Long Car Trips and Kids with Autism

I was driving my elderly mom around to appointments and helping her do errands that she needed to accomplish yesterday. When I left to pick her up, I grabbed my bottle of water and got in the car with very little preparation. After stopping at the gas station to fill up my tank, I was good to go. When I arrived at my mom’s at the designated time, getting her out the door and into the car took a lot more intention, time and patience.

As we began our journey, my mind flashed back to contemplate what car travel involved when my kids were little. Getting out the door and on the road was very challenging and involved a lot of preparation and planning. Once in the car I remember trying to master the role of transportation specialist and logistics manager. I am not sure if I ever attained expert status at either but I do know I put in my time and earned my wings.

Traveling with children for long distances is a challenge whether by air or on the road. Taking a trip by car requires a parent to multi-task, on the road and off. When you add in the potential for bad weather, traffic jams, road construction and the special needs of each and every one of your children, it requires enormous amounts of patience and a great deal of humor as well. Many of you already have your own system down for traveling (please share ideas if you do) but I encourage you to keep reading to see what new ideas you can acquire.

Here are some things to consider when traveling to distant places with your child on the Autism spectrum anytime of year.

• Be realistic. Cut back on your expectations and always have a Plan B ready. Children with autism love routine and traveling by car is anything but predictable. As much as you anticipate, things will not always go as planned for you or your child. Make sure your plans are somewhat flexible and be prepared to shift gears when necessary.

• Involve your child (if old enough) in the planning stage so she will have a heads up of what the journey will look like. Include some kid-friendly stops along the way so that everyone will have a chance to stretch their legs, get a change of scenery and have some fun at the same time. Your child will not only look forward to seeing something she helped plan but will make the trip more predictable for her as well.

• BYOF (Bring Your Own Food) Pack a cooler with dietary snacks that appeal to your child’s sensitive digestive system and unique tastes that you are not likely to find on the road. Place the cooler between kids in the back seat so that they feel like they have their own space. Don’t forget to Include lots of wipes for cleaning up before and after eating.

• Collect an assortment of play items that won’t irritate you. In addition to the things you know your children like pack a few small surprises that you think will engage their attention. Hand puppets, board books, cards and even music CD’s with headphones. Audio books can be fun for all to listen to and educational as well especially if you are traveling far and can find one about your destination.

• Think survival! Have a sensory survival kit at hand for those times when your child’s senses go into sensory overload. There will be many triggers that you will not be able to control or avoid when traveling so be prepared with a bag full of items that can sooth your child’s senses – noise cancelling headphones, a sleep mask or sunglasses and other articles that help calm your child.

• Encourage interaction. Balance individual me-time for all with time for social interaction. Allowing each family member to zone out with screen machines for long periods of time or escape into their own little world doesn’t do anyone any favors. With everyone in close quarters, car trips provide a unique opportunity for practicing social skills – such as how to have an appropriate conversation, waiting your turn to speak and listening. Take advantage of this opportunity to share jokes, tell stories, and talk about what is happening in your lives. Psst!  Bring a recording device and get it all down on tape – I promise you this will be an engaging audio for all to listen to on your next road trip.

• Do not disturb! Never make a rest stop when children are sleeping. Driving during sleep times allows for you to make the most headway because you won’t have to make as many stops. Better yet, you won’t have to deal with sleepy-eyed, cranky kids. You know what it feels like to be woken from sleep and be expected to perform, so don’t expect your kids to be happy about it either.

Despite the challenges involved in long road trips with a car full of unique individuals, journeys such as these have the potential for bringing your family closer together. If you have taken adequate time to plan and prepare for the trip in advance you will have created an environment with less likelihood for stress.

Please share any strategies you may have to make long car rides with children less stressful in the comment box below.