4 yrold w/ pacemaker

[MousekeMommy]

Hello!
My family will be going to Disneyworld in July. My 4 year old son has a pacemaker (implanted when he was 18 months). We will be driving 2 days in order to avoid airline metal-detector/security hassles (the general public doesn't believe that young children can need/have a pacemaker--it's a rather invisible disablility unless his shirt is off at the pool--then people tend to stare/question/point/touch his scar and bulging pacemaker site on his abdomen). My question is about electromagnetic fields at the park (monorail and other rides) as well as any tips for "taking it easy"--he definitely tires more quickly than other children. We will have his pacemaker card, a phone transmission system, and contact information for doctors at the hospital in Orlando--is there anything else we should know??? I worry about ride seatbelts pressing across his abdomen, putting stress on the pacemaker & leads. We will be staying at Saratoga Springs Resort. I've gotten the "official Disney" answers about things, but I was wanting to hear from any children with pacemakers or adults with pacemakers for some practical suggestions???
Thanks for your time!
MousekeMommy

 

[SueM in MN]

Hello!
My family will be going to Disneyworld in July. My 4 year old son has a pacemaker (implanted when he was 18 months). We will be driving 2 days in order to avoid airline metal-detector/security hassles (the general public doesn't believe that young children can need/have a pacemaker--it's a rather invisible disablility unless his shirt is off at the pool--then people tend to stare/question/point/touch his scar and bulging pacemaker site on his abdomen). My question is about electromagnetic fields at the park (monorail and other rides) as well as any tips for "taking it easy"--he definitely tires more quickly than other children. We will have his pacemaker card, a phone transmission system, and contact information for doctors at the hospital in Orlando--is there anything else we should know??? I worry about ride seatbelts pressing across his abdomen, putting stress on the pacemaker & leads. We will be staying at Saratoga Springs Resort. I've gotten the "official Disney" answers about things, but I was wanting to hear from any children with pacemakers or adults with pacemakers for some practical suggestions???
Thanks for your time!
MousekeMommy

There is not a list of attractions that have electromagnetic fields or any specific warnings on any attractions for people with pacemakers. Two that I know have magnetic fields to run the ride are the Tomorrowland Transit Authority in MK and Rock 'N Roller Coaster in Disney MGM Studio.

There are some with sort of generic warnings for people with heart, high blood pressure, neck and back problems that would probably be 'off-limits' for him anyway.
If you check out the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of this board, post 3 has links to download the official WDW Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities for each park. Those Guidebooks are pretty general, but will give you information on which rides have general warnings. A long time ago (like 15 years or so) the Guidebooks also had warnings about magnetic fields. They removed the warnings at least 10 years ago - my guess is that with better shielding of pacemakers and/or better shielding of the magnetic components of the attractions, the warnings were not needed any more (I would think if it was a problem, taking the warnings off would create a big liability). You can specifically ask at Guest Services at the parks and also, on the Guidebook page of the Disney official site, there is a link to the WDW site, which has a "Contact Us" link.

One of the other things that would be helpful to you would be the Guest Assistance Card (GAC) information in the disABILITIES FAQs thread. It may be helpful to use your child's stroller in line so he doesn't have to stand/walk in lines. You can get a GAC that allows a stroller to be treated just like a wheelchair.

The question about ride seatbelts - most of the attractions that have seatbelts are the more turbulent rides that he probably won't be riding anyway. Most of the more 'tame' rides have nothing or have a lap bar that doesn't actually touch you. The only ride I can think of that he is likely to go on which has a seat belt is Soarin'. That seatbelt doesn't need to be very tight and it can be put low, over the pevis.
If you have any rides/attractions that you wonder about, just ask as many questions as you need to.

 

[SueM in MN]

Here are some past threads:
niece with pacemaker
Pacemaker concerns

 

[MousekeMommy]

Oh, thank you sooooo much!!!
I am very greatful for the previous post information, and anything else anyone can think of . . . I kind of have to do my homework before we go, because DH is in a bit of denial that we may need to do anything different for our son due to his condition, so it'll be hard to ask once we get there. DS just seems so "normal" sometimes . . . but I'm the one who takes care of him 24/7--DH has his own business and works alot, and just doesn't have the whole picture (or maybe doesn't want to get it--either way . . .) I also don't want our older son to resent his younger brothers' limitations. I want this vacation to be perfect!
Thanks again!
Jennifer
MousekeMommy

 

[zumbergc]

If there are rides in which the older son is able to go on, and the younger one with the heart issues isn't able to go on.

I don't know the correct term, or if its on a gac.
If you wait in line, and do the baby swap thing. I'm not trying to imply your younger son is a baby either.
Then if the 3 of 4 wanted to go on the ride, then you wouldn't have to wait in line twice, once with a parent w/ the younger child, then the other parent waits in line.

I'm not sure if your planning on breaking into teams when the older child wants to go on a ride that the younger one can not. Then the younger one and a parent does some other ride?
All depends on how your planning to tour.

Maybe someone else can explain this better....

 

[SueM in MN]

If there are rides in which the older son is able to go on, and the younger one with the heart issues isn't able to go on.

I don't know the correct term, or if its on a gac.
If you wait in line, and do the baby swap thing. I'm not trying to imply your younger son is a baby either.
Then if the 3 of 4 wanted to go on the ride, then you wouldn't have to wait in line twice, once with a parent w/ the younger child, then the other parent waits in line.

I'm not sure if your planning on breaking into teams when the older child wants to go on a ride that the younger one can not. Then the younger one and a parent does some other ride?
All depends on how your planning to tour.

Maybe someone else can explain this better....

You are right, it's Baby Swap.
Although, when my DH and 2 daughters went on Primeval Whirl (which I was NOT going on), they swapped me. I waited in line with them and when we got to the boarding area, I waited for them.

There are also "chicken exits" at the thrill rides, so that you could wait in line together and then your younger son and you could leave the ride just before loading.

 

[MP2002]

Not sure if you would need this or not but I just got back from the world and was on a new prescription for a chronic problem that have not been able to get under control last 3 years and now having probs w/meds & tolerance levels. So anyway, saw doc day before we left & started on a new med. He said if I had a reaction to it while I was away to call his office right away & he would call me in a new med at a pharmacy in Orlando. So, before I went away I got on my medco website and printed out a list of all the pharms in Orlando that were included on my health insurance and then if needed I could go to the front desk of hotel & ask them which one was the closest on the list and I could tell my dr. which one to call the prescription into. They have a lot of different pharms then I do in my area so most of them I wouldn't have known whether they were included in my insurance w/o checking beforehand. So, if you think there is a chance you might need meds while there you might want to do that.

 

[Chuck S]

Not sure if you would need this or not but I just got back from the world and was on a new prescription for a chronic problem that have not been able to get under control last 3 years and now having probs w/meds & tolerance levels. So anyway, saw doc day before we left & started on a new med. He said if I had a reaction to it while I was away to call his office right away & he would call me in a new med at a pharmacy in Orlando. So, before I went away I got on my medco website and printed out a list of all the pharms in Orlando that were included on my health insurance and then if needed I could go to the front desk of hotel & ask them which one was the closest on the list and I could tell my dr. which one to call the prescription into. They have a lot of different pharms then I do in my area so most of them I wouldn't have known whether they were included in my insurance w/o checking beforehand. So, if you think there is a chance you might need meds while there you might want to do that.

Just a word of warning, in case your pharmacy list isn't current. There are many Eckerd/CVS pharmacies in the area that have closed up after the CVS merger. If Walgreens takes your insurance, there are a few scatered around Disney's perimeter.

 

[MP2002]

Oh, I did not know that. You know, there were quite a few CVS pharms on my list so I bet they hadn't updated it yet. Good thinking. I never even thought of that. I figured I would just ask someone at desk services to tell me which one was closest if needed but they might not even be aware if one had closed up. Luckily I had small reaction w/med & sun but nothing too bad while I was there but dr. put me on another round 2 days after I returned and I have had a major reaction. I am sure glad this didn't happen while I was at my happy place. Amazing the reactions antibiotics can cause.

 

[Coll0610]

Regarding prescriptions, we had to have one filled once. We called the front desk before calling the doctor and they gave us the name and number of a local pharmacy. The pharmacy delivers to the resorts for a small fee (I don't remember how much) and the front desk accepts the delivery and charges it to your room. This pharmacy was a local one and it will not handle insurance so you would have to deal with that later, but it was very convenient. In our case it was just an antibiotic for an ear infection for DS so it didn't cost too much. And, since ear infections only hurt when the sun is down we were able to go to the parks and didn't have to wait for it.