ADHD/ODD 7 yr old first timer, advice??

[rccllap]

My partner's 7 yr old DS is 'special needs' with a diagnosis of ADHD and ODD (oppositional defiant disorder).

It will be his and his father's first trip to WDW. My 13 yr old DS and I are seasoned WDW'ers with more trips than I can count.

We have not yet confirmed the dates but we're planning at least one, one week vacation with the whole group this year, and going again for spring vacation next year.

DS7 and I get along very well. I can usually calm him down and have developed solid boundaries for him to work within.

Has anyone used the GAC for an ADHD child? What does that change for the group?

What assistance devices have been tried? What worked, what didn't? (Stroller...distractions...etc)

What was your experience like? What would you do differently?

Thank you!!

 

[cynditech]

Hi there! We took DS7 last October for his first visit, he has autism.

The best personal advice I can give - that specifically helped for us:

#1 - the stoller - this was our biggest lifesaver ever!!! DS gets easily overwhelmed, so it was great that he could get in his stroller - in his own private space to calm down - again, lifesaver.

#2 - gac - we got one - and I'm pretty sure we actually never used it? Maybe once? We went early, planned everything really well, didn't encounter many long waits or issues? I also realized that DS did better in lines than I gave him credit for. If he wanted to see something bad enough (ie. Rapunzel and Merida), he waited in line - and long lines, LOL!

#3 - be willing to throw plans out the door for all the planning that I did - sometimes we just had to chill out and hang out by the pool or in our room

That all being said - we cant wait for our next trip! I hope everything goes well on yours

 

[ibcrazie4dizney]

dgd7 had similar special needs, adhd, sensory issues. we have taken her 7 or 8 times. we always use stroller. we got a special needs(special tomato) stroller for her so it is alittle larger and more comfy for her. definitely her quiet spot for when she needs it. we get gac and a tag for her stroller as a wheelchair. we have used the gac a few times but not always. it depends how long lines are, if they are in hot sun(she cant take heat, also has heart condition), and how she is tolerating things at that moment. when we have used it, sometimes they take us in the handicap line and some they have allowed me to wait in line and my daughter takes keeps her off to the side where she can move around and not be so crowded in, then they join me when I get to the front. we haven't used the stroller as wheelchair too much, but wanted to make sure we could take it with us if needed. one place we did use it was lion king show. it gave her "her space" during the show and kept her from bouncing around since there were no backs on the benches. we keep snacks that agree with her handy. also she likes to play games on our phone and I Spy while waiting in lines. sometimes holding a map and finding where we are and where we are going keeps her occupied. just have to be willing to adjust if things aren't going as planned. no matter what happens, Disney is always a good trip.

also, when they sent her through the handicap line, we all went(only three total)

 

[rccllap]

Thank you both!! I have been considering a stroller for a possible mid day nap situation because he is an easy sleeper, but with that said, the mid day resort return for a pool break might also work.

 

[KristenFNJ]

For waiting in lines, depending on if you feel your little man's temperment would work well with this, there are 2 books (I got mine at Barnes & Noble) Hidden Mickeys and another for Waiting in Line (I can't seem to find the exact one I purchased online, I'm not sure this is the exact name! There are a couple of books with the same idea but I don't see the exact one I'm referring to, and I can't speak to the contents of the others, so check them out in person if interested!).

You may know all about Hidden Mickeys, but in case you don't (skip ahead if you do!), the Imagineers deliberately insert the classic Mickey head/ears shape (and the occasional profile, or other character) into the architecture and design of rides, structures, landscape, etc... throughout the World. Not the ones that are obvious, but intentionally sublte, such as within the scrollwork on a veranda or in the pupil of an eye on a mural. The book guides you through the process of discovering them throughout the parks, restaurants and resorts. They are divided by Park, Land, and attraction/establishment, they provide hints that make them easy for littler ones to find, and are also assigned points so you can uses them as a game with your family. This can be a great queue saver!!!

The second book (new to me, haven't used it in the World, but looking forward to it in 3 weeks!) has a set of questions for each attraction to keep restless little one occupied. For example, at Magic Carpets of Aladin, it asks "What animal was peering over the sign?" (gives 4 multiple choice if you'd like). "What was that animal wearing?" (4 multiple choice) etc... After a few such questions, there's a Scavenger Hunt. This is different from Hidden Mickeys, because these are specficially designed for each queue, while Hidden Mickeys are where they are, and some queues have very few.

There is also a Nook app for Disney Queue Line Scavenger Hunts at BN.com

Again, not sure if this would be your little guy's thing, but we have 3 adhd'ers and had a much better with with Hidden Mickeys than we did without them!

 

[Schmeck]

Having a set schedule or plan may help with the ODD, if he is flexible enough for some minor changes. Also, setting clear rules before a situation occurs can head off many issues. He needs to know that he has to do what the CM says, or he may not be allowed on the ride, etc. A reward system may work too. What do they use in his behavior plan at school?

Not sure how comfortable a stroller would be for a 7 year old? I guess it depends on his size, and how hard it would be to push him. Don't forget that it will be very exhausting for the pusher, especially if it is hot and humid out.

Not sure what you expect a GAC to do, but it is not supposed to shorten wait time. Some waits may even be longer. The accommodation given may change from day to day, or CM to CM, based on the present situation at each attraction. That may aggravate someone with ODD. Using FPs is your most consistent bet for reliable access.

 

[gilesmt]

My dd now 22 has been going dlr and wdw since she was 2, she has something on the lines of ADHD, odd, OCD, aspergers, you get the picture no real diagnosis just a lot of guesses. When she was seven a few things that helped us, and a stroller was never an option she never would sit still. Make sure to fine quiet out of the way, and not during normal meal time places to eat. For her she loved the food carts, like hot dogs and corn dogs, and then get as far away from the crowds as possible, in dlr we would go way behind the baby are center, where there where a few tables, not crowded so she could regroup and just chilax. In Epcot we would get her something and go way over near Ellen ride and just sit, seems quiet over there, or studios we would find a quiet table near the street that looked like NYC, sorry I'm blind myself and can't think of it. Another thing we always made sure we did, was to let her play in any water play area, it cooled her off and gave her a needed break from lines. When you do go to food lines, make sure bf takes him then and you get in line, one less line he has to stand in. For fireworks and stuff we go outside the parks so less crowds, go to poly from the monorail and watch from the beach. Our hardest park but also the one she loved the most is studios, hardest because the crowds are largest in my opinion. We skip fantasmic, just way to crowed and to long a wait for her. We skip the motors show, not to interested in it and way to crowded. I really like the book idea someone had, but for us in the old days we used electronics, she had her ds all the time to play games on. Also, she loved magic tricks, so I found the little links (you know like the two circles that are joined that magically seperate) and those kinds of things would occupy her for 30 minutes or so, or a magic deck of cards. She had her own camera, and that occupied her a lot, now it is better since they are digital, but let her take her own pictures. We just had, a backpack that had anything and enough things that would occupy her for 30 minutes at a time, but enough that each ride could have a different toy, game or trick, between them and the things to see in the line we did okay. Making sure they have time to chill out at water play areas, the play grounds and the pools and a quiet place to chill out when eating was our biggiest help.

 

[ibcrazie4dizney]

don't know how comfy rentals in the park are. a few years ago, ours broke in the park and we tried to rent one. we returned it right away, it was hard and she didn't want to be in it. so we sucked it up and pushed her in one with a broken footrest dragging. she still needed a stroller longer than other children because of her problems. so when she started to get big for a regular one, her neuro dr wrote her a prescription for a special needs one, and lucky enough insurance covered it. we picked a Special Tomato, it was similar to a comfy stroller but slightly larger and holds a higher weight. it rolls easily, not as hard as pushing a wheel chair. she doesn't nap in it, but uses it as a quiet spot when she is having a rough time or just needs rest. feel like I have said this a million times but, I also like having a place to hold our stuff rather than carrying it all day. if you were renting one, maybe bring a blanket or something to make it softer.