Re: back home now in Columbus

[Guest guest]

> My brain wanted to go back to hit

> that guy but had to self script saying this would not be of a good

> ideas.

I think it's a great idea. What's his name? I'll go deck him for you.

Of course I'm only kidding, Sondra. I'm so sorry you had to go

through all of that. Those people are mean and impatient because they

hate their job, so they are unhappy and they take it out on people

like you.

I'm very happy that you are safely home now.

[Guest guest]

Sondra,

 

Sorry to hear of your terrible airport experience.  I don't do well in crowds so

I know all to well your anxiety. 

Conroe, TX

www.raisingaspecialneedschild.blogspot.com

[Guest guest]

Sondra, have you ever addressed this airport issue with the ASA or

other autism orgs that you work with? I think you bring a very valid

point. Maybe some of them could help with some sensitivity training or

something. I dunno, just brainstorming. I'm glad the nice officer was

there, I wish I'd been there to help you.

Debi

[Guest guest]

cathy here is of what I to much want to learn is why do I to tend to

be of a target to the airports? and when I to try much hard to do all

the right things I to still get targeted much quickly. I to try of to

self advocate and that does not work. I to try to just blend and not

disclose and still get of this. I to get of this with airportescort

and or not of escort.

I to just try to ask of the questions to security when they do this

so can try to figure out what is of the reasons so can learn to fix

of the issues for self but they get angry to me for asking of this. I

to cant learn if they are of not telling of me what is of that I to

be of doing that causes them to target of me.

it would be of good if those with autism could take of practice

classes of how to navigate of airports and or learn the dos and donts

of it. I to also wonder if there is of a card that one can get to

help of them in a situation of this. such as one that is of an

official card that discloses of ones disability in an airport that

would be of cue the airport of you needs before going though security

that maybe you would go into a different line that is of with people

who understand developmental issues with autism and or other similar

differences.

some tell of me to try hard to just act normal in an airport and I to

be of think that I to be of doing the best I can be of to do to act

normal in them but the increase of being wanded makes my anxiety

build because of the pending doom I to know will exist for me at the

security and fear that if escalate and meltdown the police will tser

me for it and so this fear is of to cause of me to escalate even more

fear.

Is there any real way to advocate for those with autism at airports

and security. I to be of thinking form now on going to the airport

and taking one of the head security police looking people and

explaining my delema and seeing of they can escort me personally

through the security of the airports or having of 20/20 or some place

do an investigations of why they stop of me over and over and how

even when I to try to self advocate and disclose it is of ignored and

such. I to feel as if not in america but under complete terrigations

of another country when going through them.

sondra

[Guest guest]

debi the other person was not an officer but another traveler lady in

line. she was of helpful to me and maked me feel some safe among all

this. Not sure if she understood of autism or not but she did want to

help of me in a quiet way. she took of a risk to help of me through

this areas because maybe they would be to have targetted her next/

sondra

[Guest guest]

There are so many affected by autism nowadays I'm not surprised. A

fellow student followed me out to the van to tell me she thought her

son has autism, the next day I took Allie to get labs drawn and the

tech began asking me about Allie & when she started talking. Turns out

he has a 4 year-old with autism. Seems every where we turn someone is

a person or a family member of someone with autism.

Hopefully that will help you not feel as alone as you did in your

earlier years. We are a growing community out here in the world.

Debi

[Guest guest]

A few years ago here in NC the autism society did some extensive training with

all the sheriff departments on autism, they also provide cards to people with

autism to explain to others when the person is unable to verbalize during the

situation. Maybe they could do training with airport people as well.

Re: back home now in Columbus

>

>debi the other person was not an officer but another traveler lady in

>line. she was of helpful to me and maked me feel some safe among all

>this. Not sure if she understood of autism or not but she did want to

>help of me in a quiet way. she took of a risk to help of me through

>this areas because maybe they would be to have targetted her next/

>

>sondra

>

[Guest guest]

tracey one time I to even had of a large card lamanated disclosing in

view of my autism. it had emergency numbers, family contacts, brief

things about my autism and such and yet still was of wanded twice that

day. I to be was of scared because she kept of to say to me " do you

have of metal in you body or head " ? and this caused me to think she was

thinking I was to be of a robot person and was not understanding why

she could not see that I was of a person not a robot and so this lady

confused of me greatly.

again it was later explained that one could have surgery and in the

fixing might have of metal parts to their body now. but this was not

somethings understood or even aware of that this is of what she was

seeking from me. it was just confusiong to me. I to kept telling of her

I was not of a robot and she was of to be of getting angry to me over

this. but yes this needs to be of a areas of advocacy , because they

teach of self advocacy but even as adult with autism I to find this

does not work effictively in the autism community because there are of

too many variables to it. /sondra

[Guest guest]

I think you've really answered your own question, Sondra. These people

are trained to look for anyone acting " out of the ordinary " , nervous

or anxious because they are more likely to be up to no good. Then by

virtue of your " trying very hard " to just blend in with the crowd, you

may stand out even more to them. It's not your fault, just the times

we live in now. I think just being prepared and expecting them to

search you might help. Pretend they do it to everyone and just plan

for it ahead of time. It doesn't make it right, just may make it a bit

easier for you and help decrease your anxiety. Asking more questions

of them just makes them more suspicious. I have a good friend in the

CHP and he says when you get pulled over just put your hands on the

steering wheel and keep your mouth shut and do what is asked by the

officer during the stop. Anything else just arouses their ire. It's

not fair that you always get singled out, but preparing for it might

help.

> cathy here is of what I to much want to learn is why do I to tend to

> be of a target to the airports? and when I to try much hard to do all

> the right things I to still get targeted much quickly. I to try of to

> self advocate and that does not work. I to try to just blend and not

> disclose and still get of this. I to get of this with airportescort

> and or not of escort.

>

> I to just try to ask of the questions to security when they do this

> so can try to figure out what is of the reasons so can learn to fix

> of the issues for self but they get angry to me for asking of this. I

> to cant learn if they are of not telling of me what is of that I to

> be of doing that causes them to target of me.

>

> it would be of good if those with autism could take of practice

> classes of how to navigate of airports and or learn the dos and donts

> of it. I to also wonder if there is of a card that one can get to

> help of them in a situation of this. such as one that is of an

> official card that discloses of ones disability in an airport that

> would be of cue the airport of you needs before going though security

> that maybe you would go into a different line that is of with people

> who understand developmental issues with autism and or other similar

> differences.

>

> some tell of me to try hard to just act normal in an airport and I to

> be of think that I to be of doing the best I can be of to do to act

> normal in them but the increase of being wanded makes my anxiety

> build because of the pending doom I to know will exist for me at the

> security and fear that if escalate and meltdown the police will tser

> me for it and so this fear is of to cause of me to escalate even more

> fear.

>

[Guest guest]

Is there any office of disabilities in airports that Sondra could

coordinate help before she gets to the airport? Maybe an official

employee escort to help her? I've seen airport staff helping those who

use wheelchairs but don't know where/how.

Debi

[Guest guest]

oh Sondra

I am so sorry about all this, when you told me that you are leaving out of DCA i

gathered u may experience things like that as its a couple of miles from

pentagon and they r super strict

next time fly into IAD : ))

glad u r home safe and it was such a pleasure to have met you

Subject: back home now in Columbus

To: Autism_in_Girls

Date: Monday, November 24, 2008, 8:50 PM

had a much good visit with Nuha and her beautiful daughter.

they let of me do some observations of her in a speech sessions and

so was happy to got to do some work while there.

Her daughter is of very sweet. and Nuha and her husband were of much

nice.

forgot to say thank you Nuha for the lunch and for you husband to

take me to the airport.

Yes security targeted of me right away as soon as I to put my things

into the machine things and went through and even though i to did not

beep they still maked me go into this machine and be to had to be of

hands up and such. I to tried to ask of politely of why was of being

centered out for extra things of the security and she was of to get

angry to me for to ask of it. then they shared to me to go back to my

things because it did not go through the man over to that part yelled

at me saying I to not taked my lap top out which I to did and he kept

of yelling at me over it . he camed over to me and maked me open the

lap top case and there was of no lap top in it at all because as

shared had taken of it out. he then yelled saying I to be of put my

lap top bag on top of the lap top which was not so because my lap top

already had been to go through the machine and was sitting on the

other side. my bag though was on top of my shoes. I to almost had of

complete meltdown and so i to explained to the lady beside of me in

the line I to have of autism and cant understand what is of happening

and what they are of wanting from me and so the lady quietly told me

the man was just being of a donkeys behind and to just be calm and

she would slow and sort of wait for me as she gathered her things to

help of me and she did and so when finally got though was of still in

overlaod meltdown state. I to be of found my gate quickly and just

crumbled to a corner to recover. My brain wanted to go back to hit

that guy but had to self script saying this would not be of a good

ideas. so I to just thinked I to need of to calm of self and then in

my visual see of a place to buy of a soda it took of me time to

process of the money and to find of it and to leave of my spot and go

get of one and drinked of it much fast and resat in my space on the

floor by the window.

something needs to be of done in regards to airport security as this

happens more time than not buy a 99% of the time for me and only 1%

it does not/ It is of my movement issues, it is of my lack of eye

contact and my searching to try to imiate of what others are of doing

as cues to me of what to do too and this somehow tends to trigger

security. Even if I to be of disclosed of the autism had of several

security people tell of me they can careless what I to have???

Another things that builds my anxiey is of the fast processing that

is of expected and not being of able to process that quickly/

language while can use of it cant process of it always in good

fashions, or what is of expected, or to interpret it fast enough or

correctly.

but even still not understand why some can be of so mean. they

encoruage to ask of questions but if i to ask they treat of me badly

for asking. This is of why I to hate of airports but love of the

flying in the plane things.

sondra

[Guest guest]

Hello Sondra

 

I am so sorry for the ignorance of those at airports. We recently had a similar

thing happen at the hospital with my 4 yr old . She does not like things like

tape or stickers or band aids on her. But they had to put a needle into her hand

and put a bandage over the top. Now for her to be allowed to go home she had to

drink to show she wasnt sick. But she couldnt drink as she was fixated on the

bandage on her hand. We tried to explain to two different nurses that Amy wont

drink while the bandage is their. We tried to explain it in many different ways

and they would not agree to take the needle and bandage from her hand. Finally

when the doctor come he said yes take it out from her hand. And within 5 minutes

we had calmed Amy enough to have a glass of water and some banana to eat. We

were then able to take her home.

 

We contacted the hospital by letter when we got home and explained how angry and

sad we were that a hospital did not understand Autism and would not listen to

the parents who understand and live with this child everyday.

 

Maybe you can write an email to Airport Security or even to one of the news type

programmes in your area. And ask them to discover why no one knows or wants to

listen to you when you explain your Autism. This may not only help you but every

other person who has Autism and wants to one day be able to travel.

 

Good luck

 

in Australia

Subject: Re: back home now in Columbus

To: Autism_in_Girls

Received: Tuesday, 25 November, 2008, 1:44 PM

cathy here is of what I to much want to learn is why do I to tend to

be of a target to the airports? and when I to try much hard to do all

the right things I to still get targeted much quickly. I to try of to

self advocate and that does not work. I to try to just blend and not

disclose and still get of this. I to get of this with airportescort

and or not of escort.

I to just try to ask of the questions to security when they do this

so can try to figure out what is of the reasons so can learn to fix

of the issues for self but they get angry to me for asking of this. I

to cant learn if they are of not telling of me what is of that I to

be of doing that causes them to target of me.

it would be of good if those with autism could take of practice

classes of how to navigate of airports and or learn the dos and donts

of it. I to also wonder if there is of a card that one can get to

help of them in a situation of this. such as one that is of an

official card that discloses of ones disability in an airport that

would be of cue the airport of you needs before going though security

that maybe you would go into a different line that is of with people

who understand developmental issues with autism and or other similar

differences.

some tell of me to try hard to just act normal in an airport and I to

be of think that I to be of doing the best I can be of to do to act

normal in them but the increase of being wanded makes my anxiety

build because of the pending doom I to know will exist for me at the

security and fear that if escalate and meltdown the police will tser

me for it and so this fear is of to cause of me to escalate even more

fear.

Is there any real way to advocate for those with autism at airports

and security. I to be of thinking form now on going to the airport

and taking one of the head security police looking people and

explaining my delema and seeing of they can escort me personally

through the security of the airports or having of 20/20 or some place

do an investigations of why they stop of me over and over and how

even when I to try to self advocate and disclose it is of ignored and

such. I to feel as if not in america but under complete terrigations

of another country when going through them.

sondra

Start your day with Yahoo!7 and win a Sony Bravia TV. Enter now

http://au.docs.yahoo.com/homepageset/?p1=other & p2=au & p3=tagline

[Guest guest]

yes but I to see others who look much scary not get of stopped

and even if I I to disclose they still be of mean and not understand. I

to think if they learned of autism then maybe they can see of this

being of so and read of differenced between autism and suspicious/ I to

know I to stand out much among people but my question is not so much

why but I to guess is of how to know what to do. such as therapist

teached us often in times of authority people to assure to give of them

eye contact and for me that is of much much hard bt did try of this to

the one security person and she yelled of me to stop looking at her.

then if not looking appear to be of suspicious so how does one know

what the rules are to be and how to know when or not to use of them.

sondra

[Guest guest]

debi they can assist you but to go through security with you? at least

that is of what was told the last time/ teh one time did not get of

wanded was when the husband was acting as my escort in that process and

the gray center people greeted me to the other end of it. But I to

forget how that works of now. may have to ask of that one again. I to

just found of the us air web page and it had of a place to contact of

them and leave of complaint and so did.

sondra

[Guest guest]

mary that is of a good ideas to try to contact a news station to see if

they can do a story of auitsm and airport security.

sondra

[Guest guest]

Nuha yes this is of the hisory of me in flight but this time it was

not only the lady in the security things that even though I passed

though the first metal things with NO beeps she still insisted of me

to go through that machine and be of wanded. I to cooperated with her

and only when was of done tried of to ask of her why I to ahd to go

through that things. then the man where the objects you have was of

upset because he kept of insisting that I to not taked of my lap top

out and I to know I to did of that as remembered of it and you

husband reminded of me of this step too. I to telled the security man

I to already did take of it out and he yelled of me to again i to

needed to take of my lap top out so I to stood there because not know

what he wanted of me because what he kept of yelling of me I to know

already did and so he camed over and maked me open it and it was of

empty as i to telled him it was. I to lifted the case because he then

shared I to put my case on top of the lap top which I to know did not

do that. but did put the case on top of my shoes so he then yelled at

me saying it was now because the case was of on top of my shoes/

anyways I to telled you feared of that in airports as the more it

happens the more it builds my fear of them.

anyways again thank you for to let of me observe of you daughter

today and to meet of you family. I to liked of that but feel over all

this week with the conference and the board meetings and then of this

feel as if socialized more in this week than in 10 years in the life

of me LOL. my brain is of tyring to find routine since being of home.

sondra

[Guest guest]

Hey Sondra... I love Routine... its my comfort zone (LOL)... so go for it

i am trying to get back to normal here and unpack after a 10 day trip so i fully

understand

also, thank you for obseving and lending a hand with nadia today

as far as the airport is concerned, DCA is truly the worse and dont let that

discourage you from traveling again... i am so accustomed to it even while i

hold a job working for a Gov. contractors and in the defense industry i still

get flagged all the time ... u just have to remember its not personal... that

does not make what you have gone through ok, but its not about you its about

them and the Orange alret all airports are unders for the holidays

 

like i said fly to IAD next time

I am glad you are home, get some sleep

Hugs

Nuha

Subject: Re: back home now in Columbus

To: Autism_in_Girls

Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2008, 12:13 AM

Nuha yes this is of the hisory of me in flight but this time it was

not only the lady in the security things that even though I passed

though the first metal things with NO beeps she still insisted of me

to go through that machine and be of wanded. I to cooperated with her

and only when was of done tried of to ask of her why I to ahd to go

through that things. then the man where the objects you have was of

upset because he kept of insisting that I to not taked of my lap top

out and I to know I to did of that as remembered of it and you

husband reminded of me of this step too. I to telled the security man

I to already did take of it out and he yelled of me to again i to

needed to take of my lap top out so I to stood there because not know

what he wanted of me because what he kept of yelling of me I to know

already did and so he camed over and maked me open it and it was of

empty as i to telled him it was. I to lifted the case because he then

shared I to put my case on top of the lap top which I to know did not

do that. but did put the case on top of my shoes so he then yelled at

me saying it was now because the case was of on top of my shoes/

anyways I to telled you feared of that in airports as the more it

happens the more it builds my fear of them.

anyways again thank you for to let of me observe of you daughter

today and to meet of you family. I to liked of that but feel over all

this week with the conference and the board meetings and then of this

feel as if socialized more in this week than in 10 years in the life

of me LOL. my brain is of tyring to find routine since being of home.

sondra

[Guest guest]

I to agree because of the security needs they need to do more cautions

but they need to learn how to do it more effeictely and not be of so

mean as if they are of prison guards permitting inmates into the food

place..and when one discloses of a disability that is of like autism

they should be to not be of still so mean if I to ask of a question it

is of not my need to be of rude but because want to learn of the

process but cant because they will not answer of any question they just

yell at of me for asking of them. or trying to clarify.

today is of some good as got to see of my Missy and will get of to

kidnap of my grand baby for a few days. I to miss of her and she sended

of me a voie mail saying of this " I to love of you my nana, please be

to come and get of me and take me out to eat of FF and chicken nuggets "

sondra

[Guest guest]

> I to agree because of the security needs they need to do more cautions

> but they need to learn how to do it more effeictely and not be of so

> mean as if they are of prison guards permitting inmates into the food

> place..and when one discloses of a disability that is of like autism

> they should be to not be of still so mean if I to ask of a question it

> is of not my need to be of rude but because want to learn of the

> process but cant because they will not answer of any question they just

> yell at of me for asking of them. or trying to clarify. Sondra, you are

> right, that they should treat people nicer. I bet they treat people with

> physical disabilities better b/c it can be seen by everyone & understood by

> everyone that if the security treated them mean & yelled at those people,

> they would be looked upon as being mean. When they treat people on the

> spectrum mean, the other people in line can't easily see that security is

> being mean so they can get away with it. They're not getting " caught " by

> the public being mean.

>

> today is of some good as got to see of my Missy and will get of to

> kidnap of my grand baby for a few days. I to miss of her and she sended

> of me a voie mail saying of this " I to love of you my nana, please be

> to come and get of me and take me out to eat of FF and chicken nuggets "

Ahhh....that

> is so sweet! I have my 2 grandkids visiting right now for the Thanksgiving

> holidays. They are really sweet kids. They get bored easily & hard to keep

> up with! : ) You're good to look at the good things in life. Marie

> sondra

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

> Autism_in_Girls-subscribe

> ------------------------

> Autism_in_Girls-unsubscribe@...! Groups Links

>

>

>

>

--

Marie A.

[Guest guest]

That's a great idea. Hopefully this can be done so that Sondra is more

comfortable the next time she travels.

Karmen

Re: back home now in Columbus

Is there any office of disabilities in airports that Sondra could

coordinate help before she gets to the airport? Maybe an official

employee escort to help her? I've seen airport staff helping those who

use wheelchairs but don't know where/how.

Debi

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the info. I've only flown once in my life so I'm horribly

ignorant of airline issues. But I'm also in school to be eventually a

DAN family nurse practitioner so tidbits like this I hope to keep to

pass on to my future clients to make their lives easier.

I know your name, I've seen you online before & think you've probably

given me advice over the years, so very glad to see you on board.

Debi

--- In Autism_in_Girls , " E. , Sr. "

> Debi, there is the capability through almost every airline (not the

> actual airport ) to let them know that there will be an individual

> with, for example, a wheelchair - they accommodate them as they would

> have to do the same in this case -