 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Accessible RV Checklist
Access Travel Rights
Handicapped Travel Club
Rolling Down The Trail
Family RVing
Schooling Options for RVers
Kartchner Caverns State Park
Oscar Scherer State Park
10 RVing Tips for Newbies
The Accessible RV Site
Riding The Rails
The Enabled RVer Resources
Access Travel Guides
Selecting a Cane for Travel
Fulltime RVing Challenges
Campground Access
HTC Accessible Park List
Arizona Day Drive
Touring Arizona
Columbia River Region
RVing with Kids
Volunteering and RVing
RVing and Children
|
|
| RVing |
| When Your Child Has Special Needs |
| ||||||
| by Hope Sykes RVing with a special-needs child is often not only possible, but can be one of the most life enriching experiences for the entire family. You probably already have many of the planning skills needed to make you a Master RVer for planning is key to a successful and enjoyable trip. There is a knack to finally getting it right. There may be a few false starts, but once you become adept at it, you’ll probably wonder why you didn’t try this sooner. HOW TO GET STARTED Basically, you’ll need three things: know your child’s needs, abilities, and interests; do some research on attractions and campgrounds before the trip; and break the big trip into some graduated steps. I’ll give you some suggestions for some Internet links to help you with your planning. You’ll want to spend some time researching attractions and getting out the map now and don’t forget to plan some extra stops for things like medications and rest. Remember: Doing too much too soon is probably the biggest reason why trips go awry. • THE VIRTUAL TOUR Now is the perfect time to look for some sites that will make your child feel like the adventure is already beginning. With the Internet, you’ll be able to help your child know what to expect and to seize upon projects that stimulate and educate. Best of all, you can end the session at any time at the click of a button so that you can finish the trip on a happy note. For yourself, you’ll be better able to decide how far that you will want to drive in one day and what sights there are to see. If you plan to do some interstate travel, take a look at Exit Source at (http://www.exitsource.com). The site is exactly what it sounds like with an emphasis on traditional stops for food and fuel, rest areas, scenic views, and area attractions. The commands are basically centered around two types of searches: by state or by interstate. The larger population areas usually yield the largest results. If you want to see and hear nature at any time, take a tour of eNature at (http://enature.com/). eNature is like a collection of field manuals on line, but there’s more-- the site is interactive. It’s a colorful site, too, with something like over 6,000 photographs. There are ecards to send, experts to query, and over 550 North American bird song recordings. For children who are blind or have low vision, the bird songs are of sufficient length to be thoroughly entertaining and easily replayed. For those who are deaf or hard of hearing, there’s a great collection of ecards or kids can even start their own LifeList of personal wildlife sightings. O.K., I admit it. I have a LifeList and you probably will want to start one too! Here’s one feature that you won’t want to miss: the LocalGuide. Type in the zip code for a future destination, and you’ll have a sneak preview of what wildlife to expect along the way. Put in the zip code for your own back yard, and you are on your way for your next tour, the Driveway or Backyard Getaway. • DRIVEWAY OR BACKYARD GETAWAYS This type of trip is really good to experience just about anytime. It can take the break out of a long school year when vacation time seems so far away (remember that feeling?) and can be infinitely practical if regular trips can't be as often as you would like due to financial or time considerations. Being on home turf also provides an environment where the child is already familiar and comfortable with the surroundings. It also: • helps you to decide how much you really want to take along • furnishes practice in giving the child a sense of a personal camping space • provides an opportunity to check out any special equipment in a real camping environment • SCENIC DRIVES Sometimes when you want to take a trip, it just may not be the optimal time. It’s too hot, too far, too expensive, there’s a big crowd, or you might not be able to take time off from work or school. The Internet offers a wide selection of scenic drive web sites to plan a future trip, or to simply enjoy a virtual journey. Enter the key words “scenic drives” into a search engine, and you’ll be able to discover some of the most beautiful scenery in the U.S. Take a look at a few of these examples: --Lycos Travel (http://travel.lycos.com/) Just click on the link to the scenic drives and you’ll see highlights on trips that Lycos has termed “50 of the Most Scenic Drives in the U.S.” You’ll find the material arranged by state in this easy-to-navigate site. Lots of photos with descriptions are available as well. There’s lots to trigger the imagination, too, like the Billy the Kid Trail. --National Scenic Byways Online (http://www.byways.org) Here you’ll find a generous selection of maps, program information, byway descriptions, and, of course, photos. • SHORT TRIPS AND WEEKENDERS The scenic drive can be a perfect graduation to the short trip. These trips can be an overnighter or a weekender and scheduled around hobbies, school activities, or a special event. Scan your paper and contact your local or state tourism office for possibilities. • THE BIG TRIP The big day has finally arrived! To make the most of this trip, this is where your communication skills will go to work. The Americans With Disabilities Act is going through some major revisions and state and federal parks are implementing a variety of accessible trails for wheel chair users, designing touch-and-feel exhibits, providing sign language interpreters, and other activities. Most parks suggest that you contact them in advance (ask them how much advance notice that they will need) so that they will be able to best meet your needs. When you contact the parks, be as concrete as possible. Some examples are: • I need a level camping area since my child uses a wheel chair. • My child is unable to walk far with his crutches and needs to be near an accessible restroom and shower facilities. • I would like a less busy camp site since my child has low vision or hearing. • A sign language interpreter will be needed by my child during park presentations. • Braille handouts and trail markers are helpful to my child. Do you have these? To have a fulfilling camping experience, you may not have to break your trip into so many stages. The amount of planning will really depend upon your individual situation. Rest assured, though, that if the weather, timing, or your personal situation isn’t just right, you can just take a virtual tour or driveway getaway instead--but don’t forget the marshmallows! Copyright © 2001-2002 Hope Sykes and The Enabled RVer |
|
. |