Autism, family, and travel: tips, resources, and advice for overcoming the challenges and enjoying travel with autistic children.
Autism is a tough disability for parents to handle, because it’s so often invisible yet undeniably there. People sense that there’s something different about a person with autism, but (especially with high-functioning kids) it’s easy to write it off as “He’s just quiet” or “He’s just a geeky kid” – at least until sensory overload or social... 
One of the primary characteristics of autism is an intense interest or focus on a specific topic. While this can cause problems in daily interactions, you can use it to make travel easier, especially if you are visiting a place your child has never been. Here’s how I direct my kids’ ability to perseverate on a narrow interest when we’re about to travel:
Early Research
Once we’ve... 
Kids can be picky when it comes to their food. (Hey – our kids do normal stuff too!) Of course, when it comes to kids with autism spectrum disorders, they sometimes take it to the extreme. I’m lucky, my ASD kids will eat a good variety of foods. Usually. I do have one, however, that will go hungry rather than eat foods that aren’t quite right, especially if he’s stressed or... 
One of our family traditions is a long weekend every winter with one branch of the extended family. We usually go to Key Lime Cove, a tropical themed indoor waterpark resort in Northern Illinois. We love it, but this year we’re doing something different. We’re trying a new indoor waterpark resort in Lake Geneva Wisconsin. Those of you with spectrum kids, I just heard you cringe. I cringed too,... 
Many families find that service and therapy dogs are an invaluable tool for helping children with autism cope with sensory overload, transitions between activities, and basic tasks. More importantly, an autism service dog can be an important safety tool. Many children with autism will wander away or even bolt into a crowd or a busy street.
We do not have an official service dog for our sons, but we have... 
