Autism-Disneyland Questions for Teri

[TrlyScrumptious]

Hi Teri,

As the resident "Disneyland-Autism Expert" I wonder if I could pick your brain about a few things! Thanks in Advance!

If a child has a tantrum *on* a ride at Disneyland, what do you suggest to avoid a mutiny on the part of everyone else in the boat/car/etc.? Do we tough it out and just do our best? (I'm having nightmares about the possibility of a meltdown three minutes into Pirates....yikes!) I don't want to spoil other people's experiences, so is it reasonable to ask, when we arrive at the head of the line, to be seated in the last row of a boat/car/etc., or that no one else be in with us, so that any distraction we create is limited??

Are there any rides that you absolutely would not recommend for a child who might be able to escape in an impulsive moment? Rides where the restraints are either inadequate or non-existent and where a parent can't hold a hand/put an arm around a kiddo?

Can you recommend the strollers at Disneyland, or do you recommend bringing one from home? Do you know if they're sturdy enough to survive an octopus in a meltdown? (We're in the contemplation stages for a Maclaren Major right now. It will probably come to that eventually, so now may be the time.)

Do you have any particular safety measures you use to make sure a child doesn't get lost? My son has enough language to give his full name/home address/home phone number...but we won't be there!

Any other wisdom you can offer to minimize my anxiety would be welcome!

 

[teri]

Uh-oh... you know the etymology of "expert" --
- an ex is a has-been.
- a 'spert' is a drip under pressure.

1. Tough it out and don't worry about the other people on the ride. Chances are that any tantrums will happen in line more than on the ride itself -- unless you are in the middle of 'theme park therapy' for your child to help them overcome their fear and hypersensitivity to the rides sounds, sensations and physical forces. You just do what you have to do to keep them safe, and smile apologetically to anyone who acts annoyed. Once they are actually on the ride they are usually a bit stunned and distracted...plus it is confined. You can put your arm around them when possible and apply more deep pressure to calm them. Of course, the key for any tantrum is for the parent to remain calm... The other people in the boat are going to react more to YOU and how you handle things than they will to the kid, in my experience.

So, you are worried about meltdowns in dark rides.... here is what I do - I carry a penlight flashlight. If we are in a dark ride and the child is scared or acting up, I use the flashlight to shine a spot on the ground, near our feet. This gives the child something they can focus on that isn't scary, it distracts them enough to get through the dark parts. This works VERY well in Haunted Mansion in the elevator room and hallway to the doom-buggies. Also works fine on the cars any of the dark rides, just point at teh floor by your feet. You won't get into any trouble as long as you point the flashlight down by your feet. I have only had one CM ask me to turn it off, and as soon as I explained to him that my child was frightened and I was using it to distract him, the CM backed down.

I think you will probably feel safer if you have your child on a harness or tether, if you child tends to elope. Our son is bigger now and more in control, but when he was little we used a harness on a bungee cord tether. Safety is the number one concern anywhere, not just on the ride... we had more trouble in restaurants, in crowds, in waiting areas. The loading areas are the most dangerous spots. I think most of the rides are very safe as long as you are vigilant. The few accidents that have happened have usually been with kids whose parents were NOT expecting trouble. Our son has a fanny pack with his child-find unit inside, and if he is acting up we attach the bungee onto that. Haven't used it is a while.

The stollers there are heavy duty, sort of jogger-type but not quite. I think there is a seatbelt... Frankly, I would go for the Macalaren with a harness if your child is that impulsive. We have also used a wheelchair for both kids together - they are too big for that now, but again, that bungee cord came in real handy.

Sensory overload, crowds... crying children and touchy people, new physical sensations.... it is a lot for a kid to get used to. I honestly think it is best for them to survive a few meltdowns and go on with their day, because then they wll see that it isn't really that bad. If you whisk them away at the first sign of anxiety, in a way you reinforce their sense that the situation was dangerous and it is harder the next time. Or they start figuring out ways to avoid the situation by acting up at the right moment so you will take them out. Better for them to face the anxiety and experience surviving it and having fun.

Of course you will have a sticker or label somewhere on you child's clothes that identifies them. We bought a child-find unit form InTouch, and that has come in handy a few times. We also carry 2-way radios and cell phones, in case of yet another disappearance. These kids can evaporate in a flash! The CMs are very good about helping locate kids, and so are the other guests for the most part. If you dress alike in some way - same color shirt, same ribbons on your fanny packs, same stickers, etc. that helps as well.

I am spaced out this morning, dont' know if this makes sense.... feel free to ask more questions!

 

[TrlyScrumptious]

Wow! That was great!! Thanks for taking the time to give me such great advice.

I had thought about renting a wheelchair, rather than using a stroller (either rented or brought from home) but wondered about the "ethics" of this, because he's quite capable of walking. Normally, if he's belted into something or even seated in some situations (ie: movie theater), he won't make an attempt to get out. He never tries to unfasten his seatbelt, etc. Do they rent children's wheelchair's at Disneyland? He only weighs 40 pounds, and I'm not sure he would feel at all secure or comfortable in an adult wheelchair. Maybe we are just really at the point where we should buy the Maclaren. If I remember correctly, the strollers can't be rented by the week, and have to be rented and returned (after standing in a biggole line!) each day.

You are RIGHT ON that most of my concerns are not actually for his behavior *on* the rides. He has been on amusement park rides and 100% of the problem was in line. But, we haven't ridden in any "dark" rides like Pirates or something as lengthy/slower-paced as Small World. He is fearless about coasters, trains, water rides, etc. My concern is primarily that he will have a meltdown in line, but I just wanted to be prepared for the possibility of something fear-driven happening on a longer ride, where the ambient sounds from the ride (and the screaching teenagers having a blast!) might not overwhelm his crying. I love the idea of a pen-light!! If shining it on the ground doesn't work, he'll surely enjoy clicking it or find a way to stim on it somehow! (He doesn't do much stimming, actually, but he can certainly use it when he anxious.)

We've got two-way radios and our cell phones. And, he'll have a badge clipped on that has his name, our cell phone numbers and our hotel room numbers. I know putting this kind of information on a child is pretty controversial, but I've reconciled myself to it being the safest idea I've come up with.

I also agree with your suggesting to punch through the anxiety. I've seen him do this before (with horseback therapy.) At first, he was terrified. We plugged along, and it became a great experience, and he seemed to sense that a lot of his fears about things might not materialize as he expected. It translated well beyond just the fear he had of horses.

Thanks again for your time! I really appreciated it.

 

[eeyorefanatic]

you may want to clip it in his fanny pack or inside of a pocket, the main concern is a stranger being able to simply read the info from a name tag or such.

 

[teri]

Just don't let him shine the flashlight outside the car or buggy, they will definitely frown on that - it sets off alarms.