Outdoors for All…

Here below some useful resources and articles I’ve found around to give You some Autism Tips for travel.

• You have an autistic spouse with sensory issues - and yet you choose an NASCAR convention as your destination. Your child with autism can’t stand to feel sand between her toes - and you choose to go to the beach. Maybe there are quieter choices that are still most fun, or destinations (like a lake) that consider your wish for water and your child’s dislike of sandy feet.
• Check into the Possibilities. You may have decided against Disneyland based on noise level or food issues. But think again. Disneyland, like many destinations, offers various choices for different kinds of visitors. Before you decide that a place will not suit your family, ask about special services and amenities. We’ve had good luck in surprising locations, because we’ve researched the choices and found services that suited our special needs.
• Select Your Accommodations Carefully. Hotel? Motel? Campsite? Or rental? Of course, a lot depends on budget and preference. But consider this: you may wind up spending much time in your accommodation of choice, giving your autistic loved one time away from family, preparing special foods, or escaping from sensory overloads. If it’s uncomfortable, loud or lacking in amenities, it might be a problem. Many prefer a vacation rental for all those reasons.

Deciding where to go

The Autism Helpline information sheet Holidays: autism friendly places is a list of centres throughout the UK and abroad which have stated that they are suitable for people with an ASD and other disabilities. (Inclusion on this list is not a recommendation by The National Autistic Society). This document also includes the contact details of a few organizations who are able to provide funding for holidays.

When choosing a holiday destination, find out what facilities are provided and whether the staff can understand disabilities in general, or ideally, ASD. Consider the specific needs of your child. For example, if your child is sensitive to noise, ask how close your hotel room will be to the pool area, bar or restaurant. Groups of people may gather there all day and therefore some noise will be sure.

Preparation

Once you have decided on your destination, it is advisable to tell your child about the trip. Individuals on the autistic spectrum find change difficult, and this may lead to high anxiety and possible challenging behavior. However, by preparing your child as much as possible, any fears will hopefully be kept to a minimum.

You could compile a booklet about the holiday, including pictures from the holiday brochure. These visual supports will help your child to understand where they are going and what it will be like when they are there (see Visual supports information sheet). However, be careful if your child’s understanding is literal, as they may be upset if the holiday is not the same as the pictures in their booklet.

You could create a timetable of what you will be doing on each day. You could start with the times that you will have breakfast, lunch and dinner (look in your holiday brochure or ask your travel agent to find out what times meals are served). How structured this timetable needs to be will depend on your child and how much they rely on routine. Design the timetable according to your child’s needs. You may need to be detailed: describing what activities you will be doing every day. Alternatively, your child may be happy with: ‘Explore the resort’ on the first day, ‘go to beach’ for the second day and so on. Sticking to some routine each day should benefit everyone.

If your child has not travelled on a plane before, or you are going from a new airport, or on a bigger/smaller plane, you may like to visit the airport before you go on holiday. This will help your child to understand what the airport is like, as well as allowing them to experience the journey to the airport before you go. You could contact the airline directly, and explain to them that your child has an ASD. You may need to provide some general information about the condition, as well as some details on your child’s particular needs and habits. This will help the airline staff to support your family. For example, you may want to explain if your child hand-flaps.

The Autism Helpline is able to provide leaflets on autism and Asperger syndrome, as well as an information sheet called Guidelines for airline staff. Please contact the Autism Helpline on 0845 070 4004 if you would like this information sheet.

Many airlines/airports are able to organize tours around an aircraft or on a simulator to help people with disabilities or those who might be nervous about flying. This may benefit your child as it provides some impression of what being in an aircraft might be like.

Here some excerpts from Autismtravel.org

I have camped my entire life.  As a child our adventure vacations revolved around our old pop-up.  My husband and I became weekend campers first with our tent then moved into a pop-up.  When we first camped with my son I admit I was worried.  How do I watch him?  Prevent him from running into poison ivy?  Keep him off the road?  And on and on and on . . .

Actually, camping was perfect for him.  Camping reduced the family distractions.  We were able to focus on each other which means we could watch him easily.  Little did I know that watching him also meant that we could play with him — on his level.  For some reason, I was less self-conscious when I played superheros and joined him in his mental movies.  So was the rest of my family. When we took a walk or hike, he went right along.  He even hiked some rather treacherous trails in Hocking Hills State Park.  And loved it.