Airport security

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-19-2005
Airport security
5
Thu, 08-17-2006 - 1:31pm

I just wanted to share our experience and wondered if anyone has ideas how to make improvements for the next trip.

We were flying home from our vacation last weekend, just as all the heightened security hit. Fortunately, I had heard about the liquids thing, so that was not really a problem. However, I can forsee a problem on our next trip. DS takes the liquid Brainchild nutritional supps that have to be refrigerated. It is not a perscription. Since we were on our return home (and the rules had not changed when left on vacation) it wasn't an issue, but I am not sure what I will do when we travel for Christmas, maybe our neuro will write a note or something.

That wasn't the real problem, it was the questions they asked Eric(4) at security. I was not aware they were going to do this, or we could have "practised" w/ a social story. They were asking all kids w/o id the following questions: their name, their age, and the names of their parents. Eric, as you know, has a "little Einstein's" obsession. So he said his name was Leo and we were Rocket and June. He did get the age right, LOL. But the security guard looked at me, like, this isn't funny. I told Eric to say his and our "real" names not our pretend names, fortunately he did it. But he could just as well not have done it, it just depends on the day.

Also, with the new rules there was a lot of "shouted" directions going on and more confusion than ususal. Eric has flown before and he is getting better at dealing with security chaos which always caused him meltdowns in the past. He didn't melt down but fell into "echolalia" mode, which meant he just sort of "shut down."

Up until now, Eric was young enough that security matters were just overlooked, since he was a toddler. But now he has grown, looks more like 6 than 4. I am wondering if I need to carry a note from our neuro that says he has ASD, and maybe one of those cards from the ASA that has they basic characteristics.

What do you all do?

We did have a nice time on vaca in Colorado. If there were any employment suitable for DH or the necessary medical resources for Eric, we'd move there. We all seem to get our Rocky Mtn. High in the summer!

Plus we discovered adaptive sports there, but that's another post!

Katherine

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-31-2003
Thu, 08-17-2006 - 1:46pm

Wow, I'm really glad you posted this. We're flying to visit my parents on Saturday, and I'll make sure to prepare my kids ahead of time for all of the security questions. My kids know their names and ages, and Sylvia knows my name, but there's no guarantee she'd be able to answer the questions appropriately with all of that chaos. Plus usually when a stranger tries to ask her a question, she yells, "Be alone!!! No talking!!!" ;-) Maybe I'll bring a copy of her dx letter just in case. And I'll add "write a social story about airport security" to my to-do list today!

Jennifer

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2001
Thu, 08-17-2006 - 1:52pm
Well maybe first of all carry around some of those cards that Renee talks about explaining that he is ASD.

 


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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2005
Thu, 08-17-2006 - 3:41pm

DH and I recently decided that we just wouldn't be flying anymore unless there was no other option (trans Atlantic, etc). I have to go to Alabama for weekend on business in Oct and was planning on just flying out real quick and flying back. But because of the nature of my business I have to take a lot of electronics and digital equipment with me, as well as things that actual are weapons. An associate of mine made a plane trip a few days ago and was incredibly disturbed to find out that not only had all of his laptops been activated and run by security but one had crashed because of mishandling. Thankfully there was nothing tremendously important on that particular machine, but, like me, he had others that materials he absolutely had to have on the other side of the trip.

With all of the new security protocals and such I just can't imagine travelling by air with my kids.

~SG_1Niner

APOV on Autism

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-09-2005
Thu, 08-17-2006 - 4:50pm

As a constant airplane travellor (in country and trans-Atlantic, be advised a great deal of this new "security" is all for show.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 08-17-2006 - 11:19pm

thankfully we haven't been on a plane as a family in 7-8 years. I have no idea what I would do now. What a nightmare. Even now if someone started asking Mike those questions, his answers would likely result in growling and "shut ups".

I would probably bring some sort of proof of diagnosis with me for him though if there was a problem with airport security as well as some autism/asperger cards just incase something came up. The same as informing policeman and such, I think the same would apply here.

Not sure you need a full letter from the neuro, though that might help. I found 2 pages of Mike's IEP that stated what exactly I needed it to state and highlighted those 3 sentences. One was that mike was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Another was that it intefers with his abilty to funciton in a regular classroom, and the third spoke to his need for a behavior intervention plan due to possible outbursts from anxiety.

I also have a typed letter that I made for doctors. Something like that would be helpful. For quick instances where you need to give info quickly I would stick to autism cards. If there isn't one that is appropriate for Erik you could likely make one and print them on business cards yourself. That small of an information thing is easy for people to read quickly and get the basic jist.

Renee

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