Do you think DS will qualify for GAC?

[Mckys#1Fan]

My Ds is 8 years old. He was diagnosed in September with JIA(Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis). His treatment consists of 3 injections each week of Methotrexate(a chemotherapy drug) and Embrel. These meds are to help with the swelling and pain in his knees and ankles. It is not the disease itself... but the meds that have drained him of his energy and suppressed his immune system. I plan to find a stroller for him (if possible). He weighs 56 lbs. He is very independent and will not want to ride in the stroller at all!!! I am concerned about the close proximity of some of the ride ques with the low immune system. Does anyone have any suggestions? Just wondering if a having a GAC might allow him to rest in the special areas inside when he needs to? I have thought about getting the medical mask for him to wear. Does anyone know how well these keep germs out?


Thanks in advance!!

 

[peemagg]

As far as stamina issues, they won't give him a GAC for that. They say stroller or wheelchair or ECV (which he is to young to drive) for this. If you do get a stroller, I would suggest renting one from one of the outside companies who rent special needs strollers. They are able to handle more weight. You should also get a stroller as a wheelchair tag from Guest Services. This way you can use the strollers in lines.

As far as the medical masks go I would get the ones marked N-95. These are meant for things like TB, Menengitis, etc. It should work fine to keep anything else out too as long as they are worn properly, but the next question is will your son wear them the way that they should?

 

[Schmeck]

Also, I'm thinking not many attractions have "special rooms" to wait in - they may have a place to the side, or part of the queue may be available, but most queues are mainstream/accessible, so waiting areas wouldn't exist there.

Also, there's more walking between the attractions than in the queues. Just the hike from the bus stop or parking lot can sap the strength out of some guests.

 

[ireland_nicole]

I agree that the stroller is probably going to be necessary, he's going to get exhausted really quickly. First Aid is available for a rest when necessary, and of course the standby hall of presidents, ellens energy adventure, etc. really all the air conditioned shows are good opportunities for rest.

 

[ssawka]

There is no "qualifying" for a GAC card. Just go to one of the Guest Relations desks. Explain DS's needs and work with the CM to figure out how to best meet his needs. No one on this board knows DS's specific needs. There is nothing wrong with asking advice on these boards, but just take what people say with a grain of salt because the decision to get a GAC or not is between you and Disney.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

What about instead of a stroller, renting a juvenile wheelchair? Would he be more likely to use it if it looked more like a wheelchair and less like a stroller for little kids? Also, would he be able to push it a little himself (particularly in a slow moving line) so that he would feel more independent?

Would they give you a GAC? Probably. That way you can use the wheelchair entrances in the older queues where they are not accessible. But even the alternate entrances (which many times are the fast pass entrance) will most likely have a lot of people in them. Some kind of face mask sounds like a good idea, or perhaps going at an off time (and maybe even avoiding it during the predicted peak of flu season.)

Additionally, you may want to go to the Wish Trippers thread and ask what they do. A lot of those kids have compromised immune systems, and while many do not wait because they have a different kind of GAC, I'm sure that they have had to take precautions all the same.

 

[disfan07]

I am on methotrexate and prednisone as well for RA and for eczema and I will say that for me, I have never taken any precautions other than using hand sanitizer more often and I have not gotten sick at WDW or DL since I started treatment (2 years ago and 6 trips)

I would talk to his doctors about extra precautions if you're concerned. My rhuematologist, dermatologist, immunologist and infectious disease doctor all told me that besides making sure i wash my hands/use hand sanitizer that there was no need for any extra precautions. But it also depends on how high of a dose of MTX your son is on.

personally, I would just make sure that
you have hand sanitizer and have him use that and wash his hands regularly. I have always been told that its not really what is transmitted by air that is a major cause for concern, it is more of touching something and than putting your hands near your face that causes mroe problems than anything else

 

[SueM in MN]

GACs (Guest Assistance Cards) are issued based on needs related to a disability. THere is more information about GACs in post #6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread (there is a link to that thread in my signature).
The information in that post is from many years of experience using GACs, plus some assistance in writing and verification of how things work from people who work in Guest Relations and issue GACs.

My Ds is 8 years old. He was diagnosed in September with JIA(Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis). His treatment consists of 3 injections each week of Methotrexate(a chemotherapy drug) and Embrel. These meds are to help with the swelling and pain in his knees and ankles. It is not the disease itself... but the meds that have drained him of his energy and suppressed his immune system. I plan to find a stroller for him (if possible). He weighs 56 lbs. He is very independent and will not want to ride in the stroller at all!!! I am concerned about the close proximity of some of the ride ques with the low immune system. Does anyone have any suggestions? Just wondering if a having a GAC might allow him to rest in the special areas inside when he needs to? I have thought about getting the medical mask for him to wear. Does anyone know how well these keep germs out?


Thanks in advance!!

THe needs that you are talking about here - swelling, pain, draining of energy are really things that a stroller or wheelchair will be more helpful for than a GAC.
It's not just my opinion - this is what WDW says on their website:
Some Guests may be concerned that they do not have the stamina to wait in Walt Disney World attraction queues. We strongly suggest these Guests consider using a wheelchair, personal scooter or Electric Convenience Vehicle (ECV), as the distance between the attractions is much greater than the length of the queues.

You not only have to worry about the distances in the queues, but also getting from place to place (as was pointed out already, the trip from the parking area/buses can be a long way for some people).
Some of the queues are very long - even if the wait is not long - and a GAC does nothing to shorten the distance walked. THe Soarin' queue is 1/4 mile long, with ramped areas going both up and down that may be hard on his knees and feet. Many attractions have similar length queues and there is not a shorter way in. Areas outside the attractions also involve long walks - the distance around World Showcase is over 1 mile.
Many attractions also involve wait in a preshow area with no place to sit unless you bring one with you. This is a link to a past thread about situations like that and long queues.

If you decide not to use a stroller, you could still request a GAC to use the wheelchair entrances - they are no shorter distance, but would allow you to avoid the stairs in the few attractions that have stairs.
Shows generally have a quieter place to wait, which doubles as the wheelchair waiting area. There are no chairs in most and you will not be totally removed from other guests, but will be a little farther away.
This picture shows one of those areas - the one at Laugh FLoor at MK:

Guests with wheelchairs/special needs stay to the right. Other guests go to the left. By the time the preshow area is loaded, the area on the left will be full, while the one on the right may have only a few people.

Something that may be more helpful to you in avoiding crowds would be using a tour plan like Tour Guide Mike or RideMax. THose help you to know what are the least busy places/times/attractions so that you can go there instead of the busiest places.