Five Sensory Sensitive Tips For Traveling with Exceptional Needs

By Ron Sandison, MDiv

IN MARCH, MY FAMILY WAS INTERVIEWED BY NETFLIX FOR A NEW REALITY SHOW CALLED TRAVEL ON THE SPECTRUM. THE SHOW WILL FEATURE THREE FAMILIES WHO HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER WITH AUTISM AS THEY TRAVEL TO MYRTLE BEACH FOR A WEEK’S VACATION. NETFLIX DECIDED TO PRODUCE THIS SHOW WHEN THEY LEARNED 80% OF FAMILIES WITH A CHILD WITH AUTISM DON’T TRAVEL OR GO ON FAMILY VACATIONS.

The producers informed me, “You’re the only person with autism we’ve interviewed with a ton of traveling experience.” I’ve traveled to 12 countries and almost every state in the U.S. I like to say, “I have traveled everywhere from Madagascar to Is- rael. I have swum in the Mediterranean Sea and climbed trees with lemurs.”

I began traveling the world while in college at Oral Roberts University. Every summer, I went to a different country for one to two months on a mission trip. In Cameroon and Madagascar, I lived in the jungles for two weeks and was able to see amazing wildlife like monkeys and apes. I got to taste exotic foods like spicy toucan and baboon gumbo.

For our second honeymoon, my wife, Kristen, and I traveled to Israel for two weeks. I was able to swim in the Jordan River, ride a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee, and see the birthplace of Jesus.

As a child with autism, traveling was not easy for my family because I experienced meltdowns due to a change in my routine and sensory issues. By traveling the world, I have learned seven tips for travel.

1. Prepare for the trip by making a book of the locations you will visit

When my family traveled out West for a month, my mom, who is a professional artist, created a picture book of the places we would travel. My special interest was animals; in the travel book, she drew pictures of the animals we would see in their natural habitat and interesting facts. She also had a second book with a map and the miles for each travel destination, so I would not keep asking, “How much longer till we get there?” I prepare mentally for travel by reading a travel guide and checking out DVDs from the library on the locations I will be visiting. Two weeks before my trip, I begin to daydream about what it would be like to travel to that country or state.

2. When traveling by airplane, always preboard

The only thing I don’t like about traveling is airports. For me, an airport is noisy and confusing, and boarding an airplane gives me extreme anxiety. I hate being surrounded by strange people while battling for an overhead compartment to place my luggage in. I avoid this scenario by pre-boarding. I tell the check-in flight attendant, “I have autism, and due to anxiety and sensory issues, I need to pre-board.” If a flight attendant exclaims, “You don’t look like you have autism or act like it.” I put on my funny beach hat with palm trees. Then the flight attendant states, “Oh, I see! We will pre-board you immediately.”

3. Be prepared for sensory issues with smells and sounds

Some of my favorite travel smells include Belgium—the chocolate shops—and Cameroon with its fresh bananas and mangos. In France and Bulgaria, the smell of freshly brewed coffee persists, and in Madagascar, the seafood and fruit in the market smell amazing! Just thinking about these smells fills me with joy and makes me want to travel there again. I have learned ways to deal with less pleasant smells. Some travel scents I detest include the bad breath of some of the people— strong enough to “kill a horse.” In Cameroon and Madagascar, the odor of buses filled with locals who don’t use deodorant, possibly haven’t bathed, and are dripping with sweat from the heat was awful.

My coping skill to handle offensive odors is placing candies near my nose when the scent becomes too much for me to bear. One of the best candies is Cracker Barrel’s old fashion candy sticks. I also try to sit next to an open window when riding a bus or taxicab. A sound I hate while traveling is drivers honking their horns in a traffic jam. I prevent sensory overload to sound by wearing headphones and listening to music.

4. Bring something comfortable to lessen anxiety

Halley Moss, a lawyer and author with autism, shares, “Travel naturally is a disruption in routine, so bring a little piece of home to minimize homesickness or anxiety about the routine change. This can be an activity, a stuffed animal, or stim toys— anything that helps reduce anxiety and brings comfort.”1

My comfort item for travel is my stuffed prairie dog, “Prairie Pup,” and stuffed Honey Badger. I take pictures of these plush animals and post them on Facebook.

5. Don’t cut corners to save a little money on travel expenses

My family traveled to South Bend, Indiana, where I was a featured speaker for the University of Notre Dame’s “Play like a Champion Today” conference. To save a little money, we decided to use Expedia and stay at a cheap hotel for only $70 a night. Little did we know what a mistake it would be! As we entered the room, we noticed a horrible stench—I can only describe it as rotting fish mixed with feet fungus—seeping from the restroom. Peering into the tub, I saw a towel with brown streak marks. I also noticed the cleaning staff left no shampoo or soap.

The Honey Badger was about to make a guest appearance in South Bend. Furious, I rode the elevator back down to the service desk and blurted out, “My room has a strange fish-feet odor, and there is no shampoo!”

“Oh, I see,” the receptionist responded. “We had a busy night with many people coming and going, so we weren’t able to clean all the rooms. Also, we don’t supply shampoo for our guests anymore, but you can purchase a small container from the vending machine for only $2.99.” different cultures. I have eaten many different foods overseas; the only food I don’t like is cassava—a root vegetable in Africa. I believe people with autism should travel to better understand the world and to experience life. As more people with autism travel, they will learn new social skills and develop better coping skills for handling sensory issues and anxiety. Exposure to different environments in travel has helped tame my sensory issues and enabled me to adapt to a change in my routines.

Reference

1 Moss, Halley. “Autistic While Traveling: Haley Moss’ Top Tips for a Successful Trip.” Life Skills Halley Moss Blog. 11 November 2019.

Ron Sandison works full time in the medical field and is a professor of theology at Destiny School of Ministry. He is an advisory board member of the Autism Society Faith Initiative of Autism Society of America, the Art of Autism, and the Els Center of Excellence. Ron has a Master of Divinity from Oral Roberts University and is the author of A Parent’s Guide to Autism: Practical Advice Biblical Wisdom published by Siloam, and Thought, Choice, Action. He has memorized over 15,000 Scriptures, including 22 complete books of the New Testament. Ron speaks at over 70 events a year, including 20-plus education conferences. Ron and his wife, Kristen, reside in Rochester Hills, MI, with their daughter, Makayla.

Website: http://www.spectruminclusion.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpectrumRonSandison

Email: sandison456@hotmail.com

To top everything off, the toilet made a squeaky rodent noise all night. As we checked out, the receptionist asked, “How was your stay?” Holding my tongue to avoid blurting out a comment I would later regret, I smiled and simply replied, “I wouldn’t keep the lights on!”

Travel is a big part of my life. I speak and travel to seventyplus events each year. I firmly believe travel has contributed to my life by enabling me to see amazing sights and experience