Traveling with an Autistic or Special Needs person can be done with proper planning

They say everything happens for a reason. This is true as we believe Colin “happened” to us to show us the world in ways we never would have thought. We are on our journey to show him everything we can and give him the most out of life. Follow along with us as we give you a glimpse into our fascinating world of travelling with a boy who has autism.

About six years ago, Kelly and I had this idea to provide insight regarding travelling with a child on the autism spectrum. We travel a lot! This year will be different for us since the pandemic has us tied down more than we are used to. We were sitting in an airport with Colin when the idea came to my head for our blog. We learned about ways to make air travel much more comfortable for “Little Man” (the name given to Colin by our inner circle) while travelling to Florida where we had a home at the time. We learned Many things and while learning all of this I figured out that we travel differently than most other families no matter what mode of transportation we are using. Fast forward to today, we have some good information gathered about most modes of travel and adventure when it comes to people with autism.

The number one thing you should know is that every person with autism is different. Their needs are not the same as neurotypical people. They may need more things to comfort them. Little Man, for example, has his “blankie one”. This blanket has been with him since he was born. It has been on every road trip, excursion, flight, you name it, blankie one has gone with Colin. This blanket comforts him and it’s his safe place. He would be devastated if we were to lose it. Knowing this, we watch it like a hawk and make sure it is the first thing that is packed into the back seat of our Jeep Wrangler. This blanket has been all over Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, and Florida.

Food is another big issue with people on the autism spectrum as well. Little Man has a very selective diet. No matter what you try, he is not eating anything other than what he likes. This can be difficult to overcome as we cannot buy the foods he eats just anywhere. Different provinces and countries have different versions of these foods. So, we pack enough to make sure he has a good supply, and then some. Sometimes we have mailed his food to the United States in advance of our arrival, so we would know he had a proper supply there. If you are travelling to a certain location and know someone in the area, it would be a good idea to make this a practice, so you know there is food for your family member. Trying to make someone with autism eat other foods is a nonstarter because of taste, texture and visual issues with the food. They eat what they eat and that is it. We have purchased different foods for other families around the world who could not find certain foods for their children. One child likes Kraft Dinner Spirals. Not regular, not any other type. SPIRALS. Kraft Canada stopped producing them during the pandemic due to staff shortages, therefore, this child ran out. Autism families to the rescue. The community pulled together, sent emails to Kraft and both they, and families around Canada, sent him enough KD spirals to last a year. You can see the kinds of preparation that goes into travelling with someone who has autism.

Additionally, we always need to have a reliable refrigeration unit onboard with us as well to keep milk cold and fresh. Little Man does not like anything other than milk, apple juice and water. Milk gives him a lot of what he needs for vitamins and nutrients as the rest of his food lacks a little of this on a daily basis. It is imperative we always keep milk with us at all times.

Knowing when enough is enough is a huge thing to know when travelling with someone who has special needs. We have found this out on our travels. Keeping travels to what your family member can do is the most important thing to make sure they want to continue traveling. If they are not comfortable, they will not be having a good time, nor you for that matter. Learn the limits and move within those limits. We know Little Man can do about 4-5 hours of moving per day in vehicle. By that time, he is wanting to get out and relax. So, we plan our movement around these timeframes. We can be on the go for a full day but “in seat” time is usually limited to these 4 – 5 hours at the most. There are days we will do two hours all in and he will have had enough. Learn the signs and listen to them. They will tell you when enough is enough.

One of the best inventions ever for people with special needs is the iPad. We have seen the amazing things this device can do for the lives of people with special needs. It truly is a revolutionary piece of technology. For nonverbal persons this is a true game changer. Being able to effectively communicate what they want or need will make them feel more included and willing to travel farther and more often. We cannot stress this enough. It is just that good of a device to have.

Traveling with someone who is on the autism spectrum, or special needs in general, can be done and we’ve made it work. If you have any questions or want more information, directions, or help if you or someone you know has a special needs person in your/their life, please contact us at info@autismfamilytravels.com. We will be glad to offer advice, tips, or point you in the right direction to help you and your loved ones out.

Learn more by visiting www.autismfamilytravels.com.

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