Traveling with Your Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Traveling can be an exciting venture for your family and yourself. Planning and preparation are keys for success for traveling with your child with Autism Spectrum Disorder and your family. When traveling, by plane or a planned road trip, planning and preparation can help everyone have a more successful and enjoyable experience.  

If you are planning on traveling for vacation or plan to stay some time away from home, you may want to start talking about your trip well in advance. Gathering pictures or brochures of where you are headed and showing them frequently can help provide a visual to your child and help them gain some exposure to where they are going. Crossing off the days on a calendar or visual aid until your departure is a way to “count down” the days and help prepare your child for the upcoming trip.  

If you are traveling by vehicle it is a good idea to pack some entertaining materials to help keep your child occupied while on the road. Videos, tablets, and coloring are things that may be of interest to your child and help occupy the time. If you are traveling by plane, again pack entertaining items to keep your child comfortable, such as tablets and electrical devices. Headphones can help reduce the pressure some experience during take-off and landing and alerting the flight attendants to your child’s special needs can allow for them to give your child some extra attention or even a chance to meet the flight captain or view the cockpit before takeoff. Plan to arrive very early for flights and allow extra time so you are not rushed or hurried.  

Also, during the drive or plane trip, having small rewards such as small candy or treats for your child can be helpful so you can reward your child for appropriate behavior during the car and/or plane ride. If using such rewards, make sure to be specific with praise and say exactly what your child is doing right when giving them the candy or treat. The use of visuals or video clips along with clear and concise explanations to your child can help for a successful trip! 

Carrine Pilkington M.S., BCBA, LMFT 
Regional Clinical Director
Tuesday, March 2, 2021