Travelling with Autistic Children Made Easy

Travelling is a beautiful way to discover a new environment, experience family bonding all while learning something new. However, travelling with autistic kids means getting in to unfamiliar routines as well as chaotic and stressful situations. This can all be avoided by thoughtful preparation and can be seen as an opportunity to show your child that a break from the regular routines can be a life changing experience.

Air Travel Tips

If flying by plane during the weeks leading up to the trip create a social story that goes over the air travel process. This can include descriptions and pictures of the airplane, the baggage claim, the check in counter and the security. Also go over any sensory experiences the child may have like the humming of the plane engines or ears popping due to cabin pressure.
Exercise prior to air travel since air travelling requires you to be still and quiet for long periods of time. High motor activity will help your child relieve bottled up energy before getting to the start of the trip.
Possibly have your child explain the process of travel to you or one of his toys. This will be a good measure to see how prepared your child is for the upcoming trip. You can cover specific topics related to the entire travel process.
Certain airports accommodate travelers with disabilities. In this case try to do a practice run of the travel processes that the child will encounter during the actual day of travel.
If that option is not available do practice runs with your child through the use of role play, for example the parent can act as the security officer checking the passengers’ items, belongings and other matters of personal effect.
Do inform the travel authorities that you are travelling with a special needs child and in many cases, you will find that they are willing to cooperate to make the travel process easier for you.
Place a digital clock or countdown timer in front of your child during the flight so they can know exactly how much longer the travel is expected to last.
Arrange for in flight entertainment for your child such as iPods, toys, coloring books, DVD’s and fidget spinners.

Road Trips Tips

Prepare for the trip well and make sure to plan for scheduled stops and restroom breaks.
Stay aware about where rest stops are available
Create a social story with pictures of landmarks that you are expecting to see on the trip and read this story in the weeks leading up to the trip.
Before the start of your trip plan shorter trips to get your child comfortable with being in the car for extended periods of time.
Praise and reinforce appropriate car riding behavior by example by offering a toy or a snack.
In the case your child has difficulty using public restrooms practice this behavior before the trip.
Choose to leave early in the morning or late at night so your child will sleep through the majority of the trip.
Try to prepare for the worst and have a backup plan in case your child starts getting restless during the trip.
Sit in the backseat to avoid having to turn your head to your child over and over. Plus you will have everything you need at your fingertips.
Take a cooler along the trip to keep all drinks and food cold.

General Tips

Take in to consideration what the musts are in your child’s daily routine that can be maintained while travelling as well. This could be a bedtime ritual, a comforting toy or a particular breakfast. Possibly there are activities that your child is used to do that he can do while travelling as well. Don’t forget to involve your child in the decision making and packing processes as well.
Marking off the days on a calendar leading up to the travel day is a great way to prepare your children for a future change in routine that is being planned.
Do not wash any comfort items prior to travelling such as a toy or a blanket that smells like home will help raise comfort levels for the upcoming trip.
Pack food that meets the tastes of your child before the trip or plan which restaurants your child would like to stop at along the way.
Discuss the trip home with your child to make it clear to your child that you will eventually be returning home at the end of the trip which will help alleviate fears of prolonged changes.
Make sure to discuss with your child what they should do in the case they get lost and what information they need to share to get help in case it happens.
You can carry along information about your child’s diagnosis to those unfamiliar with autism to let them know you would like special attention to your child’s needs.
During sightseeing consider visiting places that your child enjoys personally. For example, some kids may favor outdoor adventures while others may like visiting museums.
After the trip take notes to see what worked best and what didn’t to help with future trips.
Further after the trip is over use photographs to relive the memorable experiences you had.
Do let your child know about inappropriate and appropriate ways to deal with strange

Now you know exactly how to plan to travel with your autistic kids and make the journey for your child a positive one. Don’t forget to follow us on our social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to stay up to date with the latest developments at Turning Point. Even better share this article with your friends and family!

Autism and Theory of Mind

Nasif Ismail
Aug 29, 2024
2 min read

Theory of mind is the ability to attribute mental states, intents, beliefs, knowledge, desires etc to one’s self while also understanding that others have desires, intentions, beliefs different than that of one’s own. This is a cognitive skill and is of the utmost importance for predicting and understanding the behavior of others during social interactions. The question to ask here is “Do Autistic Children Understand What Others Feel and Think” to make it simple. An example with real world application is if you hear about a meeting and are told not to disturb under any circumstances and you see someone else taking a coffee for their boss or whoever else you would ask them not to, that’s Theory of Mind.

Theory of Mind is a skill that children pick up before the age of 5, believe it or not. Some examples to show if an Autistic Child has a grasp of Theory of Mind are

1. People don’t know where they are if they hide

2. If they think a thought or have an emotion but don’t express, it

3. Understanding that their likes and dislikes may not be the same as others

4. If they have some type of information that others do not, they can communicate that or else they might be misunderstood.

5. If they see or witness something someone else has not, then they know something that others do not know.

Research shows that autistic children may not be able to understand certain forms of communication like body language and facial expressions like raising eyebrows or anything similar.

Another thing they may misinterpret is Vocal tones for example when people use different tones to joke or be sarcastic they may not be able to understand these concepts. This can lead to a lot of misunderstanding of peoples desires and motivations They may be unable to communicate their needs effectively. This can lead to bullying, abuse and being misled.

Below is a list of problems attributed to lack of Theory of Mind

1. Difficulty Understanding Others Perspectives

2. Challenges in Social Interactions

3. Communication Issues

Now let’s look at different activities that you can do to help create Theory of Mind in your Special Needs Child.

1. Reading a story with a kid and have them guess the ending of that story

2. Other activities that can be done are role play, play pretend and drama or a guessing game.

3. Modelling different emotions that people can display through facial expressions and body language.

Parents and teachers both play a key role in developing Theory of Mind and it is a two way street. Put yourself in their shoes while being patient when they do not process at the same speed you do. Work alongside them to help them develop the skills they need to get along with others

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