Novice with severely autistic son - help please!

[shamumakes]

Have three children, 9, 6 and 2 and would love to take them to Disney while the girls will still believe... We'd be looking at Disneyland Paris as we're in London and can't face long hail flights with ds

My 9 year old is severely autistic - non verbal, in nappies, screams and flaps, doesn't sleep and highly destructive of furniture/bedding etc. I've no Idea where to start when it comes to looking for accommodation. I'm hoping someone in this board might be able to suggest somewhere able to accommodate us all. We'd bring a carer to help so would probably need at least three rooms and I'm guessing self catering might be easier though the idea if a hotel is v tempting!

Once I've got the accommodation hurdle sorted i'll have all sorts of other questions I'm sure! But if we can't get a villa/hotel/apartment/whatever we won't be going anyway!

Thanks
Xxx

 

[LockShockBarrel]

OP this really isn't to you but to any posters who try to answer this. DISNEYLAND PARIS. Remember it doesn't have the same accommodations as the US parks.

 

[Bete]

with good suggestions for places to stay at Paris Disneyland. I hope I'm wrong.

Based on your comments I would think it would be better to take a trip with just the girls. Keep your boy at home in familiar surroundings. Maybe, dad could be home, as well with the caregiver while you are gone; so, your son would have a parent near by. Do you have parents that could help back home? That could work, too. Is there a place where your son can have respite care back home while you are gone?

If the above is not what you want to do then I strongly suggest exposing your son to some outside activities to see how he handles the situation. I wasn't sure if you planned on including your son with the Paris Disneyland activities or if you just want a room for him there. Take a trial run to the airport, for example or whatever mode you are using to get to Paris. Maybe, get a resort room near home for a night to see how he does. At least if it's not going well you can retreat to back home in a hurry.

I had a different situation, but I was often scared I would get kicked out of a resort for noise or that even someone would be calling the police on us. I won't go into those details, but this is not easy. I strongly recommend getting doctor notes on their stationary explaining the situation in case you have an issue. Someone may get the wrong idea and think there's child abuse going on or whatever. You are playing with fire from what you are saying.

If there is destruction in the Paris accomodations you could be liable for big expenses.

The only other idea I can think of is getting him more medicated before the trip; so, he would be more sleepy or similiar; so, he could not act up as much. I would have him use to the meds ahead of time; so, there are no suprises on that count, either. I don't necessarily agree with using meds, but it's an option.

I know all of this sounds harsh, but I have been through something similiar; so, I'm speaking from the heart.

 

[lanejudy]

I'd love to help but I am only familiar with WDW in Florida - and I get the impression most others on the disABILITIES board are also primarily familiar with the U.S. locations. Hopefully someone else will come along who has been to DLP.

But I would suggest that you try posting on the UK Trip Planning board and/or the Disneyland Paris Trip Planning board. You may find someone on either of those boards who is familiar with both DLP and how they can accommodate austistic children.

Good luck!

 

[dja14]

I live in the US so I don't know about areas in Paris (although I really wish I did) but I have a friend whose child is that severely autistic.

This past year they rented a condo at the beach. They had never been anywhere for a week because they couldn't take him to a hotel (noise and up all night) and she always needed extra help. This year he is finally doing well enough they thought they could do w/o the extra help so their family of five went (and their other children are teens now, which helped I'm sure) Before they had only done long weekends (if helpers could go) or overnights (if they left the child home)

She said the condo rental was great. They found a place with a master bedroom, twins for the other two and a pull out in the living room (so whoever stayed up all night could or their autistic child could sleep if he would) She took all the stuff the use for him at home and the foods they knew he would eat. She took plastic to cover furniture. They put up all the knick knacks as soon as they got there. Even with all the extra work she said it was the best vacation they ever had and she really felt it was the condo. They did split up for some activities but she also planned ahead for things she thought would work for them all.

Over here there are websites with vacation rentals, are there any like that for Paris? That is where I would start and search through those until you find one that meets your families needs (or you can make meet you needs)