Will my son make it through airport security ?

[kdudley3]

My son had a severe head injury and had to had brain surgery. He has titanium screws and little plates on his skull. Will he set off the alarm ?

Should I get a copy of his xrays? Or will they believe me when they use the wand and see his scar ?

 

[CarolA]

Some people with these type of "implants" get a MD note. I would do that before the XRAY!

I think they will belive you, but they will wand and pat him down. Good luck!

 

[sunkissed212]

I would definitly take something to document the injury and the screws. It's so sad in todays world that you would have to do that but with the crazy people out there....some nut would use their child to smuggle something through security thinking that they wouldn't be questioned.

I hope that you don't have to produce a note or anything but I would take one just in case. Have a wonderful trip!!

 

[kdudley3]

OK...I'll call the neurosurgeon's office tomorrow. That should give me enought time to receive a letter (leaving on Easter).

Congrats to you both on your weight loss !

 

[dznyntnh]

You should be fine with a Doctor's note, all they will do is take your son aside and 'wand' him.

Both my dad and my sister have metal in their knees, making them fun to travel with , especially when my dad forgets to tell them he has the metal in him and he sets off all the alarms.

 

[DisneyElf]

My nephew was told by his doctor he could open a hardware store with all the pins & screws etc. in his ankle. He had a complete dislocation of his ankle - breaking all 4 major bones (while skating backwards- his foot got caught in a rut he turned - foot didn't).

He travels with a doctors note ... but what is really strange - the metal detector only goes off in certain airports - and not when he is wearing a sock!
NYC airports it goes off -- SFO, MCO - it doesn't.

They wand him -- and one TSA guard even felt the plate in the ankle.

 

[kdudley3]

My nephew was told by his doctor he could open a hardware store with all the pins & screws etc. in his ankle. He had a complete dislocation of his ankle - breaking all 4 major bones (while skating backwards- his foot got caught in a rut he turned - foot didn't).

He travels with a doctors note ... but what is really strange - the metal detector only goes off in certain airports - and not when he is wearing a sock!
NYC airports it goes off -- SFO, MCO - it doesn't.

They wand him -- and one TSA guard even felt the plate in the ankle.

I don't know if I'd be able to get a sock over my son's head !!!!

 

[xterratri]

There seems to be a threshold. My Grandma's knees set it off but the screws in my leg don't. It's a good thing because I tend to forget about them being there- selective memory

 

[poohbear7]

My husband has hardware in his wrist after a very bad break.
So far he's been O.K. going through security
His doctor told him it shouldn't set off the security alarm.
Hope everything works out for you and your son.

 

[Disney Ontario]

Hi from Ontario Canada. I have had both of my hips done(they broke my socket and moved it over). With all the screws and plates, I was fine last year making my trip to the Disney Cruise. Don't worry and have fun.

 

[robinb]

I have a plate with screws in my ankle. Sometimes it goes off and sometimes it doesn't. They just wand me and look at my scars. I don't think you'll have to worry. I wouldn't even bother getting the doctor's note. The TSA is a PITA, but they are not totally unreasonable.

 

[the kabuki]

Get the doc note just in case, wouldn't want to have hassle.

 

[ckckc2000]

My DH is aTSA screener-If the machine goes off they will hand wand him-once they do that and see the scars(if still visible) That is all they need to OK him through-Good Luck-Have Fun

 

[minkydog]

It's easy enough to get a note from the doctor for documentatoni, should he need it. My DH has a pacemaker, so he has to be wanded too. He carries a card explaining the pacemaker and his limitations. Never had a problem. Now my 18yo goth son dressed in his Hot Topic pants--he gets frisked every time

 

[ktglads]

The titanium should not set off the metal detector. Its the screws and other types of metal that do it. I have a rod and a few screws in my leg and I can set off a wand only on the screws. The rod does not set it off. (can you tell I had fun with a TSA agent when I set off the alarm?)

I had a dr's note with me and they never even asked for it after they wanded me. They can tell where a metal plate would be, especially if you can still see scars and it is a part of the body that you can easily see that there is nothing hidden.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

My son had bone cancer when he was three and had part of his leg amputated. He wears a prosthesis and has titanium screws in his thigh. He goes to college in D.C. so he's quite used to going through metal detectors. He recently flew to London and I was worried how he would make out going through international security for the airport. He told me before he went through the detector he told them his story. They just patted him down and used the wand, but then they used a special thing to do a "skin test" to check that their weren't any traces of explosives on him. He said it was very quick and very non-invasive.

 

[rgf207]

I wouldn't worry to much. I travel weekely and although I dont ever get the wand test, many others do. It's very non invasive and there wont be anything to worry about. most likely they will just pull him aside and use the wand and do their standard procedures. He will be allowed into the terminal once they have completed their secondary screening. The doctor's note wont hurt to have but it is not necessary. TSA is aware of certain situations like yours and have procedures for them. Your son will be fine.

 

[kdudley3]

Thanks everyone. He does have a big scar on the side of his head. So I guess it would be obvious.

I also forgot to add that the reason that he has this scar is because he fell off his bike. Just trying to spread the word. It didn't seem to be that bad, but he hit an artery and had to be life flilghted. He got a blood clot on his brain and had to have it removed. PLEASE parents...helmets at all times !!!

 

[robinb]

Oh my goodness! How frightening for you. {{hugs}}
My DD always wears a helmet when she's on her bike.