Additional Security Screening? (X-post on Transportation)

[Bird-Mom]

On the transportation board there was a post about some children being pulled aside for extra screening. My will be 3 year old has a severe speech (expressive and receptive) as well as definite cognitive and social delays. She would not understand us preparing her in advance, and she will freak out if she is pulled aside. She is very uncooperative for people she doesn't know and would seriously meltdown if they touch or even try to wand her. I am 99% sure that she will not even walk through the metal detector by herself because it scares her (she has flown before). I get sick to my stomach even thinking about it. Has anyone with a DD child had this happen? Is there any way to prevent it? I mean, would the airlines note that the child is DD and would that excuse her from the possibility?

TIA!

 

[2morrow]

I think every airport is different! The last time we flew to Florida (Ft. Myers) they did this with our son. This was our returning trip to Indiana and was the only time it was done. They pulled him aside also to use the wand and to have him lift up out of his wheelchair so that they could check his seat and all around the insides of his chair, we of course stayed with him, the only advantage to this was that is was very crowed that day and the line to go through the metal detector was very long. They were even making people take off their shoes!! We were at the back of the line when they took us out to scan his w/c and after they did that the rest of us went right to the very front of the line and got thru really fast!

 

[SueM in MN]

My DD has had extra screening every time we've flown (at least once a year for the past 16 or so years). They have never lifted/had us lift her out of her wheelchair, but they do pretty thoroughly wand and pat her down.
We have always been able to have one of us with her while she was being checked out and we have explained her special needs to the screeners. She understands the process though, it's just that she can't talk to them or move really well. We do usually talk to the first screener (the one standing a bit away from the scanner, checking ID and boarding passes). You could try mentioning to that screener that your DD is disabled and you are not sure how co-operative she will be. Because she is small and might not be cooperative, they might (just might) allow you to carry her through if she won't walk thru herself.

I'm not sure, but I think the computer picks out some of the people who will get extra screening. I'm not sure if the screeners are able to over-ride that or not.
Even though you can't prepare your DD in advance by talking to her, pictures might help. I haven't found any pictures of screeners (there are probably security rules against that) there are websites that have airport pictures (the
Orlando airport has pictures of airport departure) . If you put your mouse over the Passenger Terminal link on the left side, you can also find arrival.
Also, even if you can't prepare her much, you might be able to make it less potentailly traumatic for her. If you are traveling with others, send them through first and then they can try to entice her to go through to them while you are on the "unscreened" side. If she has a favorite toy that went thru the xray machine, she might go thru the scanner to get it.

Good luck.

 

[leise]

My son is 5 and has ASD, with moderate learning difficulties. Whenever we've flown he's had to go through the scanner on his own, and be frisked with the wand. I was always very worried about this, as you are. He would never understand why, if we explained, and he can't communicate with the scanner at all, but he's always just taken it in his stride. I think it helps that we've always tried to be very relaxed and smiley, so he doesn't think it's anything odd. The scanners have always picked up that he's got communication issues, I think from the way we've been with him, and they've always been friendly and understanding. Last Christmas at Orlando, they gave him and his brother stickers after they were scanned, and they were thrilled. Another thing that helps is that he loves watching the bags go through the x-ray machine, so is motivated to go through the scanning arch to see them coming aout the other side!

 

[Bird-Mom]

Thank you so much for your input. When we traveled last time, she had just turned two and wouldn't walk through herself, so they let me carry her. When she was just about one, I was pulled aside for extra screening, and since I was carrying her, they patted her down too. I swear people could have heard her screaming 1000 miles away. Keeping my fingers crossed that we get through easily. I am thinking about writing to the TSA to see if they have an official policy in place for cases like ours.

 

[Bird-Mom]

Well, they do have an official policy:
http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1572.xml

It isn't very helpful for a child who won't understand though.

 

[vhoffman]

Check the TSA's website--you have to be allowed to stay with your child if your child is being screened, regardless of whether the child is disabled or not. Print out the section on this and take it with you, if necessary. I had a bad experience with security about 3 years ago in Orlando. I have an artificial hip and always set off the metal detector. I'm just used to this and expect to be pulled aside for additional screening. However, my husband also set of the detector, I'm not sure why. Well, our kids, both age 4 at the time, went through first, then we went through. They told me and dh to go to the little glass-enclosed booth for additional screening, but wouldn't let our children stay with us! As a matter of fact, they told our kids to go on through to the end of the line, they were holding up the line! There was plenty of room for people to go around our kids. I told our children to stay on the other side of the booth where we could see them at all times. When I asked why they couldn't come in the booth with us, the rationale was that they had been cleared, but we hadn't, so supposedly we could hand over whatever contraband we were carrying to the kids. Well, then, just wand the kids again before we all come out of the booth--seems like that's a no-brainer. I mean, they were literally screaming at my two four-year olds to move on, while taking their own sweet time to screen us. Fortunately, my children have been told to mind ME, not whatever someone else tells them. I told my kids to stay on the other side of the booth where I could see them, and that's what they did. We've learned since then to send Daddy through first, then wait until he's cleared, then send the kids through, so Daddy's waiting on the other side. I then go through last, since I'm always screened. However, they don't even like that--I've had screeners tell my kids to go through one line while dh goes through another. I just tell them that we aren't going to be seperated from our kids, and if they think we're holding up the line let someone else go through while we're waiting for Daddy to be cleared so he can meet the children on the other side. We haven't had any problems since we've come up with our method, however, I do get the impression the screeners don't like doing it that way.

 

[Bird-Mom]

That is a great suggestion to print out the info! Thanks!

I cannot believe they were telling 2 4 year olds to move along! Yikes! That is scary!

 

[Ali]

I feel so badly for those people who have to fly and go through these screenings with ASD kids - my cousin once had the FBI called on them in the airport because of the screenings, and his repeating something he hard on TV about why they are screening - not a good time for echoalia about bombs being in your shoes. Then the child started sreaming about how his rights were being abused and he needed to see his congressman and on and on. I'm sure all of the people watching were amused - but our family was traumatized. I wish everyone well in their travels,

 

[Nordicpollan]

DS2 is in a wheelchair, when we left the UK to travel to Orlando we had no trouble at all with screening as we have a card issued by his surgeon stating he can't go through the metal detectors( it will turn off his nero stimulators) they just give him a gentle body check and visually check the wheelchair all over.We flew into Washington before connecting to Orlando. At Washington again they read the medical card visually checked his chair and when I offered to lift him out of his chair told me not to worry as long as he didn't mind them gently touching him In fact his Teddy got a bigger check out than he did!.

On our flight home at Orlando Airport we showed them his medical card but they didn't want to accept it even though Meditronic is a US company, we had to lift him from his chair which is fair enough, but they then wanted him to take off his own shoes, when I explained this was impossible (and also very obvious he would not be able to do this!) I was told he might not be able to travel if he didn't. I lifted him onto my lap and removed his shoes (he was bare footed and wearing sandles) before the screening guard got his supervisor who looked at first DS2 and me then the guard ,raised his eyes to the sky and said he would take over. I don't know if we really presented a risk to sercurity but DS2 check was suddenly very quick and apologetic and we did not get checked at all at Washington. I'm all for extra screening but also common sense is also needed.

Pood old Teddy got scanned so many times I'm surprised DS2 doesn't need a night light any more as Teddy should glow in the dark!!!!!!!!!

Karen