Autistic Toddler Kicked Off Airplane

ABC Eyewitness News reported today that an American Eagle flight taxiing to a Raleigh-Durham Airport runway was turned around and a mother and her two-and-a-half year old boy with autism where kicked off. (For the full story, go to: http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=6223045)

Apparently the boy was having a meltdown that was aggravated further by the flight attendant’s indignant behavior. I felt so bad for the mother when I read that she was trying to do everything she could to calm her boy down.

"If they just would have been a little more understanding I think that none of this would have been a problem," the mother said. She also stated that the flight attendant was coming by, tightening the child’s belt, reprimanding him and yelling at him. To top it off, regulations demand that the Mother stow her bag, which had all of her tools to calm the boy, in the overhead.

Everything just kept escalating and the pilot came over to her with a stern warning. Mom ended up breaking down after the pilot returned to the cockpit and announced that the plane was being turned around because “there was a woman and her child on the plane and the child is uncontrollable.”

I could just picture myself in the situation: everyone staring at me as if I were the enemy, the bad parent of this unruly child. I would be pleading inside for them to trust that I know my son and I will calm him down (eventually). Just give me a little empathy, a little compassion and a little time and you’ll find a calmer Mother as well as child. And for goodness sake, don’t take my bag of tricks away!

I’ll admit it was probably no picnic for the other passengers who felt they were doomed to spend a flight with a screaming child. I understand it’s no picnic being with a child who’s yelling, not listening and rolling in the aisles.

A child with autism is experiencing the world differently. His senses are magnified and anxiety levels are high, especially on an airplane where people are yelling at him and his Mom is getting increasingly stressed out (go figure). There is so much our little ones have to deal with and appearances can be deceiving.

My prayer is that there can be more understanding, open hearts and less judgment towards the parents and children who are honestly doing the best they know how.

We have the benefit of a Behavior Specialist through the VMRC who periodically comes to our home to help us with our son’s challenging behaviors and struggles. We had to attend a two-day parenting seminar (which was very helpful) to obtain his services. Give your Regional Center representative a call for more information on how to obtain this kind of help for your child.