trip--Need Suggestions | Autism PDD

Earphones sound wonderful! We never flew because we are not always confident Sarah will tolerate noise..her sensitivity comes and goes.. I would bring books, small magna doodle, favorite stuffed toy, snacks:) Good luck!

We are getting ready to take our first plane trip with our kids (ages 6 and 3 1/2) in the next few weeks and along with getting everything packed I am trying to think of things to do so the trip will be easier. It's and 1 hour 40 minute flight each way. We've got dd seated by the window, then me, then ds on the isle and dh across the isle from him. We thought that way at least they wouldn't be climbing on anyone etc. I'm afraid with ds because he's fine with things I figure he'd freak about and then simple things he freaks about. I'd love to hear everyone's traveling/flying/hotel tips. Thanks!After several uneventful airplane rides, my son had a major meltdown due to
his auditory sensitivities during one trip. The engine sounds, and air hiss in
the pressurized cabin just made him crazy. He wept in pain the entire trip. I
had to cover his ears the whole time. Nothing helped. That's when I
purchased him his first pair of sound-deadening headphones (got them in
the "riflery" section at a sporting goods store) for the trip back. He refused
earplugs. They really work, and we never fly without them. They also came
in handy during the fireworks this past 4th of July.
I download his favorite shows from i-tunes onto my laptop before we fly.
Slip in the earbuds under the headphones, and he's happy.
That one flight was so traumatic for both of us. Your son might be fine, but
I'd make a list of all the problems that people here will share with you--
better safe than sorry! Good luck

I live in an airline town near the busiest airport in the world. I have to say it has been a real blessing living here because I have gotten a lot of great advice from friends of mine who live here who work in the industry.

1) One the best tips I have gotten is to use Guest Services to help with things like security lines. They have helped me to get my son through this maise with little or no wait at all . ( The site IFly.com that Norway Mom has mentioned has all of them listed on thier website).

2) Contact the airlines and let them know that you are flying with a child who has ( special needs - Autism ) . I have found that when I have done this the service crew knew about my sons issues before I had a chance to inform them.

3)The flight crews ( Pilots and copilots ) are used to hearing all kinds of sounds coming from the cabin part of the airplane , so don't think aloud sound coming from your child is going to bother them. it won't . The service crew maybe a different story because they are right there in the cabin with you. Most of the time I try to inform them that my son has autism and what he may do. This is where I have found out they have already been made aware of this from customer service .

4) Fly early in the day to avoid flight delays do to weather. Our airport is notorious for flight delays due to late afternoon thunderstorms .This airport is crazy on normal days without any delays - throw in a thunderstorm or two and you've got a mad house almost no where to walk , it is so crowded.

I hope some of this helps and that you have a great trip!

I recently flew on a two and a half hour flight..Just me and my son..I was very stressed out about this..and was terrified my son six year old would have a meltdown on the plane .The worse scenario was standing in line before the flight-A nightmare..I arrived 2 hours prior and this line was out the door-If I would of had someone with me I would have had them take him to the cafe for a snack and phoned them on my cell when the line progressed and had minor issues with the fact he did not want to remove his shoes going through security and was mortified by the thought of putting his stuffed animal through the machine... I was loaded with his favorite treats and did buy a DVd player but made the mistake of bringing music DVD's with too many selections and he wanted to change the songs over and over so...I gave it to the attendant to hold on to.I was shocked he giggled and loved the take off and yelled more...more...same with landing ...He wanted to talk to everyone on the plane and became loud at times.Magazines he loves so I brought one for him ..I liked the seating arrangement we sat in back behind the exit door so there was a wall partition in front...not passengers and I sat him by the window.I was shocked the flight went so, well...Good luck to you!!!As a single mom, I ALWAYS fly solo with my son. You cannot "cut"
through the security lines---BUT, I always get some extra help at the
curb. I explain J's dx and tell them he can't take the screeching hissing
shuttle bus brakes, or the crowd. I have always been accomodated.
Ususally we wait inside the terminal, while our bags are checked, and
then sent on our way. I TIP well.

At the gate, if we are not flying an airline that offers prebaording for
small kids, I ask to board the plane early with the wheelchair crowd.
Once the plane takes off, I always have a chat with the flight attendant,
and explain my situation. I ask for assistance while de-planing, as J is
terrified of the jetway. I'd say 95% of people have been FANTASTIC. 5%
just "didn't get it" We are always first to board, last to leave. Hope this
helps anyone in the same boat!

I check everything except my laptop, and totebag of food and toys.

The key thing to using Guest Services to help with Security Lines is to contact them a few days in advance and let them know what kind of assistance you need and why and your flght info. Every time we have done this - we made an appointment with them and met them at thier office at the airports we have done this at.

I also want to recommend a dry run to the airport with your child to get them used to it and a social story about going there and what to expect.

I had no idea one could get Guest Services to help minimize the security line wait! Will checkou out that IFly.com. Great tip - we're flying in December and then again in February, so will do it!

Just flew earlier this month, and security lines were okey-dokey, but we have also experienced molasses in winter wait times. So far, he's fine with waiting, but ya never know.

Thanks.

I followed all the parents' advice on this board when my 3yo and I flew to
Asia (12 hrs each way) - had a backpack full of small new toys (1 toy per
hour of flight), etc. and had no problems on the flights.

We actually had more drama in the airports at the security checkpoints-
ds was scared and didn't want to get out of the stroller or take his shoes
off.
So one other advice-- everybody (including parents and children) wear
easy to slip on and off shoes-- don't bring too much liquids (you can get
juices on the plane), since you will have to dump it at security-- make
sure if you bring a stroller, it is light and easily collapsible.

Great advice here. For us, we couldn't live without Dooder's Leapster! (with earphones - it's really hard to hear on planes with the engine noise).

Dooder was pretty enthralled with a Rubik's cube last month, which helped for those times when electronics aren't allowed (on takeoff and landing).

A small blanket and a stuffed animal helped make it a little more cozy for a late flight. I wouldn't count on the airlines for a blanket. Good luck!

We fly with the kids 2 - 3 times per year since they were born.

DVD player has been key since the beginning. For the last two years gameboys (with the headphones) have been great as well.

When the boys were younger, I used to buy a handful of small new toys (cars, trains, etc.) that I would pull out if anyone got fussy. Now they each have their own wheely backpacks that they pack themselves with whatever they want for the plane.

For seating, we do 2 rows window/middle and window/middle, kids each in a window and dh and I each in a middle. My ASD son is always in the 2nd row of the 2 rows. That way, if he kicks the seat in front of him too much, he's only annoying his brother. Dh and I can also easily pass stuff back and forth this way over the seats.

One thing we have noticed in the recent years is that the airlines are getting skimpy on the drinks. If your child likes a certain drink, go through security and then stock up on drinks before you get on the plane. My son likes milk, and in March when we went to Disney the plane full of kids plowed through the entire milk supply on the plane in the 1st hour. I was dishing out milk to folks sitting around me from the private stash I brought on the plane. Also, rather than bringing snacks from home I usually let the kids pick out their own snacks at the airport prior to take off. It's obviously more pricey, but that just makes it more of a special treat. They love their "special airport snacks."

We've been fortunate that the kids are good travelers.

We would bring a portable dvd with an additional battery unit. I would
bring his favorite dvd's and pack two surprise dvd's. Now we use an ipod.
We would also bring game boys and extra batteries. some art stuff like
crayola wondercolors. I would bring jelllybeans, lollipops, skittles, little
snacks. Stock up on any little novel item that you see and bring it with you.
My little one loved little surprises. GREAT ADVICE!!!!!!!

, LeAnne C.

We've flown from Norway to America at least once a year (a looong day of air flight and car travel) ever since my oldest son was a baby. It has never been a problem, but it was exhausting to help keep them occupied until we bought a DVD player this year.

It has also sometimes been a problem to keep them from kicking or pushing the seat ahead of us. The fact that the plane is noisy also helps drown out some of the noise my children make.

I might suggest a magnetic drawing board instead of paper, since it can be used even if the tray table needs to be up, and you don't have to keep searching for dropped pencils/markers. I know someone else who swears by Wikki Stix for airplane flights. When the kids were smaller, we also attached toys to elastic bands. We attached the other end to our child's hand or beltloop so we could recover the toys easily when dropped.

Remember, both the airport and the airline have services for passengers with special needs. I've never used them, but here's where you can look into this:

Airlines: One click and you'll go directly to the place on the airline's website where they have information for passengers with special needs.

http://specialchildren.about.com/od/inthecommunity/qt/airlin einfo.htm

Airports: You can go to www.ifly.com, enter the airport in question, and find "services and amenities" on the menu to the left. There you will find a section for "People with special needs/Persons with disabilities" with contact information. It also tells you where the companion care bathrooms are so you can have a more peaceful trip to the bathroom with your child.

Here are some other online resources (let me know if any of these links don't work):

http://www.askaspecialist.ca.gov/archives/2006/ADHD/June_200 6.htm - a sample social story about flying.

http://drchris.teachtown.com/2006/12/21/traveling-with-child ren-with-asd-over-the-holidays/ - tips for travelling with an autistic child.

And here's a good one from the National Autistic Society in the UK. You can even e-mail them for their information sheet "Guidelines for airline staff" (hopefully this doesn't have to be sent by regular mail).

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1064&a=7246 - more tips from the National Autistic Society in the UK. They even have an information sheet "Guidelines for airline staff" which they may be able to e-mail you.

http://www.conquerfragilex.org/summer_travel.php - article about travelling with kids who have Fragile X (they have issues similar to autistic kids)

There are other great tips on this forum, for example under this topic (or do a search).

http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15583&am p;KW=ifly%2Ecom

Good luck with everything!

I have had good and bad experiences. I would say bring a DVD player for sure, check out a bunch of DVDs at the library (so you have new ones) and also - bring tons of snacks and treats. You can use the DVD player in the hotel room as well. Also, as much as a pain as it can be, bring his car seat for the plane. The familiarity was really comforting to my son.

When we travel to a hotel, I bring a single blow up matress and put it on the floor between the bed and wall. I put his pillow and blanket from home on it and it makes a cozy little nook for sleeping. I also pack a small fan for "white noise" as some hotels can have loud hall noises etc when kids are trying to sleep.

Good luck and have fun!!

Our boys have done 4 roundtrips in the past 2 1/2 years, and here are my must-dos. I'll skip the normal things about snacks, toys, and tell you our secrets for kids the ages of yours. Mine are 4 and 6 1/2 now and love flying.

DVD player, fully charged, along with its electrical cord. We use this mostly in the airport itself and find an uncrowded spot to plug it in and hunker down. This might be the gate right across from yours...close enough to hear and see, but can give your kids space. Save the battery for flying.

DVDs - SHORT ones for the flight! If your flight is 1:40, that includes taxi time to/from the gate. By the time you're up and can turn the player on, you're not going to have time for a full length movie, not even an hour long one. Ya don't want the kids watching the exciting guts of the show, then have to close it down! Mutiny, air marshalls, and bears - oh my! We actually don't even pull this out on board unless it looks like its necessary.

Gummy Bears for their ears - I make sets of snack ziplocs with gummy bears, gummy coke bottles, red licorice, etc. If your kids have even a slightly congested nose, then clearing their ears going up and on the way down may be hard to do and it can hurt! The exaggerated chewing REALLY helps. Also, if your kids scream like banshees? Give every surrounding passenger a pair of bears to stuff into their own ears!

Cough-Decongestant Strips - these take no space & no effort. Again, if you think one of your kids is starting to intimate a stuffy nose, these little meltaways - given about an hour before flying - help clear the sinus passages.

Prep Work...You might pull out whatever toy planes you have at home to start playing airport with your kids so they understand checking bags, security (we ALL take off our shoes! Funny!), waiting at the gate, etc. I actually got a little tykes airport set for about 20 bucks that shows a plane, luggage cart, a gate, etc. Your autistic son needs to understand the steps involved, otherwise he may think you park your car, walk in, and get on the plane. The waiting is the worst part!

Movies to watch ahead of time...Toy Story 2! Nice happy intro to an airport. There are several good flying scenes in The Incredibles, but they also have the one plane exploded by missiles! Avoid this movie if you think it'll give your kids worries. Indiana Jones has some happy flying, too.

Buy LOUD matching shirts - should one of them escape, you can track them easier in the airport if they match like a couple zebras in the grass. Try to match yourself, so they can track YOU too!

Secret to take-off worries - if one of them is apprehensive, tell them it takes only 15 seconds to fly. Wait until the engine noise on the runway rises to its loudest, then start counting with the kids. It will take 15 seconds at full speed to get airborne, even fully loaded. My boys just LOVE that they can predict the moment of takeoff.

You might also explain that the clouds are like moist cotton candy and a bit mushy, so when you pass up through them, the plane feels little bumps. This way, if you hit a bit of turbulence, you can say...ew! sticky clouds - let's go higher so we can see better! Get out of here, you old clouds, you! Acting annoyed is much preferred to fearful.

Also explain the little bump they hear when the doors for the wheels close or open. My boys love knowing how it all works.

BIG Time Turbulence - if you have to travel on a windy day, then please know that there IS motion sickness stuff for your 6 year old. I bought a bottle of stuff - Walmart brand - for a cruise we took the boys on this spring, and it was big time wavy. My adult pills were okay to give to my 6 year old, and I did! They didn't make him drowsy, either. If you suspect turbulence, maybe medicate your older child before hand.

You are smart to prepare well for the kids' first flight! I think the first few times they fly sets a precedent in their attitudes about air travel. Enjoy it and take pictures! It makes them realize this is a happy event.

All really great advise. I would only add,

Let your kids pick out an inexpensive rolling backpack for their carry-on, they really do like the feeling of being so "grown-up" let them pick their comfort item and small game or activity.

If you are still using a stroller, and I would, keep your youngest in it at the airport, that way you will know you have one child secure at all times. You can stow the stroller as you board the plane and they will have it out for you when you are getting off the plane.

If you are using a car seat, airports can check these larger items in long term storage areas for you for a small fee. I've done this many times.

Take your shoes off before going thru security, they'll make you anyway and it will be hard to get the shoes off 2 little kids in line.

Lastly, something unexpected is bound to happen; especially with children who want to check everything out and may get scared at anything different; allow LOTS of time to arrive at the airport, get thru security and hit the bathrooms.

Have a wonderful time.

Good point about the shoes. In the past, only we adults have had to take off our shoes, but this year the kids did too. (We felt this was going a little overboard. You could hardly hide a firecracker in my youngest one's shoes, let alone a bomb...)

Tonight I remembered another tip. On international flights, don't let the immigration folks/security officers see it if your child feels nauseous.

My youngest son often gets sick in connection with trips -- we don't know if it's stress, motion sickness, diet changes, or what. Instead of getting sympathy once we were on the ground, we got the 3rd degree.

I was seriously thinking we might get quarantined and I knew it was nothing serious like malaria or TB or something (we live a quiet life in Norway for goodness sake). Luckily the security officer showed some common sense and let us through.