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Tips for Traveling with a Friend or Family Member with Autism

Planning the perfect travel itinerary requires careful thought and consideration. If you’re planning to travel with a friend or family member with autism, it’s essential to be aware of things that may be challenging for them. Often, changes in routine or environment can sometimes be difficult to process. 

With these helpful tips, planning travel with someone with autism doesn’t need to be stressful or avoided. Both kids and adults with autism may have extreme sensitivity to certain stimuli, such as light, touch or sounds. In addition, they may also have picky eating habits, impulsive or unpredictable behavior or a shortened attention span. When planning travel with autism in mind, consider these needs to help guide your decision-making. 

Travel Challenges for People with Autism Spectrum Disorders

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For individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, travel can bring about a wide array of challenges which can vary from person to person. Of course, consider the personal preferences and needs of the individual you’re traveling with. 

In general, some travel challenges for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders may include: 

Unfamiliar Environments

Traveling means facing many new environments, whether it’s an airport, hotel or restaurant. Some people with autism may have difficulty adapting to these new environments, which may cause anxiety or other symptoms. While it’s impossible to completely make this challenge disappear, there are some steps you can take to mitigate the anxiety of unfamiliar environments for your friend or family member. 

  • Tip: As you’re planning autism travel, sharing pictures and information with the individual can help them better prepare for what to expect. This helps eliminate the element of surprise, allowing them to gain familiarity with the places they’ll visit. Creating a schedule or general itinerary can also be helpful to eliminate the “guess” of what is coming next. 
  • Tip: While unfamiliar environments can be difficult to navigate, packing pieces of home can help provide support. Whether it’s packing their pillow or bringing their favorite snacks, these small efforts can go a long way to providing comfort. 

Sensory Overstimulation

Overstimulation is another common challenge when traveling with those with autism. Busy and unfamiliar vacation itineraries can exacerbate this concern, making travel difficult. Whether traveling on the road or by flying, there is bound to be smells, sounds, sights and other stimuli coming from all angles. 

Planning autism travel may mean you need to take a more relaxed approach to your itinerary. When planning your schedule, plan more breaks and rest times to avoid sensory overstimulation and allow for quiet rest periods. If trying new things/new activities, be sure to space these activities accordingly. 

  • Tip: Forcing too many new things on a person with autism can become overwhelming. Very loud or very crowded places are sometimes a trigger as well. Motion sickness is also common, so it may be helpful to pack motion sickness medications such as Dramamine. 
  • Tip: Packing along sensory items can help reduce overstimulation while traveling. Some examples of items include earplugs, fidget toys and other sensory aids. Earplugs are a great choice for those with a hypersensitivity to noises, which are common on the road and in airports. 

Prepare for Emergency Situations

When traveling in any group, it’s always smart to have emergency plans to ensure safety. Every person’s autism may cause differing concerns, some of which may be prone to wandering. If you know your family member or friend with autism wanders away frequently, be sure to consider an emergency plan to protect them during travel. 

  • Tip: GPS wristband devices are also a great option to help you keep track of friends or family members that are prone to wander off. Furthermore, aim to avoid challenging locations (like very crowded new environments) that may induce anxiety. 

Unexpected Changes in Plans

Even the most carefully-planned travel itinerary can sometimes stray from the plan. When traveling, it’s impossible to make everything go exactly to plan. One way to help avoid unexpected changes in the plan is to avoid overscheduling or booking too many reservations, causing stress and cutting time short. 

  • Tip: Although changes in plans can always occur, sticking to the plan as much as possible can make the trip smoother for a friend or family member with autism. 

Consider Your Destination

If you’re planning a family vacation, consider the needs of your family member with autism when selecting a destination. Choosing places and times that work for everyone ensures familiarity, leading to the best possible trip. 

Many autism-friendly destinations make perfect spots for a group trip! These travel destinations have special accommodations for sensory needs and offer tons of family-friendly activities.  

  • Tip: Always research the available resources at your destination. For example, theme parks like Disney World have a variety of helpful resources to help make it easier to travel with friends or family members with autism. 

If you’re visiting family, be sure to make your host aware that you’re traveling with a person with autism. Notifying them in advance can help ensure they can provide the necessary accommodations to make the trip as comfortable as possible. For example, some individuals with autism may prefer not to hug upon greeting or may need quiet environments to function optimally. 

Planning Autism Travel

Planning travel with autism in mind may take extra preparations and considerations on top of already-hectic travel planning. However, giving some extra thought to the needs of a friend or family member with autism can go a long way to enhancing the vacation experience. 

Not only will planning travel with autism in mind help prepare you, but these tips also can make individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders feel more comfortable when stepping outside of their comfort zones. 

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