Could i have some advise re sunflower lanyard please

natanddaz · 8 Aug 19, 08:37 AM

Hello lovely dibbers
I have just been reading the other thread regarding the sunflower lanyard and wanted some opinions on whether it would be appropriate for my eldest son.
He is 10 and we dont actually have a diagnosis for anything yet but he is currently on the pathway to be assessed for asd. He has flown multiple times before and generally copes well but he can become panicking and over whelmed and also has a tendancy to stop and jump/hand flap at any rotating objects i.e. Cases going through conveyor belts etc. I dont think we need assistance as such but think it would be helpful for staff to be alerted re why his behaviour might seem a little odd or why if caight in a loud que he might start panicking/getting upset.
Of course as we dont have a diagnosis i cant take any paperwork with us so would it even be an option? 🤔

Thanks for any advice 😊

Guest · 8 Aug 19, 08:42 AM

We used lanyard on our recent trip - Heathrow was great but not recognised anywhere else (JFK, Tampa, Atlanta) so we just asked for assistance as in went to gate early and asked to pre board. Even in UK at LHR on return we had to join the family queue at Border control, no assistance offered.

DS just gets anxious and then feels sick, goes pale, almost a panic attack. He was more relaxed wearing lanyard so it helped him mentally rather than speeding up the process.

Fab Florida 4 · 8 Aug 19, 12:12 PM

We had one on our last journey for my elder grandson and it was a real help. You can use the special assistance line at security at Gatwick, which means you have more time to sort stuff out without feeling rushed. We also had help arriving and leaving MCO, being moved to less manic queues etc. We didn't ask for any assistance, it was just offered which was lovely.
If your son has an issue, even without a formal diagnosis, I think you should get one. Anything to make his life a bit less stressful has to be worth doing.

Minniemagoo · 8 Aug 19, 01:15 PM

I picked up one for DD in MAN airport last Sunday, she wasn't with me and although I did have her paperwork with me I wasn't asked for it. I just explained that DD has ASD, that she wasn't travelling with me today but that I wanted to have one in advance of her next trip (which would be EDI airport). I gave them my e-mail address and they handed me a lanyard. Very easy.

Gaja · 8 Aug 19, 08:32 PM

Hi,

We travelled in June with my nephew with diagnosed ADHD and weren�t asked for any proof of diagnosis at all, although we did have paperwork. You should be fine to get a lanyard. Also contact the airline, they put Special Assistance markers on my nephews tickets, it meant he had assistance at the airport, but he didn�t need a wheelchair.

natanddaz · 8 Aug 19, 10:04 PM

Thanks for all the great replies 😊

weeleighluigi · 9 Aug 19, 10:45 AM

I believe it is actually illegal to ask for proof of diagnosis... it definatly is in Florida. I feel it may be here too for something like that.

That being said.

We have a sunflower lanyard, my daughter has anxiety issues, sensory issues and is in the process of being diagnosed with autism. I now have some paperwork on the sensory and anxiety but i will never feel the need to take it with me as honestly, I shouldn't have to. You can see her anxiety anyway!

If you are getting one, you should let your airline know too... You don't have to use the special assistance, it's good to know its there. We have had amazing experiences with it, and some truly crappy people who couldn't care.

We travel with medical baggage (a weighted blanket) the airline always know what it is and I speak to them, they are happy it goes in the hold... always travel with it in a seperate bag with my daughter's name and address and so on. On the way back from MCO in July the woman at check in didn't understand why hers was priority and medical and going in the hold. I explained what it was. She said it had to go in the cabin. I said to her it's not needed in the cabin it is always travelled in hold as medical baggage. She argued that as it was not medicine therefore NOT medical baggage. If whoever it is that checks it opens it and deems it not medical, it will not travel. I was furious. I pointed out the medical baggage code on her ticket and showed her my paperwork. She soon shut up.

Guest · 9 Aug 19, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by natanddaz

Hello lovely dibbers
I have just been reading the other thread regarding the sunflower lanyard and wanted some opinions on whether it would be appropriate for my eldest son.
He is 10 and we dont actually have a diagnosis for anything yet but he is currently on the pathway to be assessed for asd. He has flown multiple times before and generally copes well but he can become panicking and over whelmed and also has a tendancy to stop and jump/hand flap at any rotating objects i.e. Cases going through conveyor belts etc. I dont think we need assistance as such but think it would be helpful for staff to be alerted re why his behaviour might seem a little odd or why if caight in a loud que he might start panicking/getting upset.
Of course as we dont have a diagnosis i cant take any paperwork with us so would it even be an option? 🤔

Thanks for any advice 😊

I got DSs sent in the post for free from Heathrow- just had to say travel date and flight time, no proof needed. Then I called Virgin and Delta and stated that we would like to board early with sunflower lanyard. Virgin were great and said we had the choice to board early with wheelchairs or be last on board, whatever made my DSs happy. Delta just said arrive at gate early and advise we needed special assistance. No fuss made at all.

jomarise · 9 Aug 19, 08:08 PM

I have never been asked for proof for my daughter. I got a lanyard posted to me - they were happy to post it out, it's a bit hit and miss whether or not the lanyard helps but anything you can do to make it less stressful for you ds is a good idea x

alvin_purple · 10 Aug 19, 11:29 AM

Our son has ASD but is OKi n airports so we don't normally need assistance. For our trip in July we were going through Dublin / MCO for the first time so we contacted Aer Lingus, just in case.
So glad we did.
Check in at Dublin was mad. I could see our sun getting worked up so he left the que and discretly asked for assistance. We were directed to the business check in which was a lot smoother.We also used assistance to board first, this was also great as we got our son seated and sorted before the crowd which meant he wasn't stressed at the start of a long flight.
The assistance just made the whole journey a lot less stressful.
Sometimes you get used to making adjustments for ASD and accept it as the norm. But if help s available you should ask for it.

8 Aug 19, 08:42 AM	#2
	8 Aug 19, 08:42 AM Guest Guest
Guest Guest	We used lanyard on our recent trip - Heathrow was great but not recognised anywhere else (JFK, Tampa, Atlanta) so we just asked for assistance as in went to gate early and asked to pre board. Even in UK at LHR on return we had to join the family queue at Border control, no assistance offered. DS just gets anxious and then feels sick, goes pale, almost a panic attack. He was more relaxed wearing lanyard so it helped him mentally rather than speeding up the process.

8 Aug 19, 12:12 PM	#3
	8 Aug 19, 12:12 PM Fab Florida 4 Helping Donald
Fab Florida 4 Helping Donald Join Date: Jan 19	We had one on our last journey for my elder grandson and it was a real help. You can use the special assistance line at security at Gatwick, which means you have more time to sort stuff out without feeling rushed. We also had help arriving and leaving MCO, being moved to less manic queues etc. We didn't ask for any assistance, it was just offered which was lovely. If your son has an issue, even without a formal diagnosis, I think you should get one. Anything to make his life a bit less stressful has to be worth doing.

10 Aug 19, 11:29 AM	#10
	10 Aug 19, 11:29 AM alvin_purple Very Serious Dibber
alvin_purple Very Serious Dibber Join Date: Oct 08	Our son has ASD but is OKi n airports so we don't normally need assistance. For our trip in July we were going through Dublin / MCO for the first time so we contacted Aer Lingus, just in case. So glad we did. Check in at Dublin was mad. I could see our sun getting worked up so he left the que and discretly asked for assistance. We were directed to the business check in which was a lot smoother.We also used assistance to board first, this was also great as we got our son seated and sorted before the crowd which meant he wasn't stressed at the start of a long flight. The assistance just made the whole journey a lot less stressful. Sometimes you get used to making adjustments for ASD and accept it as the norm. But if help s available you should ask for it.