"I*MANAGING" and The four "R"s approach was combined with Diana Henry's Tool Chest for Teachers, Parents, and Students and  Sensory Integration Tools for Teens when  Daniel, a bright 11 year old student, reported that his family would be taking a trip to Disney World. Daniel had already improved his impulsivity, frustration tolerance, and self-control at The Calais School, a private school with a strong behavioral program. Strategy research and rehearsal had already been a primary goal during OT. He had developed skills for reflection, including self-awareness and metacognition. To apply his skills to a vacation situation, Henry's Tool Chest Handbooks were adapted for the behavioral framework used in the school. Together, we imagined triggers that could be expected on a trip. Journal writing and discussion helped us reflect on what we had learned. Role playing and discussing emotional reactions to challenges helped with making good choices. Daniel produced the following journal entry before he left on his trip (note: Daniel had learned so much about writing since his original journal entry that he edited his journal piece for spelling and grammar before this article went to print.):

"I have a plan for staying in control at Disney World. I need to be patient in the lines. I'm excited to ride on the plane. I have never been on a plane before. If I get cranky, I might need something to eat. If I get tired, I could sit down on a bench. Crying and screaming wouldn't be acceptable. I can ask my mom to let me take a break."

His father reported "It was wonderful. The employees were very sensitive to our situation and treated us very nicely." Daniel returned with glowing reports of a great trip as a reward for all his work.

A Sequential Continuum: Before, During, After

During an interview, Diana Henry described a time continuum format to use with her Tools for Parents handbook, advising "Whenever you have a special event, remember to prepare the child beforehand and help with the transition out of the big event." She described how this continuum helped a Disney bound child with Pervasive Developmental Disorder to modulate both sensory seeking and sensory defensive behaviors.
The "Before"  program included a procedure called "Hot Dog" from Henry's Tools for Students DVD, which includes relaxation time and 'neutral warmth' wrapped in a towel, weighted blankets, or under heavy pillows. A warm bath was another option for morning preparation.

The "During" segment of the program starts when the demands of the day begin. For some children, the demands can start while dressing for the day or eating breakfast in the crowded food court while others will be fine until they hit overload after a few hours in the parks.

Henry compiled a list of options to address anticipated stressors for her client:

§         Parent-administered joint compressions, a grounding technique which required training by a qualified occupational therapist, were used to help with crowds, noise and long waits in line.

§         Sensory tools including mouth tools (snacks with different textures, gum, or items from a therapy catalogue) and hand fidgets (small objects which can keep the fingers busy and help with calming) were made available.

§         Open-air headphones using Sheila Frick's Therapeutic Listening program were available in all phases for highly reactive auditory processing situations. "He pretty much had the headphones on the whole day" Henry commented.

The "After" stage of the continuum can occur during the transitions from one activity to another or at the end of the day, depending on how the child perceives the situation. At the end of the day, the transition out of the high-stimulation theme-park environment included calming music or a dip in the pool. This is the perfect time to incorporate a reward or a special calming evening activity.

This framework of transitional preparation, activity, and closure provides a comforting familiar foundation for children who can become reactive to new situations. Additional information on the sensory 'tools' programs including Tools for Tots and Tools for Pets (in press) can be found on Diana Henry's website www.ateachabout.com.

When Plans Go Wrong

Sometimes, though, research and preparation will not guarantee a smooth vacation experience. Lauren Furman, a pediatric speech therapist in New Jersey, learned this lesson the hard way when both of our families stayed at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort during teacher's convention week. We had discussed her daughter's sensitive nature beforehand, identified potential problems, and had a well-designed plan...or so we thought. Perhaps it was the fact that her daughter's first visit to the park occurred during "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party." Perhaps it was just bad timing. While my husband and I were immersed in the enchantment, she was desperately trying to keep her pre-school age daughter from cowering in the parks. Apparently, her daughter had very fixed sensitivities to the large characters, anything that resembled fireworks, and the generally stimulating environment of a theme park. One evening at the hotel gift shop, my friend approached me with tears in her eyes, described a crying, fearful child who was desperately afraid to return to the parks, and told me she had looked into early flights home because they were so frustrated. 

"The trip was a $4000 learning experience", she recalls years later, still not enchanted. "Even when we thought we were safe we'd have a surprise. We'd go into a ride promising (our daughter)  there would be no fireworks, and there would end up being fireworks", Furman said. She could have been referring to one of the many attractions including The Mexico Pavilion boat ride, or the new "Soarin" attraction which include vivid fireworks representations.
Apparently, Furman's daughter still does not prefer the bigger than life resort environment. "She does fine at small carnivals or at Hershey Park (a smaller theme park in PA), but when we went to Universal Studios a few years later, she had the same terror reaction." She continued, "We got tickets to Beauty and the Beast on Broadway, and (my daughter) didn't make it past the first act because of the sounds and the costumes. They always say go at the child's pace, but when there is a special situation, that can be pretty hard."

 Unfortunately, sometimes the smartest, most sensitive, most prepared parents can still have a less than magical experience with their children during a Disney vacation. After all the preparation, if the visit is still less than magical, consider what Walt Disney told a landscaper when faced with a difficult task before the opening of Disneyland: "What do you mean we can't get rid of those weeds in time? Then go over there and put some fancy signs with Latin names in front of them." Sometimes all we need to turn a nightmare trip into a happy vacation is a scrapbook full of smiling faces and carefully edited stories to go along with it.