PETER VANOSDALL / UNSPLASH |
Nicole Thibault |
Before having children , Nicole Thibault and her husband intended to make travel a priority in their lives . Children , they agreed , would not stop them from exploring . Until their first child was diagnosed with autism . “ Every noise , every sound , every scent , big crowds ; [ they all ] seemed to upset him so much ,” Thibault recalled . By the time the couple had their third child , they had curtailed taking many trips . Destinations and popular modes of transportation — like flying — simply didn ’ t accommodate their son and his
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sensory needs . She talked to other families with children on the spectrum , and they were not encouraging . “ They told me that they just stopped going anywhere ,” she said .
A survey of families with neurodivergent children conducted by the International Board of Credentialing and Education Standards ( IBCCES ) found that 87 % do not take vacations . Overwhelmingly , it ’ s because they are not satisfied with the travel options for their families .
About one in every 36 children is diagnosed on the autism spectrum in the U . S ., according to estimates from the CDC ,
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