Comments on: Autistic families removed from restaurant, airplane

By: Irma

Irma — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:33:19 +0000

My son has autism. He will be three years old. Going anywhere is a chore. Our library trips are ten minutes long. I also have a ten year old and a four year old. These kids are not spoiled or brats. There autism prevents them from enjoying life. It is so hard on the other kids. My husband is in the service and he’s finally home. What should I have done for the year he was gone? Not go out? Not go to the grocery store? Try stepping in our shoes for one day. Life is so hard. With no babysitter what do you do? You try to be the best mother you can be to all your kids. That mom was just protecting her child. I applaud her and hope that people learn more about autism. God Bless

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By: Humiliating Mommy: Meltdown in a Supermarket | Parenting | Babies Online The Blog

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:03:44 +0000

[...] I’ve ever experienced and the lack of sympathy around me only made it worse. I then recalled a previous post about parents of autistic children getting removed from airplanes and restaurants. Now I knew how [...]

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By: Dawn

Dawn — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:25:47 +0000

That’s a very rough call indeed. The rights of the many diners v. the rights of one family?

I think increased education about autism is the key. At least then, if the establishment does choose to ask the family to leave, they are coming from a place of understanding and have simply made a business decision in the interests of their customers.

Sometimes, parents of autistic children will have to make a rough judgment call… leave someplace if your child is misbehaving, or tough it out? (Parents of non-autistic children, of course, have the same dilemma–I do understand that sometimes, a child having a tantrum just cannot be stopped!)

If it’s rough on the fellow flyers/diners, I can just imagine how bad it is for the poor mother!

Dawns last blog post..90 Minutes in the Morning

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By: Melissa H

Melissa H — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:05:38 +0000

Honestly I think that there is a need for a little more information on autism, especially when it comes to outsiders dealing with a sticky situation. I have been the diner who is completely put out by other peoples children… but I have also been with a friend who is trying to have a “normal” life with an autistic child. She should not be doomed to eating at home and sneaking out to shop only when there is a trusted babysitter to be had. But at the same time I don’t get to go out very often and when we do splurg the idea of a kid next to us going ballistic is a little offputting. What my friend does is goes out a little earlier than peak time and asks for a table where a child with impulse control problems won’t be an issue. Not ideal to have to share personal and private info… but it often does the trick.

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By: Science-mom

Science-mom — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:07:08 +0000

Interesting post about difficult situations. I suppose an airline has the right to stop people from boarding if they present a threat to the safety of the flight. On the other hand, kids with autism and their prents also deserve a break. Training airline staff/restaurant employees about how to deal with autism is a great idea. To be honest, I wouldn’t know how to deal with an autistic child and I would love to learn.

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