TSA- how to prepare my son

[sl_underwood]

I have been on the phone with everyone today trying to figure out how to prepare my son who is 4 and has a variety of issues including ASD for the TSA stuff. The biggest prob is being separated from his lovey and bag and fear of being separated from us. Other issues that may or may not come to pass is his fear of being touched by strangers, wand, etc. He also has a fear of security guards, police officers, etc. Does anyone know of any videos, books, etc. that might help with this? I intend to roleplay with him ahead of time, play airport and airplane at home but I think some visuals will help tremendously. Thanks!

 

[prncess674]

I wouldn't stress too much about it. Make sure he has nothing metal in his pockets or on him. Send one person in your party through first to act as the receiver and one person behind him so if there is a delay on either end then the child isn't left scared. Personally I have never seen a child selected for secondary screening. I fly every week for work (200,000 butt in seat miles last year) and feel pretty confident in saying he won't be selected.

Check all luggage except for the essentials so your hands will be free to handle your family and travel documents.

 

[mgilmer]

From the TSA website:

Children with Disabilities

Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions

Parents or guardians of children with disabilities should...

* Inform the Security Officer if the child has any special needs or medical devices.


* Inform the Security Officer if you think the child may become upset during the screening process as a result of their disability.


* Offer suggestions on how to best accomplish the screening to minimize any confusion or outburst for the child.


* Ask the Security Officer for assistance during the process by helping you put your and the child's carry-on items on the X-ray belt.


* Know that at no time during the screening process will you be separated from your child.


* Know that if a private screening is required, you should escort and remain with your child during the private screening process.


* Tell the Security Officer what are your child's abilities are. For example: can the child stand slightly away from equipment to be handwanded, walk through the metal detector, or needs to be carried through the metal detector by the parent/guardian.


* Know that all no time should the Security Officer remove your child from his/her mobility aid (wheelchair or scooter). You are responsible for removing your child from his/her equipment at your discretion to accomplish screening.


* Know that if your child is unable to walk or stand, the Security Officer will conduct a pat-down search of your child while he/she remains in their mobility aid, as well as a visual and physical inspection of their equipment.

And you never know what the TSA twits will do. See the following:
http://www.king5.com/video/featured-index.html?nvid=206446&shu=1

 

[ireland_nicole]

there are videos of just about everything on the website that starts with you****.com. Also, there's the free Disney vacation planning DVD. The security at the airport have always allowed my little ones to carry their lovey through the metal detector. If there's a problem, you could try and very nicely explain to the security staff his condition and see if there are any options that might distress him less. Have a great trip, you're almost there! Nicole

 

[stenickar]

Are you able to take him to the airport to practice the routine up untill the security check? You may be able to explain his needs to the security and ask if he can watch them do other people. After he has been there a few times you may ask the security guard to give your son a treat that you have dropped off ahead of time. This will hopefully help your son to realize that the security guard will not hurt him. I'm not sure if you have used social stories in the past, but it may be helpful. Just a note of caution-do not put overalls on your son the day you are flying it will certainly get you pulled aside(or so I've heard ) Hope this helps

 

[henrylovespooh]

I work at TSA, and I have two small children.

First, do tell the security officer that your son has not gone through security before and could become agitated or afraid. They will understand - this happens often. You shouldn't have an issue where they will touch your son.

On the issue of being separated from you, your son can walk immediately in front of you or behind you, whichever works best for you. Tell him you'll never be more than an arms' length away - you can talk about it while walking through a doorway - tell him to walk through, and you'll follow right behind him.

As for his bag and lovey, you can tell him it's like an x-ray at the hospital, and they are going to take a look to make sure everything is okay. After they come through, tell him his lovey is in great shape. (I saw another mom do that once and it went well.)

I'll ask someone in my office who used to work at a checkpoint and see if they have any other suggestions for you.

 

[sl_underwood]

Sadly my son has fears of xrays. He came to me in a full body cast and has had his share of them. So the xray wont work. I ordered a few books, a dvd, and my dds are screening 2 movies that have airport scenes in them. You all have had some excellent advice. Thanks.

 

[Brer Bear]

My youngest son has Aspergers' and we try to role play like you have mentioned to make sure he can anticipate and understand what is going to happen.

Might I suggest you have him practice putting his bag and Lovey in something at home...like your dryer (seriously) so he can get used to the detachment for a short time. If you're feeling really industrious, get a cardboard box from a local appliance store for a fridge, etc and practice sending the items through the box. Put them on a towel and pull them through the other side.

We carry earplugs everywhere we go as we've found some of the loud and strange noises at Disney can be a trigger. Makes a plane ride much easier!

 

[sl_underwood]

We have been playing pretending our bar is the scanner and I have all the kiddos play along and we put our stuff on the bar and daddy slides it through and then gives it back. His lovey is a curious george doll (will it hurt george to be in the dryer) and his backpack will have his lunchbox in it. His lunchbox is another security thing. He takes it everywhere. It has his snacks in it and without it things arent so pretty. I am hoping that the roleplaying will help. I have ordered him 2 books and a video from Amazon as well. I also have asked his headstart teacher to bring some transportation stuff with her when she comes to our home next week. A friend loaned me a little people jet too, she thought that him being able to put the people in the plane and pretend might help as well. Thanks for all your wonderful advice!

 

[ireland_nicole]

George should be fine in the dryer, you could turn it on fluff air, or better yet, don't turn the dryer on at all; just shut the door and open it again a minute later. You're doing a great job planning; I'm going to show this thread to my husband so he know's I'm not the only one who tries to prepare for everything. Nicole

 

[Belle1962]

If you are anywhere near a courthouse---contact the local sheriff's office (at least in my area that's who does courthouse security) and ask if you can bring him down one day --DURING THE SLOW PERIOD of the day (i.e. not at court opening) and "practice". Most courthouses (again at least in my area) have metal detectors just like in the airport.

Or do you know anyone who works in a building with one? (I'm lucky???? in that I work in a building that needs one so we took my DGS to my work several different times to practice).

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

Check the TSA Web site to be sure your son's snacks are things that can be taken through security. Foods that have the consistency of liquids or gels, like peanut butter and Jell-O, have to be in 3 oz. or less containers and in your son's quart-sized baggy. Things like plain crackers and such should be fine.

 

[onesadduck]

The role-playing you have been doing sounds great! When we had to prepare a kid I babysit for airport security the first time (he has ASD and was 5 1/2) we told a lot of social stories, but I think role playing is even more helpful. We told him things like "Before we get to the airplane, you will walk through security. It is good to stay close to mommy and daddy so they can show me what to do. We will put our backpacks on a 'moving counter' like at the market," he really liked "moving counters" for some reason, so he was excited about that part, "Because they have a special machine that shows them what is in the backpack. Then we walk through a doorway with no door one at a time in line. Then we go pick up our backpacks at the end of the moving counter with mommy and daddy." We tried to make it make the most sense to him. A different child might not need to be told it's a doorway with no door, but we thought that that's what the metal detectors looked like (mom says he called them "no-doors" later, so I think he got it).

I think they got most of it from a book, but I don't remember which one as this was a few years ago.

Looks like you've gotten plenty of good advice, though. Good luck!

 

[Brer Shay]

I was able to get several books from our library about flying - my first plane trip kind of titles. DS is ASD and was, shall I say, "nervous" about the entire airport/flying process. Reading the books helped and I took him to our federal courthouse three times to practice walking through the security - it was very similar to the TSA screening. As another post mentioned, tell the security office and have one person in your party go through in front of him. It was also helpful to have DS watch the people in front, how they put their items on the conveyer, then got them back at the other end. As with so much else, lots of visuals and roll playing will make it much easier.

 

[SueM in MN]

Lots of good suggestions.

If you are anywhere near a courthouse---contact the local sheriff's office (at least in my area that's who does courthouse security) and ask if you can bring him down one day --DURING THE SLOW PERIOD of the day (i.e. not at court opening) and "practice". Most courthouses (again at least in my area) have metal detectors just like in the airport.

Or do you know anyone who works in a building with one? (I'm lucky???? in that I work in a building that needs one so we took my DGS to my work several different times to practice).

I think the OP had written that her son was afraid of police officers, so that might be even more scary than going thru security.
Also, the court ones I've been thru were more sensitive than any airport ones I've been thru. That would mean that the chance of him hearing the alarm go off might be pretty great.

At the bottom of this page, there are some short (really short) videos from TSA of what to expect. They don't show much, but you do see the TSA people interacting with people, so you can see it's not so scary.

I wonder if he would practice with putting his lovey onto the conveyor belt at the grocery store. That would be very similar to the conveyor belt at the airport.

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

Also, the court ones I've been thru were more sensitive than any airport ones I've been thru. That would mean that the chance of him hearing the alarm go off might be pretty great.

I would think she'd want him to hear what the alarm sounds like so he can learn that it isn't a big deal. He will almost certainly hear the alarms go off, most likely multiple times, at the airport while he's in line and after it.

I wonder if he would practice with putting his lovey onto the conveyor belt at the grocery store. That would be very similar to the conveyor belt at the airport.

Only if the "lovey" is able to be disinfected - I hear those conveyor belts are the places with the most bacteria 'cause they aren't ever cleaned well enough (taken apart and the belt and wheels and all disinfected). Wouldn't want him getting sick, especially right before Disney!

 

[SueM in MN]

I would think she'd want him to hear what the alarm sounds like so he can learn that it isn't a big deal. He will almost certainly hear the alarms go off, most likely multiple times, at the airport while he's in line and after it.

When I was at the county courthouse here, an alarm going off involved response by police officers with guns drawn, so that's what I was thinking. It also was a more 'piercing' sound than at the airport. Since the OP already said that her son was afraid of security guards and police, I didn't think that was a place where police might respond to an alarm with guns would be a good situation.

Only if the "lovey" is able to be disinfected - I hear those conveyor belts are the places with the most bacteria 'cause they aren't ever cleaned well enough (taken apart and the belt and wheels and all disinfected). Wouldn't want him getting sick, especially right before Disney!

If he's carried around all over, he's probably pretty germy anyway. At any rate, if he can be washed, that would do the trick without needing to disinfect him.
Contact with the conveyor belt could be easily avoided by putting the lovey onto something else to go for his ride (into a plastic bag?)

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

When I was at the county courthouse here, an alarm going off involved response by police officers with guns drawn, so that's what I was thinking. It also was a more 'piercing' sound than at the airport.

Goodness! Just what did you try bringing into the courthouse, SueM?!?!?!

That may have been a extraordinary case, as many things can set off the alarm, such as a phone or change forgotten in a pocket. (Yes, one can easily forget a phone in a pocket - I accidentally set off an alarm this way recently ... oops!)

 

[SueM in MN]

Goodness! Just what did you try bringing into the courthouse, SueM?!?!?!

That may have been a extraordinary case, as many things can set off the alarm, such as a phone or change forgotten in a pocket. (Yes, one can easily forget a phone in a pocket - I accidentally set off an alarm this way recently ... oops!)

I had what I thought was a small barrett in my hair. I had worn it thru security in the airport without setting off an alarm and never thought about it.
After I set off the alarm, the guards said "She has that huge barrette in her hair" (like I had 10 pounds of metal on my head).
They had me take it out and put that thru the xray and walk thru the screener again. I didn't set it off a second time.

Anyway, some courthouses are very secure because there have been people trying to smuggle guns into court. There was a shooting in a Minneapolis court a few years ago.

 

[sl_underwood]

Today, we went to the airport. We walked around and watched people go through security. I talked with a TSA agent and she was so nice. She had us wait around and when they had no one in the lines, she showed him how the system worked and let him walk through. The person I spoke to on the phone said that was impossible but I guess it depends on who is at the gates. He did okay. The noise freaked him out when it beeped but she explained that it was all to keep him and george safe. Now we just have to get through the plane ride. Thanks for all your suggestions and support.