AARC Tip of the Month - December 2016 Traveling During the Holidays
To make sure traveling with a child with special needs is safe and happy for the whole family, take some time prepare for the trip. The following are a few tips to follow if you are traveling this season with a child with special needs:
Identify stress triggers in order to avoid them during the trip. Being able to identify situations that will cause stress and anxiety is just as helpful for the parents as it is for the child. Planning ahead and avoiding these struggles will help make the trip much more enjoyable.
Plan ahead and consider the child's schedule. It is much easier to plan a trip around the child's schedule than trying to plan the family around a flight schedule. Attempting to keep the schedule somewhat consistent to what is normal will allow for calmer travel and allow the child to encounter fewer disruptions. Also, if traveling during the holidays, expect delays.
Only pack what you really need. It is already stressful making sure the family is set to go for travel, but it can be even more stressful when you are attempting to lug around extra bags. Try to keep the carry-ons small and packed only with the essentials, like snacks, toys, electronics, charging cords, clothes, and diapers.
Utilize your technology: Try to keep all or most of your travel documents on your phone so you don't have to rummage around your bag to search for papers. If you're traveling with another adult, have the documents on their device for backup as well. You can also take pictures so you can reference important information (like where you parked).
Inform key personnel: It may be helpful to let flight attendants or hotel employees know if the child with special needs may engage in self-injurious or aggressive behavior. This can avoid confrontation if there is an event, and will allow parents to focus on meeting the child's needs rather than trying to explain what is happening in the moment.
We will be closed for winter break from Monday, December 12th, 2016 through Monday, January 2nd, 2017.
We will reopen on Tuesday, January 3rd. Have a safe and happy holiday season!
We are working on compiling a list of dental care providers in Alaska that have experience working with children who have ASD. If you know of a provider that you have had great experiences with, please let us know!
Email us at [email protected], and please share why you would recommend them. Thank you!
Books of the Month:
The books of the month are available in the SESA Library. You may search the library on the
SESA website, or you may contact our Librarian, Anne Freitag, at
[email protected] or 907 . 334 . 1301
For easy searching on the
SESA Library site, we've added the ISBN number. Simply copy, paste, and search!
Top Ten Tips: A survival guide for families with children on the autism spectrum
By: Teresa A. Cardon.
Autism Asperger Pub. Co., c2008.
ISBN:
9781934575307
Description: This book is meant to be a quick and helpful tool for navigating your way through everyday activities and occurrences when you live with a child with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Travel is one of the topics covered.
Quirky, Yes --- Hopeless, No: Practical tips to help your child with Asperger's syndrome be more socially accepted
By: Cynthia La Brie Norall and with Beth Wagner Brust
St. Martin's Griffin, 2009.
ISBN:
9780312558499
Description: This book has suggestions on a wide range of topics, and travel is one of them.
