31 Days of Adventure- Traveling with Aspergers

I am joining the Nester's 31 Days of Writing.  Check out my entire series - "31 Days of Adventure."

If you met one person with Asperger's, you have met one person with autism. The Autistic Spectrum is wide.  But here is some generalized guidelines I have discovered working and adventuring with my 16 year old son is who a high functioning autistic(HFA).

My son likes to travel and loves to stay in motel/hotels.  He especially loves motels with pools. My son is use to road tripping as we have been doing it since birth as most of our extended family lived far away.

What 16 looks like

Tips for Adventuring with Those with Aspergers/HFA

Surprises aren't very successful - Those with Asperger's/HFA thrive on the predictable and routine.

Keeping your routine even in a different locale is helpful. This goes back to the predictable and the routine.

Comfort Items are a must. My son has a teddy bear named Stitch.  The name Stitch comes from the movie Lilo and Stitch. The bear has more frequent flier miles than most people.

Stitch the Traveling Teddy

Plan ahead! TALK A LOT about what you are going to do and what might happen if you can't do something. Preparation is essential. Plan B's and C's need to be thought of.

Practicing is a good thing.

Don't have an adventure during the time that is not good for your child and more prone to meltdowns. We use to have trouble with nighttime hours and had more meltdowns during those hours.  So I didn't schedule much during those hours.

Pack your sense humor, flexibility, and patience.

Me and My Son