Travel is an essential part of the holiday season for many families. Visiting loved ones, whether by train, plane or automobile can create worry, fear and stress for children on the autism spectrum. By implementing a few tools and strategies, holiday travel can become more manageable and enjoyable for everyone involved.
Set a realistic schedule
Tailoring the travel pace and schedule to accommodate the needs of every family member is crucial. While neurotypical people may have no problem covering long distances without frequent breaks, the same approach can be overwhelming for children on the spectrum. Finding a comfortable balance that works for everyone is key.
When mapping out your travel, factor in time for breaks during extended periods of time. Even brief stops of ten to fifteen minutes can significantly alleviate frustration. Making time for a short walk and restroom breaks can reduce tension for children with autism. A well structured itinerary with breaks creates smoother travel experiences and reduces the chances of behavioral challenges.
In unavoidable instances of long flights or stretches of road trips, it is crucial to be equipped with the necessary supplies, such as a favorite toy, comfort snack or noise-canceling headphones.
Communicate with your child about what to expect
For families who have a child with autism, creating and managing expectations through clear communication is an essential tool that helps travel proceed smoothly. Talk with your child before a trip about where they are going and what will be different from their normal routine. This creates a powerful mental framework for them that can help ease feelings of uncertainty. Parents can even create visual schedules with their children to help illustrate their itinerary with maps and other visually engaging materials that lay out the days and weeks ahead.Once the schedule has been outlined and communicated, then it’s time to provide your child with autonomy, by asking them if they have any questions, concerns or suggestions. By getting at the root of their potential fears, parents can then acknowledge and reduce them. Throughout the trip itself, periodic check-ins are an effective way to gauge how things are going and if anything needs to be adjusted.
With enough communication, even longer trips become manageable for children with autism. Once you feel like you have the right pace, supplies, and information provided, all that’s left to do is test the waters.
Do a travel trial run
Once you have all the major pieces in place, it can be helpful for families to do a small-scale trial run to see how their plan holds up.
A shorter trip of a few hours or one day can provide critical feedback in terms of how long children are comfortable in transit, what they enjoyed, and what items would have been helpful to have on hand for the real travel experience. Ask your child after the trial run what they thought about the experience and how they feel about going on a longer one in the future. These answers will help parents understand the child’s perspective regarding travel conditions.
By being proactive and gaining this information before actually embarking on a longer trip, families still have time to incorporate what they learned into their longer travel plan.Whether you plan to fly or drive for the holiday travel season, there are countless resources available to help ensure safe travel for children with autism. For many caregivers and parents, the holidays serve as a time for rest and connection with family, away from the stress of work and other responsibilities. By combining the right advice with your knowledge of your child’s special needs, a travel plan can be created that’s sure to result in happy memories made for all.
