Top Tips for Travelling with Neurodiverse Kids

1. Preparing Your Children for Travel

2. Support When Flying with A Child with Autism? 

3. Have Tools Ready to Help Children Cope 

4. When Is the Best Time to Travel with My Neurodiverse Child? 

5. Where Are The Best Places to Holiday with My Neurodiverse Child? 

Many children on the autism spectrum are visual learners. Use Teaching Stories and visual supports to show them what to expect at the airport, what the aeroplane will look like, where they'll be staying, etc. Try searching and downloading images to help you create visual supports for your child. Print them out so they can have them handy. 

Waiting patiently in long queues can challenging for everyone, but this experience can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent kids. You might like to have treats ready to unwrap when their patience is running low, or downloading a favourite video earlier to view on a device. 
 

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide, and Hobart airports (along with others) have adopted the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard Scheme. If you, or someone you are travelling with has a hidden disability, you can opt to wear a Sunflower Lanyard to make your disability visible to airport staff. The Sunflower Scheme offers you a discrete way to indicate to staff that your child has a hidden disability and may need a little extra support, guidance, or time with the airport process.  

Before travelling, you can request a free lanyard from the airport that you can keep and use on future trips. If you're departing from other international airports, or would like to know more, visit the Hidden Disabilities website. Many airlines offer extra assistance when boarding or disembarking your aircraft, such as priority boarding. Ask your Flight Centre travel expert for more about these great lines of support. 

Airports, airplanes and transfers can be triggering for those on the autism spectrum. Such environments can heighten anxiety and be overwhelming for some children. Making sure your child has appropriate Sensory Supports such as ear defenders, fidget toys, scented markers or weighted vests can help them cope with the intensity of new environments. 

Unpredictability can be very difficult for kids on the autism spectrum to process. Travel, by its very nature, can often be unpredictable. As a caregiver, you can increase feelings of stability and predictability by ensuring your child has access to favourite foods, special toys, and their favourite TV shows or movies wherever possible. Download their favourites onto a streaming app, so that it can be viewed offline. 

If the thought of travelling internationally with your neurodivergent child overwhelms you, consider travelling domestically within Australia. This gives your child the opportunity to experience airports, fly on an aeroplane, and experience travel, with the benefit of shorter flight-times, less transitions, and more predictability.

Children on the autism spectrum often eat a more restricted diet, and sensory processing differences can make mealtimes in restaurants challenging. If this sounds familiar, consider self-catering accommodation which will give you more control over mealtimes, and a more familiar environment for your child to eat in. If you opt to travel overseas, try to find places that offer direct flights/transfers to the holiday destination (we can help with that too!). 

With the right planning and preparation in advance, you can make sure all members of your family have a great holiday. It may take a few extra steps and time, but travelling with neurodivergent children can definitely be an amazing travel experience.