Wilder’s Story
I really don't know how to fully express how thankful I am for WPT for helping Wilder so much with her first flight. Prior to her appointment, Wilder did not even want to talk about packing her suitcase or the experience of being at the airport. By the end of her session, she was more than prepared to go through the airport, security, and get on the plane and experience taking off, layovers, and landings! And she was able to do just that.
During her session, the OTs and techs read to her social stories about going on flights and then created a mock airport for her to experience so she would know what to expect. The mock airport that was set up was more than I could have even imagined! She loved reading the stories, and they even prepared her to be able to participate in the mock airport itself. In the beginning, I could tell she was overwhelmed by the experience of being at an “airport” and what all that entails, but every question or concern she had was already thought of by the therapists, and that helped tremendously! From going through TSA and the security counter, to taking off your shoes, to x-ray machines, busy lines, loud sounds, searching for your terminal, being on the actual airplane, and even the snacks, everything was though of and ready for Wilder. They gave her as many trips as she needed to feel prepared. And getting to talk to a real flight attendant meant the world to her. When we drove home from that appointment, she talked for a long time about how she was excited, and she said, "Don't worry about me, Mom! I've got this! And even if something comes up, I will be okay!” I don't know if I can explain how impactful seeing and hearing that confidence was for us. We went home and packed her suitcase that night.
I am glad that we flew out of Lexington Airport, so that she could get the experience at a place that was not as busy as the Boston airport. I even found out that they have something called the " Sunflower program," which gives lanyards that help identify those with " hidden needs" and have contact information on them. She did great at the Lexington and Charlotte airports. In Boston, she did get a little overwhelmed, but I think it was super busy and overwhelming to anyone. But as I looked back at her, I saw her taking deep breaths and repeating the steps that she had practiced in the mock airport out loud to herself. "Okay, I will put my suitcase on the tray. I will take my electronics out and put them in a tray. I might have to take my shoes off, but I will get them back!" The couple behind us commented and said that she was even helping them!
On one of our flights, where there was a lot of turbulence, I told the flight attendant that it was her first plane trip. They brought her up, and she got to see the cockpit and take pictures with the captains. They even gave her a little set of wings!
I fully believed we might not even make it onto a plane at all a few weeks ago, so seeing her feel comfortable enough to look out the window, fall asleep (which is hard for her in general), and be beaming with pride and confidence in herself seriously means the world to me. I don't know if you all get to hear how much of a difference you make every day in people's lives, but please know how big of a difference you made for us.
