cheryl
Administrator
Staff member
Traveling with an autistic child is hopefully becoming less restrictive and stressful - MSN
A lazy beach vacation in Southern California turned sour a few years ago when Marc Garcia and his wife attempted to take their now 7-year-old autistic son to a few museums and attractions.
“He had meltdown after meltdown, and we could hear and see the muffled whispers and the awkward stares,” said Garcia, the president and CEO of Visit Mesa.
Not surprisingly, 87 percent of families with autistic children don’t take vacations, according to a study by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards. Since one out of 59 children has been diagnosed with autism (and that number is higher for boys), this is a staggering number of families who skip vacations.
But today, thanks to destinations that are obtaining autism travel certifications, it’s becoming less restrictive to travel with an autistic child.
A lazy beach vacation in Southern California turned sour a few years ago when Marc Garcia and his wife attempted to take their now 7-year-old autistic son to a few museums and attractions.
“He had meltdown after meltdown, and we could hear and see the muffled whispers and the awkward stares,” said Garcia, the president and CEO of Visit Mesa.
Not surprisingly, 87 percent of families with autistic children don’t take vacations, according to a study by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards. Since one out of 59 children has been diagnosed with autism (and that number is higher for boys), this is a staggering number of families who skip vacations.
But today, thanks to destinations that are obtaining autism travel certifications, it’s becoming less restrictive to travel with an autistic child.