Deb,
Kat's right - they need to be sure to make prior arrangements with the
airline. The airline is also probably not going to accept temporary
guardianship of the girl. Is she going to a conference or a camp? If it's
a group of 14 year old students, is there going to be a chaperone of any
kind traveling with them? If so, that person could probably be instructed
on positioning for the girl. If not, the airline (and TSA or the Canadian
equivalent) might make an exception to allow the parents (or an attendant)
to get the girl on the plane and safely positioned - this would help for the
outbound trip, but not for the return trip. A couple of years ago, I was
flying to visit my brother and his family in Pittsburgh, and he managed to
get through security to meet me at the gate. Not really necessary, but it
was still nice.
Since it sounds like the girl will need an aisle chair to get to her seat,
it might be a good idea if the parents accompanied her to the plane on the
outbound flight at least, because airline personnel are not really good at
getting people with spasticity into them, and it sounds like this girl has a
fair amount. I got back from a trip Saturday morning, and the airline had a
hard time dealing with my spasticity when I was getting strapped into the
aisle chair.
Is she able to provide self care when she gets to Ottawa, or will she have
someone helping with that? If so, they might be able to provide assistance
in boarding and positioning for the return trip.
"Is anyone aware of anything we can add to the airline seat to help with her
seated posture?"
I'm not aware of any specific seating devices, but Rifton or Sammons-Preston
might be able to help you find those:
http://www.rifton.com/
http://www.sammonspreston.com/Supply/Default.asp?category=39
This site is helpful for travelers with disabilities in the US:
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/horizons.htm
and here's a similar site for Canadian air travelers:
http://www.cta-otc.gc.ca/access/guide/index_e.html
and there has been a recent Canadian ruling that allows a person with a
disability who needs an attendant to have that attendant fly free.
http://www.cta-otc.gc.ca/media/communique/2008/080110-2_e.html
On Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 1:42 PM, Dufour, Deb RQHR <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> I have a big question and hoping that there are some easy answers :-)
> (Knowing and understanding that NOTHING is ever EASY!)
>
>
>
> I am working with a family to figure out some airline accessibility
> seating difficulties. This family flies often enough (yearly) and has
> figured out how to rig up a seat belt concoction that keeps their 14
> year old daughter sitting relatively upright in a regular airline seat.
> This has worked well enough for them in the past that we haven't had to
> look further. The difference this time, is that their daughter is
> flying all by herself to spend some time in Ottawa with other students
> her age ... and her parents aren't going with her to do the strapping
> and to make sure that she is comfortable and safe the entire trip.
>
>
>
> This young girl has spastic quadriplegia CP and really struggles with
> seated balance (in her power and manual wheelchairs she sits on a Quatro
> ROHO cushion with three-point lateral support and a butterfly chest
> strap.
>
>
>
> Is anyone aware of anything we can add to the airline seat to help with
> her seated posture?
> Has anyone had to setup temporary guardianship with a stewardess/steward
> to ensure your or your child's safety?
>
>
>
>
>
> For the time being, I've asked the parents to take their daughter to the
> airport to sit her in one of the seats (they have a demo seat we have
> been told that we might be able to use for this) to rig her up how they
> usually do it, take pictures and video, and then hopefully find someone
> willing to take responsibility.
>
>
>
> Thoughts?
>
> Any comments, feedback or suggestions will be appreciated!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Deb (OT)
>
>
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--
Kendall
An unreasonable man (but my wife says that's redundant!)
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one
persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress
depends on the unreasonable man.
-George Bernard Shaw 1856-1950
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