1. Be organized: For traveling on a plane or long car ride, pack a knapsack with familiar comfort toys, individual snacks, and a few surprises tucked in. this will give your child some sense of control in an otherwise unpredictable, potentially uncomfortable, situation.

2. To prepare your child for a long trip, talk about the trip no more than a week or two in advance. Your child need not worry about something new, and possibly scary. Create a “social story”, a simple book you make with your child about the upcoming trip with plenty of details (i.e. form of transportation, days with a check off calendar, events and locations for each day) recorded in pictures and/or simple words. Tip: Put each page in a plastic page protector. Hold it together with paper fasteners. Take extra plastic pockets to add pages and store momentos.

3. In the morning, rehearse with your child what is planned for the day. For a non-verbal child, make a book to read with him/her about what to expect for the day. For a verbal child, discuss where you will go and what you are going to do throughout the day. Make a check off list for your child to keep track of the schedule if it will help boost his/her comfort level.

4. Do not over estimate what can be accomplished in one day. Try not to schedule too much.

5. Stick to routines whenever possible. For example, keep wake-up, nap time, and bedtime routines as familiar and predictable as possible.

6. Be flexible with your plans. If your child is exhausted and overwhelmed, leave early.

7.  Don’t be over-ambitious: Schedule rest breaks throughout the day so that your child can relax. A nap or a trip to the pool can be very calming for an over-stimulated child. Swimming is an especially effective pre-bed time activity to help calm your child down to fall asleep easily.

8. Return to a quiet hotel room at the end of the day to help your child unwind.

9. Plan to arrive either early or late to your destination to avoid the biggest crowds.

10. Take plenty of activities along to keep your child entertained such as books, games, and DVD’s.

11. Surrounding your child with familiar items such as clothing, toys, or food can be very comforting in an unfamiliar environment.

12. Bring earplugs along to help reduce some of the loud music and noises on the airplane and in amusement parks.
Blog Written by:  Aviva Goldwasser, MS, OTR
Chaye Lamm Warburg, MA, OTR, Director POTS