To arrange airport assistance for very anxious ND DD?

[seriouslynonames]

We are taking a short flight from Gatwick in August. DD8 has confirmed ADHD and possibly also ASD. No physical disability/mobility problems. She gets really anxious about going to new places, busy places, loud places, and doesn't do well waiting in queues for long periods. Which is the essence of going through an airport!

I think I read on here somewhere of someone using airport assistance for their ND child who was very anxious. And that the airline were really helpful in welcoming the child and distracting them. Basically I would like to get on the plane with as calm as possible a child, rather than her tolerance running out before we get on the plane as she has had to struggle with the noise, crowds and queues before we arrive at the gate.

I'd welcome anyone's experience of using assistance for these kind of issues and how I go about arranging it. It's Gatwick and EasyJet we are using.

Thank you!

We need the physical help and it is still hit and miss. Generally in countries with better attitudes to the disabled, the airport assistance is better. But even where it is not great in the country, you can have some gem employees. We flew one place where the staff member said he looked after his elderly disabled father, and he was amazing.
But I do think as you are there with her, it should be fine. If it was an autistic adult travelling by themselves I would be more concerned.

Also it might be worth asking the GP for some temporary medication to help calm down your DD when travelling? I know an adult that does this.

Through the airline originally but as a slightly anxious soul myself, I also called Gatwick to make doubly sure! Also, special assistance has a separate area to go through security. Can't remember for North Terminal off the top of my head but for South you have to go upstairs

I used it for myself (autistic) at Birmingham, and at Belfast at the other end. They were mighty confused as to why I didn't need a wheelchair, so I had to explain my sensory issues (ie my IQ drops to mid-double-digits when it's bright and noisy, and I'm being expected to follow instructions or figure out where I'm supposed to be going). My main concern was pissing other travellers off by becoming a bottleneck, to be honest. They didn't question anything, just asked me what I needed and gave me a couple of solutions.

We agreed that the best plan was for them to get me through security (one of my main problems), but they also took me through the back corridors through the airport, thus avoiding all the crowds and the rush, and then they left me in a quiet corner at the terminal, but also left instructions with the folk there that I was to be taken onto the plane first.

The exact same thing happened at the other end, and on the way back.

All in all, they were really helpful and not intrusive at all, and I was seriously grateful for it. I wouldn't need it if I was travelling with others, but whenever I'm travelling on my own...I absolutely wouldn't hesitate.

Her her noise cancelling headphones . They help my dd in noisy unfamiliar situations