ASD Question

[hroyale]

Hi,
We're traveling to WDW in Jan for the first time. My high-functioning DS PDD-NOS will be just about 5 at the time.

I've been doing my planning for this for months already and have been saving images to put together and a little plan to tell him each thing we were going to do in the order we'd being doing them. He really likes schedules and is most comfortable when he knows what to expect next. I read the tip on this board and it sounded perfect for him.

BUT... I've recently begun to doubt this approach. He has started turning into a "schedule Nazi". He'll ask in the morning what we're doing that day and then he wants to fly through each thing as fast as possible rather than enjoy them. I'm beginning to fear that he won't take the time to enjoy a single thing at WDW if he's trying to keep us to a schedule. Then he gets really frustrated and melts down when his twin sister isn't ready to move on to the next thing. "5 more minutes" he keeps saying over and over.

Has anyone taken an ASD child and had the schedule ruin the experience?

Does anyone have suggestions that would help him feel comfortable, without providing him with a tool he feels he needs to enforce?

Thanks,
Heather

 

[bookwormde]

We use our WDW vacations as a time our DS9 Aspergers (DS7 when we first took him) to “teach” flexibility and transitions. Every child is different so no one can give you a precise answer. As long as you are flexible enough to “comply” with his needs while you are there then I would not be overly reliant on a fixed schedule since he is HF. I have found that the real trick is to use the WDW accommodations when needed, monitor anxiety levels and be ready to take a break (typically back at the room) when he needs it. An overtired or stressed spectrum child is a guaranteed major meltdown.

Having him well visually briefed about the parks is very helpful, so he has some ideas of what he might like, note that this may change in reality.

Just remember his “need” for a schedule is an anxiety avoiding mechanism so as “events” are repeated this need lessens (fear of unknown or different social situations)

WDW is a magical place for our children so how he reacts at home may not be how he reacts at WDW.

bookwormde

 

[hroyale]

Thanks. His life at home is so scheduled, making Disney a lesson in flexability is agreat idea.

I think I might my own answer.

Maybe instead of putting the pictures and descriptions together in a book format like I was planning, I'll make index cards. Then I can change the order around so he won't expect things in a particular order. He still might try to drag us on before we're ready, but he probably won't be going over the steps in his head. Then if we happen to ride Pooh before Tea Cups he won't have a problem with it.

Hey, I can make it into a reading game too since he's getting a kick out of learning to read. Now I just need to come up with short easy-to-read names for every attraction.

THANKS!

 

[SueM in MN]

I don't know if you saw this thread, but it's a guidebook that another poster made for her son. One of the things she was concerned about was schedule - and she dealt with it by having stickers that only went on the schedule page after they had entered the ride.
I think she had a number of stickers for the things they planned to go on each day, but not the order in case it had to change.
There was an earlier thread where the ideas for making the guidebook took shape. I can't find that thread right now though.

 

[suzyqqq27]

I have a question for all of you with children with ASD. My daughter is 3 and not diagnosed but exhibits many, many signs of ASD. I don't know if any of the rest of you experience this but my daughter can't deal with chaotic, large groups of people very well. She gets very upset, and has to withdraw - she'll put her head down on the table or say she has to leave to go to sleep. We can't go to chinese buffets because of this - just too much for her. It's like she's trying to process EVERYTHING that's going on and can't so she gets overwhelmed and has to zone out.

Anyway, I had a nice character lunch booked at the Garden Grill but that has slid out from under me because they're closing for lunch as of October 5th and my reservation was for October 7th. We really wanted Garden Grill so that the girls could visit with Mickey Mouse without waiting in line or dealing with another hectic, chaotic situation. Is Chef Mickey's too overwhelming? Is it chaotic? Would your child cope there?

Any advice would be appreciated,
Suzanne

 

[cathydisneynut]

Chef Mickey's can be chaotic and very noisy, my DS would absolutely not have coped with it at age 3. If you can get away with not seeing Mickey, the Cape May breakfast was much quieter.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

I have a question for all of you with children with ASD. My daughter is 3 and not diagnosed but exhibits many, many signs of ASD. I don't know if any of the rest of you experience this but my daughter can't deal with chaotic, large groups of people very well. She gets very upset, and has to withdraw - she'll put her head down on the table or say she has to leave to go to sleep. We can't go to chinese buffets because of this - just too much for her. It's like she's trying to process EVERYTHING that's going on and can't so she gets overwhelmed and has to zone out.

Anyway, I had a nice character lunch booked at the Garden Grill but that has slid out from under me because they're closing for lunch as of October 5th and my reservation was for October 7th. We really wanted Garden Grill so that the girls could visit with Mickey Mouse without waiting in line or dealing with another hectic, chaotic situation. Is Chef Mickey's too overwhelming? Is it chaotic? Would your child cope there?

Any advice would be appreciated,
Suzanne

I don't think that you would be able to get an ADR at CM anyway. We will be there Oct 2-7 and they didn't have anything open for breakfast or dinner. I don't know hoe noisy it will be but we are having breakfast at Tusker House at AK and I think Mickey will be there too.

 

[1stluvispooh]

Back to the schedule thing. What I did was to have the calendar and put down where we were going and if something extra was going to happen. Such as Monday:Magic Kingdom, Crystal Palace for lunch. That way it's not like we have to rush to get to the next ride to make sure you get it all in.

 

[suzyqqq27]

Sorry about that, I didn't mean to hone in on an existing conversation. I just saw ASD and plunged in.

I got it straightened out. They moved my Garden Grill lunch to dinner time and my Coral Reef dinner to lunch time. They were pretty accommodating since they never informed me about the closure even though I had a confirmation number for a lunch.

My sister had been to Chef Mickeys and she says that my daughter wouldn't be able to handle it. She can't deal with that much noise. So, I'm glad that it all worked out.

Thanks for all your help,
Suzanne

 

[kaffinito]

Glad you could reschedule your Garden Grill ressie Suzanne!

To the OP, I have a similar problem with my youngest ASD son. I tell him what park we will do in the morning, and which ride we will do first. I also let him know where we will have dinner and when we have to leave. That way he can concentrate on that specific information, and he doesn't bug me about what's next on the schedule. Sometimes he will ask that, and then I ask him what he wants next on the schedule. This has cut down on his "park nazi" tendancies, and has made us more relaxed.

I use the notecards too. I need them for my oldest DS (ASD), and I also use a different set for the youngest. They work really well for my youngest, especially since he can't read, so therefore has no clue what they say!

 

[LMC]

I would have to say not to give a "schedule". We can not have any type of schedule or mention anything that we "might" do because if we end up not getting to do it, my DS loses it. I have three kids and sometimes go w/ my sister and niece so that would be 4 kids trying to fit in all they want to do. They all get to pick the ONE thing that they must do at that park that day. Then they can pick a second and third attraction. At WDW you are lucky to get in the top four picks as they are usually everyones top picks and then the seconds and thirds are just "extras". Just make a checklist of what he wants to do and cross it off as you get to it. (make a separate check list for you to keep that has the longer list on it!) This way he can see progress throughout the day and feel as though he has some control as to what is happening next; although it won't be on a strict time schedule. You can still follow the tour guide recommendations or the recommendations from this board as to the park routes to take and how to best utilize fast pass but taylor it where you have ALOT of flexibility.