Daisy Lanyards - anyone actually treat anyone differently for wearing one ?

[Lovetocook49]

Sat at the airport and to start , I will say I have looked after/ taught/ provided respite for people with additional needs for 35 years. I live and breathe SEND , I am friends with families of past students and clients. I absolutely understand disability.

All I am wondering is -

Do people who wear Daisy lanyards get treated differently because wearing one ? Do people get treated differently abroad if wearing one?

I get the invisible disabilities thing, I have argued with many a person using a disabled toilet because they have small children with them ( and it was always as more convenient, never once a genuine reason) whilst I waited with a soiled / distressed child who needed the facility, stood my ground when people have been rude to pupils, stood in theme park queues before a pass was a thing - but a Daisy lanyard that anyone can purchase? Does it help ?

Anyone can buy them an abuse them.
i honestly don’t think anything when I see someone with them on

This is so weird. You say you’ve cared for people with hidden disabilities and endured judgemental looks when accessing toilets, yet you do the same to people. Do you not understand what hidden means? It means anyone can use thoae toilets and you don’t have the right to question them. You’re not educating anyone, just making yourself look like a right dick.

Yes DS is autistic and stims a lot, lots of high-pitched noises and flapping hands. He gets a lot of stares. I have no idea if the lanyard helps people not to judge as much but he wears one anyway.

My DD wore hers when flying alone aged 17 and security spotted her and put her straight through fast track which was unnecessary but welcome.

My DSs use theirs anywhere they are likely to become overwhelmed eg airports. One has ASD and one has ADHD. They have been especially good at airports where we are often directed to the quiet lounge to wait which really reduces the stress. Of course, being teenage boys, they’d rather not wear them!

I challenge people know using disabled toilets and it’s usually because there is no queue, particularly theatres . I don’t do it aggressively, but if I’m waiting unnecessarily when someone actually needs the facilities? Its not fair

You may believe that you are being reasonable by asking, but you are not. Being questioned like that, could be the last straw for someone, already struggling. People do not need to explain themselves to you.

Yesterday, waiting at gate to board and when the staff came out, 2 middle aged woman who been queueing and chatting away together suddenly got these lanyards out (nothing attached) and started waving them in the air for the staff to see. I had to google what they were and I realise they just wanted to be fast tracked.

How do you know they just wanted to be fast tracked?.

Wait. You tell people off for using the disabled loo when the only unisex baby changing table is also in the disabled loo? As is the case in many places?

Other people's children should stay covered in shit?

This is not your place to do and you actually have no idea if someone has an invisible disability as pointed out by numerous people on this thread - you can’t possible tell however much you think you can. You are not the toilet police. I have also worked with disabled people, and the amount of people I’ve spoken to (going through a horrendous time and sometimes with a terminal illness) who’ve been in tears after being abused or questioned when using disabled toilets or disabled bays. Stop doing it, you may think you are solving a problem but you are actually creating another one and being quite cruel to people some of whom who are already really struggling.

This is good to know - we are travelling with my dad who has dementia and is slow to process things as a result .

Where did you get yours ?

That was very thoughtful of the waitress. She might have done the same without the lanyard but I think they do help prime people that the person they are dealing with might need a bit of extra accommodation.

If it just helps people take a moment to be a bit more thoughtful then I feel they are doing their job.

I've found airport staff have been brilliant when my son had one on, we've fast tracked through security and passport control with no questions asked so DS could get out of the crowds and away from sources of noise.

It didn't stop the nasty old man that used to bang on my Mum's car with his walking stick while shouting 'you shouldn't be parking here you aren't elderly'. He clearly didn't grasp the idea that disability can happen at any age.

We landed at Birmingham airport and were on our way to passport control. Someone standing by a gate said would you like to come this way? And we got through the line a bit quicker. DS is pretty good but the usual knock on effect later in the day just didn't happen!

I just ordered it of ebay. I put DS's access card on his, which isn't necessary and wasn't looked at but made me feel better that their was something 'official' and also a note with my phone number as he can wander so I always worry about becoming separated.

OP, please don't do this.

You can't see my birth injury. And I'm not going to share that information with anyone other than my doctor and women's physio.

I have no idea how your mother's difficulties qualify you to identify and analyse functional impact.

This post is actually quite distressing.

(And what on earth do you listen for?)

I got one for a family member with dementia and it was great. He still enjoyed outings but sometimes his behaviour eg in queues would be embarrassing as he lost all social awareness and would push in etc and he had no awareness that he was doing anything wrong and would have denied having any diagnosis if asked. The lanyard enabled people to cut him some slack without him, or his long suffering partner, having to ask directly. It enabled his partner to feel less like she had to be embarrassed and apologise all the time, reduced confrontations and meant they didn’t have to stay cooped up at home. I think it’s a great idea and hope that people do have the integrity not to abuse it so it can still work for those it was intended for.

OP sounds unhinged.