Traveling in itself can take a lot out of you. Traveling with your autistic child can bring in a whole other set of challenges. And those challenges may even prevent you from traveling altogether. Well, there may be some changes underway.

The Philadelphia Inquirer featured a story about a hotel in Tenafly, New Jersey, called the Clinton Inn Hotel – which offers a first-of-its-kind suite specifically designed for families with autistic children. So, what does it offer? Its offers unbreakable glass for everything from the wineglasses to the glass in the cabinet doors, furniture with rounded corners and soft bumpers, safety locks, door locks that are mounted high and an alarm that sounds when you open the door (preventing wandering – which can be a regular occurrence). If the design wasn’t enough to provide some peace of mind, when families who have autistic children check in, they are provided a welcome kit with puzzles, crayons, coloring books and other items – and they get a special-needs menu and complimentary in-room movie. A portion of the proceeds from guests in the suite support Autism Speaks, so they are giving back to the autism community.

This is such a great idea – and one that I hope many, if not all hotels, will implement for families touched by autism. We are seeing more and more how businesses are recognizing the needs of those with autism and providing specialized services to better accommodate families. (You can read about some of these businesses in this past post.) Kudos to the Clinton Inn Hotel for taking the lead and helping families take some of the stress out of their travels.

What does autism mean to us today? It means a suite of our own. What about you?

Best,
Jenifer