Traveling with an SPD Kid

In the years we've had with R, we've had to travel quite a bit, whether it's out of town or overseas.  And even before the SPD diagnosis, we had discovered a few little things about him that made traveling a bit difficult.  R was exhibiting vestibular seeking methods even as early as a year old, when he would always want to go out no matter how tired we were.  He was also quite picky over a lot of foods and we needed to make an effort to seek out the food that he would actually eat.

The SPD diagnosis made a few things clearer to us in terms of his behaviors, and we did learn to adjust to his needs when traveling.  Not saying we're experts, but we've had a few experiences of R having a meltdown while we were overseas or out of town.  Needless to say, it's hard because when you're not in familiar environment, you need to get really creative.

I found a few posts online with tips for traveling with SPD.  You can read them at:

• Travel Tips for Parents of Children with Sensory Integration Issues
• Traveling with a Sensory Seeking Child
• 8 Tips for Flying with a Child with Sensory Processing Disorder
• Travel tips for kids with Sensory Processing Disorder

As for me, here are my tips for traveling with an SPD Kid.

• Bring or do things that are familiar and comforting to your child.

Whether it be a favorite toy, blanket or activity, something familiar that remind your child of home will help in the transitioning when you and your child are away.  We always found that R found great comfort in his sleepsack, whether it be the Grobag or the Halo one.  It helped him wind down for nights where we couldn't sleep on our own bed, and he slept soundly all the time.  I think the fact he was breastfeeding also helped a lot in settling him.  These days we no longer need to bring the sleepsack with us when we go traveling, so he sleeps well with a blanket.  But because he still nurses at night, that is actually a huge help in settling him for bed, even without the sleepsack.

• Have your child's favorite snacks and drinks along.

Especially if your child has feeding issues, this will be a total lifesaver.  SPD kids can get really upset when they're hungry, so always, always, always have something they can munch on when they're on the go.  R would get cranky when he's hungry so we always have some powdered milk and Skyflakes crackers or a banana in our bag so help tide him over until mealtime, even for just going to church.

• Try to use the same routines, especially for bedtime.

SPD kids love routine, and breaking them makes for a very unhappy child.  In our recent trip to Japan and previously Hong Kong and Australia, we always either brought the stroller and/or a baby carrier with us so R can take a nap if he wants and we can keep exploring without having to get him home to nap.  If he doesn't sleep, the ride comforts him anyway.  

• Be ready with equipment.

A lot of baby gear I used over the years have been extremely helpful when traveling.  The three I recommend most are available from any Philippine Department Stores.

Silver Cross Fizz Stroller

I cannot stress enough how important it is to invest in a lightweight but strong stroller when you go traveling with an infant, toddler or preschooler.  You're going to be lugging a whole bunch of stuff, make sure the stroller you bring is not an additional burden but a help.  Trust me, if you're not pushing your kid in the stroller, you'll be putting the stuff you buy as souvenirs in it.

Ergobaby Carrier

Next9 Ring Sling

If your baby is younger than three or weighs less than 20 kg then you can leave the stroller at home and use these instead.  If you have not babyworn your child then I highly recommend that you do, especially when breastfeeding.  It helps keep your hands free, and not just while traveling.

Take note that both have a learning curve so practice with a doll before trying it on your child.  Ergobaby has a YouTube channel with plenty on instructions on how to use the carrier.

Similarly, Next9 also has a Facebook page where they have videos on how to use ring slings.

There are many brands of infant and child carriers out there, and I cannot stress this enough.  Make sure you use carriers that has a wider seat for your child, so that the legs don't just dangle.  This supports their developing hips.  You can read more about this from the International Hip Dysplasia Institute.

Most importantly, use this checklist.

T.I.C.K.S. Rule for Safe Babywearing from School of Babywearing

You can read more on tips and advice on baby carriers here.

• Anticipate triggers and prepare yourself for meltdown situations.

Finally, because you cannot control all the factors and variables during travel, be prepared for any meltdown episodes.  As such, be ready to remove yourself and your child from a situation that is causing sensory overload, crankiness, and/or explosions.  As I said in previous posts, a meltdown will not stop until the offending sensory trigger is removed or the child becomes exhausted.  Be prepared for rude comments, awkward stares, and the feeling of helplessness.  Ignore all that.  Do what's best for your child, and if necessary, remove yourselves from the situation and find something that will help comfort your child.

I hope these tips help.  As such, I think the links I posted earlier did a much better job with their tips than I did, but I hope this helps make traveling with your SPD kid a whole lot easier.  Safe travels!