don't want to go through it again

[frustratedmom]

Just come back from holiday. Ds is sensory sensative, change sensitive, Behaviourally challenging, high input requiring. He was ok on flight out a little bit of biting and hitting and kicking but I was actually impressed how well he coped. Way back was a nightmare! head butting, biting, kicking, eye poking, scratching etc.

Can any one tell me why it was worse on way back? and how can I try to limit the severity?

He has also starting saying I really need to kick something when he gets frustrated before he tries. (progress) but not easy to deal with in an enclosed space such as an aeroplane.

Help!

I've had something similar with DS - my theory (based on some other threads I've seen here) is that they are simply very tired by the time they get back from the trip/holiday. Tired because, despite the holiday, they've spent a lot of energy coping with the new environment and all the changes, so by the time they get back they really have no energy to 'behave'.
As for what to do, I'm as much in need of advice as you are: if he can kick something (a ball) before he boards the plane, do it by all means. I was thinking of trying those portable DVD players, in case there's something he really likes and could keep him entertained/relaxed during the flight. Since your DS sounds very articulated, it may be worth finding out whether things like the engine noise bother him (ear-plugs?) or whether he's actually anxious about flying per se

I know nothing but my instinct is that it was worse for your DS on the way back because he knew what was coming.

My DS used to be like yours on the plane, hated puting the seat belt on. We took the laptop with us and lots of DVDs, lots of stickers and books and new toys. We put the books on his lap so he could not see us putting the seat belt on . this was between 2 and 3. our last holiday the journey was the best bit as DS put his seat belt on by himself and sat down when he was asked to. He is 3.10 now and was 3.7 then. Best time was the way back as it was a holiday for seeing relatives and he hated it, so as soon as we got to the airport he was so happy that we were coming back home, he behaved like a child that you could only dream of. We bought toys and jigsaws and stickers that he did not have before and that seemed to have done the tricks before.

Yes we did manage to enjoy the holiday. Actually it was amazing. And that may be half of the problem - in Norway there is much more emphasis on kids climbing (even the town fountain) its just seen as normal.

Unfortunately try to restirct such urges in UK as very frowned and commented on by too many of society. I think he enjoyed the freedom.

Plus he has a thing about museums and we tried to do something along those lines most days.

It is possible that the noise bothered him - i hadn't thought about it but it would make sense as he is sensitive to loud noises.

The ball seems a good idea - might try that next holiday. Will put in book of important stuff to remember!

Horrid Henry's mighty joke book was bought for trip out and loved but novalty prob gone by second flight. Though nearly lost my voice during flight

We live near enough to visit the local airport viewing station and we have dropped off and picked various members of the family at the airport -so he had visited several times before we went. Definetly helped!

Oh and we're lucky -he is obsessed with wearing seat belts so he was really chuffed they had them on the buses in Norway!

Will have to try to find a stress ball type thing - thought about DVD player but he is VERY rough with technology (broke an mp3 in1 hour) and prefers to try to work out how it works then to enjoy using it. Something else that drives me mad.

And now has discovered a tape measure and manically measuring everything - must rescue it when he goes to bed

Well done on your ds outward journey!Sorry the return wasn't s pleasant .

Just a thought, were the flights at different times of day (ie, was the outgoing flight in the morning, and the retund in the evening). Just that a morning flight would have been a fresh child, but a late flight would have meant that your ds has had all day to look around, take everything in and get tired.

My ds2 is always a nightmare bit hard when he is tired.

Yep - definetly don't think it helped that it was raining and couldn't run him about in the morning.