Handicapped bathrooms in planes

[disneyobessed]

anyone know of any airlines that have larger restrooms to accomidate handicapped people. My son is 5 yrs ol and unable to walk due to cerebral palsy and we are planning a trip to disney and im trying to figure out how we will help him in the bathroom if he needs to use it. last time we went he was still in diapers. i refuse to have to put him in a diaper just so he can fly. its demoralizing.

 

[pugdog]

ADA says that as planes get ordered of 100 passengers or more that at least one is supposed to be handicapped. As of yet I havn't seen one. Best thing to do is call your airline and ask them if there is one on the plane that you will be using.
I have seen on NWA site that some of their planes are suppose to have them but have not been on any yet.

 

[ducklite]

Well....actually what a lot of carrires have done is to add a privacy curtain in front of the rest rooms by the rear of the plane. The way it works is that an FA will stand in front of the drawn curtain and not allow anyone to pass while the disabled person uses the rest room with the door open--that's the additional space. The problem with this is that you can do a side to side transfer onto the toilet.

I'm assuming in your case you might normally lift your child onto the toilet anyhow, so it would work for you.

The ADA doesn't cover restrooms on planes. There is another older act, not sure what it was called that requires jumbo jets have at least one accessible restroom--but those planes are generally only used on cross country and international flights.

I agree, asking him to wear a diaper is degrading. If he can normally "hold it" for three hours, then that might be your best bet, go right before boarding and then wait until landing. I have to admit though--I couldn't do that...

Anne

 

[disneyobessed]

Thank you so much for the information.

 

[BCV23]

I don't know how involved your son is, but our DD has cp. When she was little, I just went in with her....very tight but doable. It seems to me that most if not all the lavatories have a grab bar.

Probably around 4, 5 or 6, she started wanting to go in alone. To this day (she is now 19), I "walk" her to the WC and she manages OK on her own. Because the space is so small, I think it actually makes it easier for her. Easy to grab hold of something to help her balance. I would just wait outside the door. If you are at the front of the plane, the attendants might have you step back a little as they don't want people standing by the cockpit door these days.

When she was young, I did help her wash her hands very thoroughly though after she had to hold on to whatever.

 

[CarolA]

You might post this on the disablilities board. I bet someone there has additional info.

 

[seashoreCM]

For a small child, you can accompany him and use (commandeer) the space just outside the bathroom while you help him. This procedure alsow orks for chaning diapers.

Since you are also the privacy curtain, you don't have to let others pass by.

Disney hints:
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Two species are quite well known for inflicting cruelty -- humans, and cats. (overheard at Walt Disney World)

 

[disneyobessed]

Thank you all very much. I appreciate all of your comments and advice.