Traveling With Autistic Kids

After the incident a few weeks ago when a mother was kicked off a plane since her autistic child was uncontrollably upset, I was glad to see the article in USA Today about this challenge. It has some helpful information such as the fact that 1 in 150 kids have autism and 1 in 94 boys have autism.

The recommend the following:

• The Autism Society of America sells wallet cards, left, that describe common characteristics of autism and tips for interacting with autistic children that parents can give to airline personnel.
• Visit the Department of Transportation website to read the Air Carrier Access Act, which outlines the rights of disabled passengers.
• Prepare for the trip by showing your child pictures of the airplane, the terminal and the destination.
• Alert the airline that you will be traveling with an autistic child. Many airlines will allow you to board first.
• Choose a vacation destination that will accommodate your needs. Many parents recommend Disney World, which is known for its disabilities services.

Since some of their reactions (to what most of us adults hate also) can look like misbehavior by children, I can only imagine the looks that the parents get.  As the article suggests, look and think about how you can help…don’t judge.