Traveling can be an important part of a child to create a meaningful life because it allows them to experience the world. Traveling with autism spectrum children (ASD) may present some unique challenges, but it is not impossible. Children suffering from autism spectrum disorder find it difficult to travel due to the change in routine, crowds, routine changes, unpredictability, new sounds, and sights.
Best Autism Centres Near Me in Bangalore | CAPAAR. If you’re planning to travel and have a children with autism, then here are few tips for planning, packing, managing dietary needs, car travel, air travel, and safety considerations are listed for parents to enjoy a pleasant trip:
-
Preparation: It is suggestable to inform the child about the upcoming plans, to help them understand what to expect, to answer any questions they may have, and for parents to be prepared themselves, to avoid stress. When parents are stressed, their children feel it and are more likely to become stressed as well.
-
Dietary Needs: Children dealing with the autism spectrum have severe dietary restrictions due to sensory issues. Parents need to bring plenty of food for the child, stick to familiar chain restaurants, and if visiting a new restaurant, it’s important to make sure it is like other restaurants that the child is already familiar with.
-
Role Play: If the child can follow along with this activity, role play can be beneficial. It helps the child be more comfortable when he or she is in the situation by imagining out what might happen during your trip. The role play can be done with a set of dolls or cars and tell them a story about the travel plans.
-
Safety Precautions: Contact hotels ahead of time to plan for any special services, such as adjoining rooms, food and sleep requirements, and secure door locks. Some autistic children wander off, so make sure they can’t leave the room in the middle of the night when everyone else is sleeping.
-
Social Stories: Pictures and videos of the sights planned to visit, as well as social stories detailing the plans, are excellent ways to help children prepare for the trip. Social stories can be general or specific to a particular travel location or experience and can be illustrated in print, digital, or video form.
-
De-stress Time: To relax from all the new activities, the child may require time spent back in the hotel room watching their favorite movie or playing with their favorite toy. Scheduling “downtime” or even “down days” can help to prevent meltdowns.
-
Toilet Training: Many children with autism struggle with toilet training and end up wearing diapers for much longer than necessary. Once they are toilet trained, it is suggested to take toilet breaks while driving rather than carrying diapers and wipes and figuring out how to change diapers while traveling.
-
Low-key vacation: While on vacation, avoid visiting dozens of local attractions. Doing so may cause autistic children to experience a major meltdown. It’s suggested to plan one or two activities per day and the child can enjoy some downtime before, during, and after those activities.
To know more, visit: http://capaar4autism.com/
Leave a Reply