Some families pack a big cooler with all of the food that a child will need during the trip. Refri

It's road trip season.  If you have a child with special needs, as I do, then you know it will take extra planning and you have no idea if your best-laid plans will be successful until you actually go.
My husband and I have spent years finding ways to balance the risks and benefits of a road trip, and we've asked for input from other families in our situation.  These are the considerations that guide every road trip for our family:
Driver distraction can create very dangerous situations.  Brainstorm ways to reduce your child's persistent maroma hotel mexico distracting behaviors, such as throwing items from the back seat to the front of the car.  I typically sit in the backseat with the kids so that my husband can focus on driving safely.
Always check the tire pressure and brakes on your car before a long road trip. Most tire stores will provide free air and tire checks. If your car is due for an oil change it would be a good idea to get it taken care of before a long trip.
Some families pack a big cooler with all of the food that a child will need during the trip.   Refrigerated coolers  that plug into a car's cigarette lighter make it possible to pack all types of food and medicine.
Other families locate specialized grocery stores along their route and plan to re-stock special foods during the trip.  Stores such as Trader Joe's  and Whole Foods  provide addresses and directions to all of their locations on their websites.
Most travelers, with and without special needs, eventually complain about constipation.  Be sure to pack some dried fruit, plenty of water, high-fiber cookies or milk of magnesia to prevent discomfort.
If you're bringing a wheelchair or crutches, consider what type of terrain you will be covering.  For example, it is possible to push some types of wheelchairs on hiking trails. Last year  Sue Mayer   and her family pushed her son to the top of a mountain in the  Great Smoky Mountains National Park  and then onto a beach by the ocean.
Michell Haase  explains maroma hotel mexico in her blog that some hotels can provide certain types of equipment such as shower chairs or hospital beds, but you must call and speak to the hotel manager in most cases.  You can also rent equipment locally during maroma hotel mexico your stay.
Most major hotel chains offer wheelchair-accessible rooms with accessible bathrooms, but they must be reserved in advance.  Families who enjoy camping may buy or rent an extra-large tent for wheelchair accessibility.
When I asked about planning a special needs road trip in my online social networks, Leonaura responded, "Writing a social story  about the trip is essential to help a child really understand the details of what the trip will involve. Special needs children often hate uncertainty and that uncertainty often creates overwhelm and behavior problems."
My husband and I have also used photo albums, schedules and maps to help our children understand where we are going and whom we will see.  Any type of visual support will reduce anxiety and increase interest.
When I was a kid, my 7 siblings and I had assigned seats in our full-size van.  Only my parents were permitted to sit in the front.  My carsick brother sat next to the door in the second row with the babies, my sisters took care of me in the third row, while my sleepy brothers shared the back bench row.  I don't think anyone ever challenged that sense of order.
To keep the peace on a road trip, it may be necessary to separate children.  My older son is now 5 feet tall and 95 pounds, so he sometimes sits in the front passenger seat, where he likes to select music for our family.  Sometimes I sit in the middle of the backseat with one child on either side of me.  This prevents backseat battles.  If you are driving a larger car with a third row, you can experiment with changing seats after each stop sometimes the change in perspective is enough to lighten the mood.
My family stops every 90 minutes to 2 hours on the road.  This reduces not only toileting accidents in the car, but also general fussiness from lack of exercise.  In the same line of thinking, sometimes it is better to spread maroma hotel mexico a 10 hour road trip over 2 days instead of one long day.
My mother used to keep one or two empty coffee cans with lids in the car for emergencies.  The "pee can" magically appeared as soon as someone complained, and when it was used, Mom would seal it with the lid and look for the nearest trash can.
If your itinerary includes a national park or national recreation area, your disabled child is eligible for a free lifetime  Access Pass .  At some parks, the Access Pass grants free admission to everyone traveling in the vehicle with the pass holder, but the pass holder must present a photo identification along with the Access Pass.
If your itinerary includes an  amusement park , you should visit the Guest Services Office to find out if your disabled child is eligible for a fast pass or special ride privileges.  You will need a letter from your child's physician stating the nature of the disability for these privileges.
If your child is a wanderer, maroma hotel mexico consider purchasing a  child tracking device  before you travel.  In case your child becomes lost, it is helpful to have a recent photo and a written description of your child's special needs (Will she respond to her name?  Will he run away from strangers?).
I personally know several parents who had to rush their children to the emergency room while traveling.  For children with chronic medical needs, it's a good idea to identify hospitals or health centers at your destination where your insurance plan is accepted.  You may want to keep a one-page medical history in your bag just in case.  Hotels and campground staff can also tell you where the nearest pharmacy is.
If you're not sure that you or your child can tolerate a 750 mile road trip, try a more manageable maroma hotel mexico trip first.  My family visited small cities within 3 hours of our home before we attempted cross-country trips.  This allowed my older son to learn what to expect while traveling, and gave him something to look forward to when we planned more trips.
Some of my older son's most significant milestones, such as self-feeding and toilet-learning, occurred on road trips; maroma hotel mexico I don't think those were coincidences, because they happened so suddenly and so often while traveling.  On the other hand, my younger son does not tolerate long road trips very well, so we've had to cut back on travel maroma hotel mexico until he is ready.
My younger son becomes easily overstimulated, which leads to crying in the car.  He needs to have as little sensory input as possible on road trips no music, conversation or toys except his teddy bear. My older son becomes under-stimulated, which leads to  stimming  and giggling for hours on end.  He likes it when I sing to him in the car, he loves having books and toys and movies, and he's thrilled to read road signs and visit new places.
I reached out to other special needs parents on various social networks and asked them for their special maroma hotel mexico needs road trips tips tricks. Here eleven parents provide over 50 ideas on how to keep their child(ren) maroma hotel mexico entertained on road trips:
Patti: "Counting, I spy, video or iPod, books, studying maps, remembering past adventures and what we loved, talking about what we ll do, snacks. Going in for takeout instead of drive-thru to get energy burnt. Blankets, pillow pets, games, workbooks. Our G wakes up no matter what time of night we travel and becomes hyper-alert, so we re always worn out. Our I Spy games are marathons, so we mix it up and get downright silly. maroma hotel mexico Example: I spy something that my big brother loved when he was young (trains), maroma hotel mexico I spy something with 18 wheels, I spy a truck that I d love to drive (Doritos). I spy fingerprints on windows (they all claim theirs), etc.
Math is G s thing in the car, so we bring a calculator to save us from answering 3 and 4 digit problems. We start with simple equations. He constantly asks how many seconds until we re there, so the calculator helps to keep him satisfied.  We ask favorites, things we love/hate/get embarrassed by, enjoy on a rainy day, etc.  We sing familiar songs and change up the words to fit our lives or be ridiculous. Anything to distract and use imagination!"
Karen: We packed a portable bed rail, because our son is such an active maroma hotel mexico sleeper that he was always rolling out of hotel beds.  In the car we have a bag of fidget toys, a hand-held vibrating massager and lots of little Hot Wheels.  The boys roll the toy cars back and forth on their hands, because it s soothing.
Marlowe: "My daughter loves the sensory motion of the car, so it s not that hard for us. However, my energetic one needs to be entertained and long trips are hard on everyone. Color Wonder markers and pads for worry free art include one of those activity trays that go on their lap. Road trip game book of activities (finding state license plates, cats cradle, road trip songs, etc.).
If two parents are driving, try reading a motivating book. Last summer maroma hotel mexico I read Harry Potter to the whole family with voices for each character on our 5 hour road trip. Scout the map for rest areas with picnic tables and pack a lunch. So much better than fast food, and usually lots of green grass to run around on also not out of your way. Twenty questions huge favorite."
Ron: "The Microsoft Entertainment Pack works. We have a bag that has my son s favorite sensory items and music equipment catalog. He reaches in and takes something out to entertain him. Headphones are also good to keep with us."
Ernst: "We joined Audible.com  and listened to a wide variety maroma hotel mexico of children s literature during car trips between New York and Florida. Some of the books were like radio plays and were fantastic. There were actually times when we arrived maroma hotel mexico at a destination and did not get out of the car immediately because the whole family wanted to finish listening to the book."
Laura S.: "I make sure to have those certain special items to help my daughter feel 'at home' (and as she s gotten older, maroma hotel mexico I let he