Autistic travel needs- Need ideas for deep regulation activities on holidays.

[Luxlumos]

My usual strategies are weight lifting, weighted blanket, harness swing, deep bath submersion, and being alone for a few hours.

None of those will be available - staying with in-laws at their holiday home.

Wondering if any of my fellow autistics have any clever travel friendly ideas for deep regulatory sensation? Preferably discreet.

How are you traveling and what kind of holiday.

Swimming, ear loops, taking familiar dressing gown or similiar.

I'd cancel if you can't take alone time or even have your weighted blanket.

Why can’t you use a weighted blanket?

Is this for you or a child? I’m wondering about the harness swing -that’s quite an investment for an adult.

Too heavy for luggage if we’re flying

For me.

Loops - yes! Definitely need them on the list.
Dressing gown is a good one - I could vacuum pack that.

Can you buy a weighted blanket when there and keep it there for future visits?

Do you have a compression body sock? Those are lightweight. Otherwise for my autistic son I use the hotel bedding to wrap him up in a tight swaddle so he feels compressed/contained, or I ask for extra pillows and pile them up on top of him to give him weight.

Take a pair of thick woolly tights with you. Buy rice once you are there - 5kg is heaps. Put one tights leg inside the other and fill with rice. Knot the end of the tights (or sew). Wear round your neck, over your lap, carry, squeeze. Honestly it's brilliant. And very portable. Empty the rice out before you leave.

I don’t but I’ll look into that. Thanks

That’s inspired, thank you.
And now you’ve got me brainstorming other diys.

Ask them to buy a weighted blanket and keep it there.

I would say ensuring time away from everyone e.g. 2 hours or so a day is probably just as important as the deep pressure work. Explain you need solo time each day and stick to it.

does smell matter? I used to take our pillowcase for DD when visiting relatives then they moved to using the same washing powder. And we also bought and kept a blanket for her there. She is not autistic but a lot of sensory needs.

My autistic son really likes a back massage with a hand massage gun. They are pretty portable for travel.

Pillowcases are going on the list. Maybe a sheet too to fold over the top of the duvet. I nearly forgot about the smell of the fabric softener. Thank you.

That sounds nice. I might pack my Pilates spikey balls and use those against a wall.

I’m thinking that some of those stretchy bands physios use might be a good substitute for weights.

Can you order a cheap weighted blanket from amazon to keep there? They have really come down in price now.

Can you not go for a walk or run? Dd listens to music and ignores us mostly or plays on her laptop

Body weight exercises.

Push ups, pull ups, up and down flights of stairs. Also public swimming pool.

Thanks everyone - appreciate the ideas.

I swim if possible.

the stretchy bands physios use are very good. I do seated exercise class once a week with them and it’s tough.

Google seated bicep curl.

I've heard good reviews for these - Nesti pod