ADHD and SPD

[snowman]

This will be our first major trip with DS who will turn 8 while he is at Disney next January. He has ADHD and medication is working for us. However, when his SPD (sensory processing disorder) flairs up, he has a difficult time managing his body. Loud noises and crowds can be difficult for him, though we do practice these skills regularly.

Are sound blocking headphones or ear plugs allowed in the parks? And if so, would he be allowed to wear them on rides if the noise was overwhelming for him? Besides skipping parades are there things we should plan on staying away from?

DW and I both realize we will have to take ours cues from him and be prepared to change plans if he is having a rough day. It's been 16 years since I last did WDW with a youngster and my first time with a higher needs one. We are not "Disney Commandos" by any stretch, so our pace is usually pretty slow anyway.

And he is terrified of the bathrooms at Wal-mart because they are loud and have a smell (the cleaner they use). Any suggestions there? Are family bathrooms readily available in the parks?

Edited to add - while his chronological age will be 8 during our trip, because of events in his life before us, his emotional age is much younger. We often find ourselves managing him in much the same fashion as the 3 year old foster child we had before getting him.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

This will be our first major trip with DS who will turn 8 while he is at Disney next January. He has ADHD and medication is working for us. However, when his SPD (sensory processing disorder) flairs up, he has a difficult time managing his body. Loud noises and crowds can be difficult for him, though we do practice these skills regularly.

Are sound blocking headphones or ear plugs allowed in the parks? And if so, would he be allowed to wear them on rides if the noise was overwhelming for him? Besides skipping parades are there things we should plan on staying away from?

DW and I both realize we will have to take ours cues from him and be prepared to change plans if he is having a rough day. It's been 16 years since I last did WDW with a youngster and my first time with a higher needs one. We are not "Disney Commandos" by any stretch, so our pace is usually pretty slow anyway.

And he is terrified of the bathrooms at Wal-mart because they are loud and have a smell (the cleaner they use). Any suggestions there? Are family bathrooms readily available in the parks?

Edited to add - while his chronological age will be 8 during our trip, because of events in his life before us, his emotional age is much younger. We often find ourselves managing him in much the same fashion as the 3 year old foster child we had before getting him.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Yes, noise reducing headphones and ear plugs arer permitted in the parks; however, I can't promise 100% they are allowed on all rides. Slower moving rides, definitely. We have a pair of the noise reducing headphones that DD wears when the noise gets to be too much for her, but we've never tried to have her wear them on the bigger rides like the coasters. They fit pretty snug on her head so the CMs might allow them on the faster rides. If your DS can tolerate ear plugs, I'm certain those would be allowed since they are small enough that if they came out on a ride, it wouldn't hurt anyone.

There are a limited number of companion restrooms in the parks, but I hesitate to recommend those since there are so few and they are intended for guests who must have assistance in the restroom such as someone with a physical disability who must have help transferring from a wheelchair to the toilet. If your DS is frightened by the automatic flushing toilets, carry a pad of post its with you. You can place a post it over the sensor so the toilet won't flush accidentally while he's on it. For the noise of the restrooms, you can have him wear the ear plugs or headphones. I don't think there's any solution for smells you might encounter in the restrooms.

 

[mamabunny]

Maggie'sMom had some great advice! All I can add is this:

Once upon a time, a long time ago (before there was Disney World and Pixie Dust and fireworks every night) there was a time when people didn't bathe... as much. As in, once in a great while you might get in the tub to get clean. Men first, women & children last, and now you know where they old saying "don't throw the baby out with the bath water" comes from, because by the time the baby got to get in the tub, that water was no longer... sparkling clear... :::shudder:::

So, people (as in all people, rich or poor, royal or common) were smelly. When one wished to alleviate some of the stench of one's companions (or one's self!) one would douse a handkerchief in a delightful perfume, and then dab a bit of that perfume under one's nose from time to time.

So ends our (Reader's Digest Condensed Version) history lesson.

What does that have to do with your little guy's bathroom issue? Give him a brightly colored bandana, with a (not too strong, but pleasing) scent on it. That could be anything from vanilla extract to your perfume or hand lotion. Whatever his "happy smell" is, that's what you use. When he has to go to the bathroom, you can give him the bandana to hold over his nose (or tie it around his face "old west style") to help. He may not even need it to be scented; it could be that just filtering the air through the clean cotton fabric is enough for him.

Store it in a zip-lock bag between uses.

It's just an idea - but one that has history behind it!

 

[gap2368]

This will be our first major trip with DS who will turn 8 while he is at Disney next January. He has ADHD and medication is working for us. However, when his SPD (sensory processing disorder) flairs up, he has a difficult time managing his body. Loud noises and crowds can be difficult for him, though we do practice these skills regularly.

Are sound blocking headphones or ear plugs allowed in the parks? And if so, would he be allowed to wear them on rides if the noise was overwhelming for him? Besides skipping parades are there things we should plan on staying away from?

DW and I both realize we will have to take ours cues from him and be prepared to change plans if he is having a rough day. It's been 16 years since I last did WDW with a youngster and my first time with a higher needs one. We are not "Disney Commandos" by any stretch, so our pace is usually pretty slow anyway.

And he is terrified of the bathrooms at Wal-mart because they are loud and have a smell (the cleaner they use). Any suggestions there? Are family bathrooms readily available in the parks?

Edited to add - while his chronological age will be 8 during our trip, because of events in his life before us, his emotional age is much younger. We often find ourselves managing him in much the same fashion as the 3 year old foster child we had before getting him.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

I use nose calncling head phones at disney and I have never been told to take them off for rides ( I have never use it on RnR )

I would take your lead from him I can see the parade as long as I have my ear phones on and people are not on top of me I sit between a trap can and put my bag behind me so this gives me some extra room on 2 sides of me at lest. the bathrooms at disney do have the auto flush but they do not go off that easy ( like when you are still using it)

I find early mornings are not a crowded so I would try and do rope drop with FP for mid morning ( 11ish ) and a slower lunch even QS after you use your 3 FP you can get some more. I do find I can handle Fier works but they are so much easer if I have FP for them for the most part this gives me more room where people are not on top of me I use earbuds and some times with music and my ear protectors on top of them ( I can not stand the boom of the firer works) and this way it is doable for me but this means I can not get anymore them 3 FP that day.

you may also may want to look into the DAS he may qualify for it. depending on his needs

 

[nikkislaght]

My son (11) has ADHD and SPD , ASD and OCD.. We go every year to DisneyLAND..

He self regulates but it will take him a day to do so. he always wear a hat or hoodie and sunglasses to cut visual noise.. get him to wear a weighted backpack around the park, or if he has compression clothing wear them.. the weight will help with his vestibular and proprioceptive systems.. my son will do a lot of heavy work before we leave the hotel for the day. and while waiting for the shuttle he will climb a tree near the hotel.. ( I know , not really a good idea, but it helps his body regulate.)if you have a sensory diet in place,make sure you do it before you get to the park. I will do deep joint compressions on him and sometimes get him to move the furniture around in the hotel . while waiting in lines, he is between myself and my husband with some room to move.. he is a flapper so when he give him room , he hits us not our line neighbors. I do take an Ipod with us so that we can play Heads Up , while waiting in line. and sometimes I will let him listen to his music. He loves the fast crazy rides.. so we let him do them first.. again this helps regulate his system. he loves going upside down. So I will sometimes find him trying to swing on the metal rails.. ugh. that's when I know he needs to run, We used to go over to Tom Sawyers Island, to let him rum, but it is closed at the moment, so have to come up with another place to find when we go in April. I always have crunchy snacks on hand.. and I do joint compressions on him at 2 hourly intervals over the day. this tends to get him avoid overload meltdowns.
The scented bandana we have used before and it works.. my son is very sensitive to smells and will often run form a store if the smell gets to him, also some people take post it notes to cover the sensory in bathrooms so it does go off and scare the child..

Hope you all have a great time

 

[snowman]

My son (11) has ADHD and SPD , ASD and OCD.. We go every year to DisneyLAND..

He self regulates but it will take him a day to do so. he always wear a hat or hoodie and sunglasses to cut visual noise.. get him to wear a weighted backpack around the park, or if he has compression clothing wear them.. the weight will help with his vestibular and proprioceptive systems.. my son will do a lot of heavy work before we leave the hotel for the day. and while waiting for the shuttle he will climb a tree near the hotel.. ( I know , not really a good idea, but it helps his body regulate.)if you have a sensory diet in place,make sure you do it before you get to the park.
Hope you all have a great time

Except for the ASD that sounds so much like our son. He arranges and rearranges EVERYTHING....matchbox cars, Christmas decorations, etc. I do know the power of weight and compression - I sleep with a weighted blanket and use a weighted vest when my own SPD is triggered. Funny that I adopted a child with similar issues.

He loves his chewy fidgets and chewy bracelets. I like the suggestion of a handkerchief for the bathroom. We can practice and refine that long before we leave. It's a strategy I hadn't even considered. I was wondering if I was overstating his sound sensitivity...but we went to an Eagle Scout ceremony today. Every round of applause found him clinging to me and shaking. So yeah, I guess I'm not overstating that right now.

Maybe it's time to talk to his pediatrician about OT?

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Maybe it's time to talk to his pediatrician about OT?

Definitely! He should be able to get some OT services through his school if he has an IEP, although the amount of services provided by the school is usually extremely limited, e.g. 20 minutes once a week. Private OT is a better bet.

 

[snowman]

His IEP was solely for support in math and reading.....things that when he came to us he was highly deficient in. Now that he is feeling safer, he went from "partially meets" or "doesn't meet" to "meets" and "exceeds". Oh yeah, and he rides in the van instead of the bus....no way the bus was going to be successful for him. First grader, higher needs, hour bus ride....he was suspended from the bus for a week after the third day of school.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

His IEP was solely for support in math and reading.....things that when he came to us he was highly deficient in. Now that he is feeling safer, he went from "partially meets" or "doesn't meet" to "meets" and "exceeds". Oh yeah, and he rides in the van instead of the bus....no way the bus was going to be successful for him. First grader, higher needs, hour bus ride....he was suspended from the bus for a week after the third day of school.

When was his last ETR? What did the OT eval say? From your description, I would recommend pushing for OT services from the school.

 

[snowman]

His last ETR was last spring, just after he had been placed with us, before we had a chance to really get to know and understand him. So, I'm learning how these things work on the fly....making sure I advocate for him even if I'm not sure what I should be asking for. I so appreciate you sharing your story and suggestions. Anything that helps me better parent him and help him succeed is always welcome.

 

[Gracie09]

His last ETR was last spring, just after he had been placed with us, before we had a chance to really get to know and understand him. So, I'm learning how these things work on the fly....making sure I advocate for him even if I'm not sure what I should be asking for. I so appreciate you sharing your story and suggestions. Anything that helps me better parent him and help him succeed is always welcome.

I would suggest this website (and the books). If Pete is coming to a town near you, book it. Sooo worth the money. I followed his advise and my dd went from minimal pt/ot to a whole slew of appropriate services. And don't be afraid to ask for a meeting if you (and especially if the teacher agrees) that things are not working.

http://www.wrightslaw.com/

 

[Maggie'sMom]

His last ETR was last spring, just after he had been placed with us, before we had a chance to really get to know and understand him. So, I'm learning how these things work on the fly....making sure I advocate for him even if I'm not sure what I should be asking for. I so appreciate you sharing your story and suggestions. Anything that helps me better parent him and help him succeed is always welcome.

I went for a number of years not fully understanding everything that the school could and should provide in the way of services. My DD finally got into a classroom with a teacher that really cared about making sure her students got everything they needed. She taught me what I needed to demand from the school and suddenly services that I had requested before and been denied were suddenly made available. I could kick myself for not being more demanding earlier. You can submit a written request for an OT evaluation to the school. But as I mentioned, services through the school can be very limited so private OT services might have a bigger impact.

 

[ladyjubilee]

I'm assuming your son is still foster, if so don't forget to get all permissions to take him., and ask your agency for an educational consultant/advocate familiar with you child's needs. You might also check with the parent representative thru the schools.

Anyway my suggestion is to map out some of the out of the way places in the parks as retreat/escape areas to wind down during/after meltdowns. I think there is still a map of some of the areas. I would also plan to eat at "off" times. The restaurants can be loud and chaotic at peak times, but even during Christmas we found the restaurant near empty at off times.

 

[snowman]

I'm assuming your son is still foster, if so don't forget to get all permissions to take him., and ask your agency for an educational consultant/advocate familiar with you child's needs. You might also check with the parent representative thru the school.

Nope! As of December 16th, 2015 he was all ours! He was the BEST Christmas present ever. All three of us thought so. He moved in with us on April 28, 2015....and less than a year later we got our forever family.

 

[mamabunny]

Nope! As of December 16th, 2015 he was all ours! He was the BEST Christmas present ever. All three of us thought so. He moved in with us on April 28, 2015....and less than a year later we got our forever family.

Belated Congratulations!

 

[gap2368]

Nope! As of December 16th, 2015 he was all ours! He was the BEST Christmas present ever. All three of us thought so. He moved in with us on April 28, 2015....and less than a year later we got our forever family.

congratulation I can not inmagion a better gift then that of a specie child to light up your life and to fill it with so much joy that children do.