SPD and disney

[Sefoti]

I'm editing this original post after some of the responses. My original post is quoted below for those who are interested but I feel like it was misleading in the sense that last year is not typical behavior of her and we do not expect that same reaction this year as we are aware of what the problems are and she can now talk which she could not do well last year and which caused a lot of problems.

Basically my daughter has SPD she does not get enough input so she seeks it through unsafe measures. Last year we went to Disney prior to knowing she had a problem and it was horrible. She was completely overwhelmed and was just nuts. We are going back next month with her and my son and I am looking for suggestions on navigating Disney with sensory kids. She is not sensitive to noise, sounds, touch. She is opposite so very dulled senses which cause her to seek deep input. Her biggest obstacle is visual. She behaves as though she has severe ADD and gets very hyper active from visual input. We are concerned about lines as she has a very hard time waiting and of course the fact that she has no concept of where she is in space so I worry about long lines with people around us. She bumps very hard into things and trips over people constantly.

Things I will be doing after various comments here:

Wearing her
Putting a hat on her and sunglasses
Planning for long breaks and swimming and splash pads for sensory input that she likes.
Getting to park early.
Character dining vs meetings in park.
Bringing a wrap (girasol) for swinging her and making table hammock for quiet retreat at snack time.
Bringing pipe cleaners and other fidgets.
Crunchy snacks for oral input.
Back pack with tail to prevent her from taking off.
Oral fidgets
Sound therapy
iPad and iPhone for lines
Pictures of lines and lots of visual reminders of appropriate line behavior

Markers for lines.

 

[pfalcioni]

Why not talk to her therapist about your concerns? It sounds like she's on the right path now, but probably needs consistency and a solid daily schedule more than Disney World right now.

 

[Hannathy]

Are you sure Disney is the right vacation for your family at this time? If she can't wait for 7 children to take a turn, not to be mean, but how will she handle anything at Disney? from rides to the bathroom to the monorail, there are lines everywhere.

several short trips or maybe the beach (less restrictive and stimulating type thing) until she and you are a little better prepared.

I think you are right to be nervous and apprehension.


If by program you mean the DAS, then yes you could get it for her, it lets you wait somewhere else but you still have to go thru the FP line so there will still be lines. And it won't help with all the other lines and waiting you will run into and the massive amount of stimulation will still be there.

I think you and her are on the right track and I wish both of you continued progress but I think you really need to step back and see if you have come far enough in this short time to handle Disney, both you and her.

 

[Sefoti]

Just out of cursory do either of you have experience with SPD? I am not asking opinions on my decision or how consistent our routine is. I'm asking specifically about dealing with children with sensory issues and Disney. Unless you are answering that question or have experience with similar situations there is no need to comment. I am not interested in your opinions on my decision to bring her to Disney.

 

[pfalcioni]

You already know what to expect, you see how your daughter deals with situations similar to those you will encounter in WDW, you have described her reactions. The only logical thing to recommend is that you speak to her therapist.

 

[bookwormde]

How is she with videos? If so video of the parks and rides might help even if they are just running in background.

Sometimes familiarity helps a lot, especially with visual overload. It leaves her just filling in the last pieces rater than trying to put the whole puzzle together at once.

If you can stay on site a resort very close to a park it will allow you to chunk the park time into very short pieces and retreat quickly at the fist sign of unmanageable anxiety

How much sensory processing integration therapy has she received?

 

[kaytieeldr]

My daughter was recently diagnosed with SPD. Our last trip with her was horrible. We did not know she had sensory issues at the time as she was still young and I didn't know anything about hypo kids like her. When we got to Disney it was too much for her. She spent hours screaming. Slammed her head into the ground daily making it bleed. We spent more time preventing her from self injury than anything else. She scratched us all up in her fits and I was covered in scabs when all was said and done. It was a horrible experience. She is in therapy now weekly but the biggest issues we have is her seeking. We can not keep her concentration for long before she bolts and takes off running or starts doing dangerous stuff. Her therapist is working with her but lines are a huge concern for me. I had to take her out of gymnastics because just waiting her turn in a class of 8 was too much and I spent the whole time chasing her around. She gets very hyper active and overstimulated. Visual is her worst which explains why Disney was just too much for her. Along with the visual she gets hurt very often. I do not know anything about the special needs program but feel like I need to look into it after her OT appointment today. I guess I was kind of just hoping she would make huge improvements but I do not think she will by next month. For those who have brought children with SPD to Disney do you have any tips? Would she qualify for their program? I am just hoping this year is not the same and of course I have no idea what to expect until we get there. I'm very nervous and apprehensive about it.

Not every instance of SPD is the same nor every diagnosis as aged, so other visitors' experience may not be as great a help as you hope. Looking at the three statements of yours I emphasized, what impartial advice would you give someone?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Duplicate

 

[Gracie09]

You already know what to expect, you see how your daughter deals with situations similar to those you will encounter in WDW, you have described her reactions. The only logical thing to recommend is that you speak to her therapist.

I'm sorry you're not getting the answers you want but sometimes with our kids with sensory issues we have to change things including vacations to make their lives easier. My dd cannot handle the beach. We have tried a couple times and she starts crying hysterically from the moment she sees the sand until we leave. She won't touch sand. She will stay curled up on my or my mothers lap wrapped in a towel until we leave.
We come from a family that spent the summers at the beach. I learned to swim in the ocean at five or six. We would spend days at the beach. Now we don't go. There is nothing I can do at this point to make to beach tolerable for my daughter so I won't put her in that situation.
There is nothing that can be done to make Disney less stimulating. There will be loud noises, bright lights, people, smells etc. for a person with a sensory issue it can be a nightmare.
As for waiting in line, as said previously, even with a das you will wait. If she can fit in a stroller you can ask for a stroller as a wheelchair pass and strap her in so she doesn't run but there will be waiting. Even if it's not for a ride. You wait to get in, you wait to use the bathroom, you wait to get food, you wait for the buses. A das will help with none of these situations.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Visual is a hard one, because Disney is designed for visual stimulation, and it's not like you can put a blindfold on your daughter. Maybe getting the stroller as a wheelchair tag, and using a stroller with a really big sunshade to limit her field of vision?

She would qualify for a DAS, but as others have said, even with the DAS you have to get in the FP line which has waits.

ETA: I've seen parents use towels in conjunction with the sunshade on a stroller to make a cocoon for their child. I would just make sure your daughter gets enough airflow if you do that, so she doesn't overheat.

 

[North of Mouse]

Just out of cursory do either of you have experience with SPD? I am not asking opinions on my decision or how consistent our routine is. I'm asking specifically about dealing with children with sensory issues and Disney. Unless you are answering that question or have experience with similar situations there is no need to comment. I am not interested in your opinions on my decision to bring her to Disney.

I am so sorry for your situation - we, too, have had a 'different' situation with our son and it 'hurts'. But please don't lash out at others when you have asked, and people are trying to help you and be kind.

Our situations are not anyone's fault, yours, ours, our childs, other peoples, but it is what we have to deal with - one day/situation at a time. As others have said, it does seem that Disney would just be more 'heartache' for you at this time, even though, of course it is your decision.

Whatever you decide, wish you the best.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Just out of cursory do either of you have experience with SPD? I am not asking opinions on my decision or how consistent our routine is. I'm asking specifically about dealing with children with sensory issues and Disney. Unless you are answering that question or have experience with similar situations there is no need to comment. I am not interested in your opinions on my decision to bring her to Disney.

I have a DD with SPD, also bipolar disorder and ADHD. I think the PPs advice is sound. If waiting for 7 other girls in a gymnastics class is too much for her, then you likely will be miserable once again at Disney. The DAS card can only do so much. When you go back for your return time, you will still be in the FP line and there will likely be more than 7 people in front of you. And that only helps at rides which have FP+. There are lines everywhere in WDW: at bag check, at the gates to get in, at CS restaurants, in the bathrooms, at character meet and greets, etc.

When DD was turning 5, I took her to WDW for a week. It was our second trip and was before she was officially diagnosed. We were working with a psychologist at that point, but hadn't gotten to the point of untangling the alphabet soup that would become her diagnosis. It was a miserable experience. Multiple meltdowns. I had bruises, scratches, and bite marks all over my body. A lot of the behaviors I observed on that trip helped lead to the diagnoses we eventually received. But we didn't go back to WDW for two years. I waited until after DD had been stabilized with medications and we had worked with an OT for several months. When we did go back, DD had a much better handle on waiting, calming strategies, and ways of controlling herself.

Please proceed with caution. I think you'll be a lot happier if you wait a little longer before taking this next trip.

 

[Aladora]

Just out of cursory do either of you have experience with SPD? I am not asking opinions on my decision or how consistent our routine is. I'm asking specifically about dealing with children with sensory issues and Disney. Unless you are answering that question or have experience with similar situations there is no need to comment. I am not interested in your opinions on my decision to bring her to Disney.

While I don't have experience with a child with just SPD, my son is autistic so he has a number of sensory issues.

We've taken him to DL 4 times and we leave TODAY for trip #5 cool1 so I do have some experience taking a sensory child to DL.

We bring sunglasses for our son, multiple pairs in fact since he always forgets his somewhere. We also have a DS and a pair of headphones. Those help with both the noise and also over stimulation that can happen at DL. I can't really speak for the visual part because my son only has light issues (the sunglasses help) but I can say that Disney is designed to be VERY visually and aurally stimulating so your daughter might just not be ready yet.

We had our son in intensive therapy for a while before we tried DL and even so, we made sure we took an afternoon break when he got overwhelmed.

You're not going to like this, but at this point in your child's development, I am not sure what you can do to make Disney less of a tough time for all involved. It's really the lines that are going to be a problem. Even with the DAS, you will still have to wait in the FP line and if she can't yet deal with waiting for 7 other kids to have their turn at the gym, then she is not yet ready for the amount of waiting she is going to have to do.

Not saying she is never going to be ready, but maybe work on her therapy and try small local fairs to see how that goes.

Good luck.

 

[zela02]

Let me preface this by saying I'm not judging you or your decisions, just sharing my personal experience. I have an 11-yr-old daughter with moderate autism, as well as some sensory issues. When she was younger, those issues were extremely severe - ranging from months (sometimes years) when she could not tolerate being in a restaurant, grocery shopping or the sound of laughter, going into a full blown tantrum every time the car slowed down (stop signs, traffic lights, slowing down to turn, you name it). We would go to family gatherings, forced to leave within minutes simply because she couldn't handle it.

We didn't even attempt Disney until she was almost 10. We would have loved to have gone earlier, as well a many other places, in part because we have a typical son who missed out on a lot when he was younger. I can assure you that there would have been no strategy, accommodation, tip, trick, therapy or intervention that I could have done that would have made the trip tolerable for her, us, or anyone that had the misfortune to be around us - especially in lines. So, we chose to wait until we felt she had matured enough, and had developed the coping skills to enjoy the experience. The first time she went, it was fabulous! There were a few bumps in the road, but nothing we couldn't handle, or that really impacted our time. We just got back from our second trip and had such a great time, we are planning another in November. I know I didn't offer you any tips, but I don't really have any to give. Time has been our biggest defense in having a successful trip. Hope things turn out well for you and your family!

 

[Disneylvr]

How old is your daughter now and how long has it been since your last WDW vacation?

My daughter has autism (severe) and lots of sensory issues. In her case she is a sensory seeker and usually she loves being in the parks however she can quickly become overstimulated and then we experience some of the behaviors that you experienced with your daughter. My DD is now 11 years old but we have always brought a special needs stroller for her and for this next trip we will have a wheelchair. It isn't for mobility, it is to give her a defined space that is hers and only hers, keeps her from invading other guest's personal space and when we are walking in very crowded conditions it keeps her from bolting away from us as it has a seat belt. We do encourage her to walk and stay by our sides as much as possible but when we can tell her sensory systems are overwhelmed or it is just too crowded and loud we do keep her in the stroller. A stroller or wheelchair might help your daughter as well. We also bring several sensory toys (squishy balls, chewy tubes....) that she can use in stressful situations. We also bring her iPad and my iPod Touch with us and use them as tools to prepare her for what we are going to do next (visual schedule.) They are also loaded with her favorite (and comforting) apps and music videos. Make sure you read the WDW Guide for those with autism and cognitive disabilities as Disney has suggestions for quieter places you can go for breaks if she does meltdown in the park.

Definitely request a DAS at guest services. I don't have advice on using one just yet because we haven't been to WDW since the change from GAC to DAS but we are giving it a try next month. We have scheduled all of our FP+ times though and we are very optimistic that combining FP+ use with the DAS will work out fine.

DD has been going to WDW since she was 1 year old and we have some difficult moments in the parks however the happy ones far outnumber the difficult ones. I encourage to keep practicing with your daughter at home before the trip with frequent trips to places like zoo, grocery stores, shopping malls, festivals, eating in restaurants...that can be loud, crowded and overstimulating like Disney. Find out what works to calm your daughter in these situations and prepare to implement those strategies in WDW.

I hope everything works out for your family and good luck with your planning!

 

[BAMLuvMickey]

Subbing as my son has just been diagnosed PDD-NOS, SPD

Is there a sticky or another thread about Kids with ASD visiting the parks?

Would love to see a list of things that other parents to to help ease sensory overload as I am clueless and we are going in November. Our last trip two years ago was a nightmare, it was pre-diagnosis and had no idea that anything was really "wrong" with my son. I just want to make this trip go much smoother...

 

[kirstenb1]

like many of the previous posters, I do have experience with SPD as part of a larger, autism dx in our 8 yr old. We own DVC, so we're pretty locked into vacationing there. The years before she was 5-6 were pretty icky. WDW was a complete sensory overload for her. We'd ride maybe 2 rides, then she'd want to go back to the villa and play legos or Barbies the entire rest of the day.

OP, have you done a trial run at a theme park closer to home? From your description of your daughter's current development, WDW sounds like too much stimulus right now. However, if you're willing to be very flexible, and maybe just go to the parks for an hour or 2 at a slow time of year, it might be do-able. I tried to view those early trips as "sensory training" for her. On the one hand, what a huge waste of $$. On the other hand, we always try to gently push her to a higher level of tolerance.

We kept her in her stroller as much as possible as a crowd buffer, we gave her sunglasses and headphones. When standing in line, one of us would go in front of her, and one behind, as a buffer.

Now at age 8, she is much better at tolerating noise, being jostled, etc.

 

[Sefoti]

She was only 18 months the first trip. Now she will almost be 3. I appreciate the feedback. My reply was that the first two comments were more along the lines of stay home with little added (the second comment was edited to add more). I was asking about how other have navigated the parks not for the comments to essentially keep her home. I do appreciate the comments knowing they come from a parent with a special needs child which is why I asked as I have no interest in receiving advice from someone who has none to give.

I have already received some wonderful ideas here like the sunglasses, and how others have worked around their childrens needs. My daughter is the opposite of most SPD kids in that she can hear loud noises, smells and such without any issues as she gets little input. Her issue is the need for more input not too much.

Her first trip we had no idea she had a problem. So we did the parks like we would with any typical children. Knowing her limitations now we will obviously be doing things much differently and I do not expect the same reaction out of her. She has been asking to go to Disney for months and our son who is turning 5 has been dying to go back now that he is big enough for his star wars ride. She really wants to see the princesses and I do not feel like I should have to explain why we feel like bringing them.

We have 5 days in the park for a 7 day stay and will let her take the lead. The screaming and crying is not something I expect this time. That was mainly because she was non verbal. My main concern is personal space for others as she bumps into things, constantly trips and starts getting very hyper active. If we suspected a similar reaction to last year there is NO WAY I would be going with her. She acts very similar to a child with severe ADD. So like she can do something if its her idea, if her therapist asks it of her she doesn't. She starts turning her eyes in, stuttering, running off and jumping towards moving objects. We can not use a stroller with her. She will have to be worn. Which physically is a huge toll on me but it does help to have her completely restrained. I will also be putting a hat on her after reading the sunglasses suggestion because it provides input. The sunglasses might really help too and I will suggest them to her OT. She is also talking about sound therapy which we can bring with us and that may help a lot too. So I was mainly looking for some feedback on how others have successfully navigated the parks so I can try to equip myself. Finley did just wonderful in gymnastics sometimes but it was for very short periods of time. So she can do the first 20 minutes following the routine but that is about our max. So I know we will not see much and I am preparing mentally for that. Last year had I known what we were dealing with I think it would have been a much different trip. In the very least we want her to see her princesses and plan on doing character dining to make it happen. Thank you very much for those who offered feedback. Oh and someone asked about tv. Yes she will watch tv. She cant watch 1 thing but she will flip back and forth on netflix and that will help short term as well 5mins or so.

 

[Aliceacc]

I'm not the mom of a APD child, so please feel free to disreguard.

But my youngest has a real sensitivity to noises. When she was younger, the sound of a fire alarm would turn her into quivering mass of jello. For our first WDW trip, I was concerned about all the loud noises and how miserable they would make her.

We got her Peltor Noise Reducing headphones, and they've made a huge difference in places like Disney. They come in child's sizes (and colors... she had hot pink as a child) and they're reasonably priced. (amazon carries them, as do a number of other places online.)

Another suggestion: if you can manage it, get to the parks at or before rope drop. Those first few hours are the best part of the day when it comes to crowds.

As to the princesses: consider a late breakfast at Aukerhaus in Norway. By 10:15 or so, it should be emptying out a bit from the morning crowds. And five princesses will stop by your table for autographs and pictures if your daughter wants... a lot of bang for your buck from one meal.

If she'll watch tv, would you consider bringing an inexpensive tablet for her to use on lines?

 

[Burnedout]

What in earth would possess someone with a child who can not deal with overstimulation to a place like wdw? Who exactly is the trip for?!

I work with a this disorder on a weekly basis with a constant clientele.