Have a great summer with your child!

Sincerely,

Kari

Summer Travel Tips

Getting There is Half the Fun

• Prepare your child. Study pictures of the places you are going. Try an overnight at a hotel close to home. Observe security at the airport. Do whatever it takes to give your child an understanding of the travel experience to come
• Keep calm and carry on. Traveling with a special needs child can be stressful. However, if you control your own anxiety, you can better calm your child. You may have noticed that even a change in the tone of your voice can provoke anxiety in your child. Try to remain relaxed, even when the going gets tough.
• Give your child a role. Your child must have a role, no matter how small, in the travel activity. In the airport,  he may pull his suitcase or carry a personal item. While traveling by car, she may serve as a co-pilot, holding the map or the GPS. Make this a collaborative experience.
• Slow down. Children with autism spectrum disorders and other neuro-developmental disorders have deficits in information processing. All forms of information; including language, sensations, and emotions, may be processed slowly. For this reason, hurry is frustrating and confusing. If you are able, continue to move and speak slowly with your child when traveling. You may arrive a bit later than planned, but your child will be better able to cope.
• For your schedule, less is more. Limit the number of destinations you visit in one day. One is enough, maybe two. Plan plenty of downtime to relax and recharge. 
• Reduce prompts for interaction. Do not pressure your child to interact with unfamiliar people. This includes your friends and family. Don't prompt for eye-contact and avoid telling your child what to say. These performance demands just add stress. Wait for your child to communicate when he is ready. 
• Don't forget identification. Your child should have your contact information attached to him at all times.