Wings For All

 I participated as a volunteer at a special event this past weekend. The Arc of Colorado, United Airlines and the Denver Airport put on the Wings for All event.  https://thearc.org/our-initiatives/travel/ This event provided an opportunity for those touched by intellectual, developmental disabilities to practice traveling by airplane. Many families dealing with IDD don’t travel by airplane at all knowing that the experience would most definitely affect someone who deals with sensory issues.

Imagine your last experience at an airport, not at all relaxing. Now try to imagine how it would feel to one who is regularly overstimulated by noises, smells and feelings. 

Wings for All gives an individual the opportunity experience going through security and boarding an airplane without the added pressure of making a flight on time. Experience allows individuals with sensory sensitivity to understand and prepare for all the sensations that travel by air can cause. 

It was so heartwarming to see the relief in parents eyes when they saw their children triumphantly concur the sensory overload that would normally trigger a breakdown.