Hi there
Has anyone visited the parks with a child who has seizures? I am hoping everything will be OK - we plan to take things slowly. I just wanted to know what would be the recommended course of action if DS (9) should have a seizure while on a ride or in line? We are thinking of going to DL for the weekend and I am probably being over-cautious but want to have a back-up plan for in case he has a seizure. Any advice please?
Thanks:)

Hi there

Has anyone visited the parks with a child who has seizures? I am hoping everything will be OK - we plan to take things slowly. I just wanted to know what would be the recommended course of action if DS (9) should have a seizure while on a ride or in line? We are thinking of going to DL for the weekend and I am probably being over-cautious but want to have a back-up plan for in case he has a seizure. Any advice please?
Thanks:)

I care for people who have seizures, just take the same course of action you would take anywhere else if she has one. If flashing lights and strobes are triggers, maybe stick to outside rides, or ones without those triggers. Also, don't forget you can utilize the first aid station, if needed.
Relax and have a good time, Mommy knows best, I'm sure you will do everything possible to ensure a great day, and if things go wrong you will handle it the best you can.

jencape,

My daughter has a severe seizure disorder and we make 3 or 4 trips to the parks each year. I'm going to assume you already have a good idea of your sons’ triggers so I recommend reading the guide for disabilities to learn which rides have strobe effects or other effects that might be an attraction you might want to consider avoiding.

If he is anything like my daughter two triggers that are harder to control are excitement and exhaustion. For the first ....there really isn't much you can do, it's Disneyland...so keep an eye on him, take the first day 'kind of slow' if you have the time to do so. Let him take in the magic around him at his pace. My daughter is ambulatory
But because she’s 4’10” and too big for me to carry if she seizes, she has a wheelchair that we use to help the exhaustion issue and so I can transport her if we need to after a seizure. The first aid center is awesome for ‘recovery time’ if you aren’t staying at a local hotel or if you just don’t want to leave the parks and if you have more than one child one parent can stay in the First aid center while your son relaxes and recovers (they have a very nice area for that) and the other parent can take the other child/children and visit other attractions.

If he seizes ON a ride…just hold him and comfort him thru the seizure and at the unload zone tell the CM. They aren’t allowed to assist you in removing him from the ride vehicles but they can stop the ride if they need to giving you extra time to lift him our or they can and will gladly call for a nurse with a wheelchair to assist you in taking him to the First Aid Center.

Thank you both for taking the time to reply to my question. We have decided to go ahead and hopefully things will be fine. We plan on taking things slowly so thanks for your kind words:)
Jen

jencape, go have a wonderful time and if your world includes 'frequent seizures' like mine does don't let that stop your family from enjoying the parks. I've yet to go and have her make it thru an entire trip without a seizure, we just deal with it whenever it happens, let her have some recovery time and she's ready to go again pretty quickly. Don't worry about being embarrassed if he does have a seizure, it's a medical condition and beyond his control, no one is going to think anything negative and most of the time strangers will even approach and ask if they can help in any way. The CM's at Disneyland/DCA have always been more than wonderful/helpful when we are dealing with her during a seizure. The fun and memories are totally worth the effort it takes to go to the parks with a kid with special needs whatever they might be.

We don't have seizures but we do have a child with a g-tube and Sandifer's (looks like seizures). Please go and have an awesome time. We do and we are so happy when we encounter others with disabilities. It is good for families to get out and have fun together. The way we see it we have to provide the same care no matter where we are. We might as well be having fun or a nice change of scenery at the same time.

...It is good for families to get out and have fun together. The way we see it we have to provide the same care no matter where we are. We might as well be having fun or a nice change of scenery at the same time.

Missy has a g tube as well now and the First Aid center ROCKS whenever we need to use it for meds or nurishment! The resort goes to great lengths to ensure special needs guests (and their families) have the tools they need available .....a quiet area in the First Aid Center for rest and recovery, a huge family bathroom for those who need assistance, a RN is on duty at all times that the park is open...they have bandaides, pain relievers and sunscreen available to guests at no charge. There are a lot of entertainment options out there begging for our money but until one of the other parks can even come close to matching the level of assistance that the DLR does, we'll just stay with our Happy place.

MamaSilva~

You are so right, we had to go to Stanford a few months ago and as long as we were in the area we visited another theme park that the kids had been seeing on tv and begging to go to. There was absolutely nothing for families to do together other than watch a few shows. The rides were all for certain heights that left other family members out.

It was really cold and I had called the week before to inquire where I could do g-tube feedings (bolus) and change diapers. The only place was a first aid station in a small modular in a far back corner of the park. It was dirty, air mattresses on the floor instead of gurneys, sheets that may or may not have been changed between patients etc. We will never go back!

Disney rocks!!! My husband asked for a piece of tape last week and they just handed him the whole roll just in case.

Without a lot of guesswork I feel confident in assuming the park you visited was a Six Flags park...they've changed the name a few times but not their policies. Before the g tube we actually had season passes to the one in Vallejo. We've gone one time since her illness and that was to take my ohana grandsons to see all the animals and ride the smaller kid rides and to pet/train the dolphins which they did love...but now that she needs even more specialty care we don't even bother.

We have just returned from the most awesome weekend at D/L. I was a little unnerved by the crowds, especially on Saturday but everything was fine. DS loves Star Wars and was lucky enough be be chosen as a Padawan at the Jedi Training Academy. I could see his nervousness (trembling) when he had to face Darth Maul but he held it together and was a real star. We took rest breaks, and people watched and let him select what rides he wanted to do. It worked well for us and we had a wonderful time. The biggest concern I had was when evening approached it seemed as if everyone was wearing flashing necklaces, even while standing in line to ride (aaarrgh)! The necklaces have the same effect as strobe lights so every time I saw someone in line with a flashing necklace, I gave DS a hug as a distraction - it worked for him and it certainly worked for me;)

Thank you all for your words of encouragement and support. It was wonderful to have a fun weekend together as a family and I am planning our next trip as I write!:)

It was wonderful to have a fun weekend together as a family and I am planning our next trip as I write!:)
That's so good to hear! Glad it worked out!

Glad you guys had a great trip and I agree 110 percent on those flashing nightmares! The old school glow stuff that just glowed wasn't a problem but strobe effect is strobe effect be it in a controled situation you can avoid like inside an attraction or beyond your control when they are everywhere you turn. I've been known to ask others to turn them off inside attractions, I'm very very polite and appologetic when I explain their necklace is putting my daughter at risk, I've never yet had a guest be rude and refuse. BUT I only do it while we're in the queue or on an attraction like HM. If we're waiting for fireworks or a parade then I just move away with her.

MammaSilva, I am in Benicia and we used to go to Marine World(before it was Six Gags) all the time but once it changed over, I was less than impressed with the service and cleanliness. I preferred the animal shows to the rides(for good rides I go to Great America lol). Nice to see another local!

MammaSilva, I am in Benicia and we used to go to Marine World(before it was Six Gags) all the time but once it changed over, I was less than impressed with the service and cleanliness. I preferred the animal shows to the rides(for good rides I go to Great America lol). Nice to see another local!



They actually had a GM for a while that they had lured away from Disney and for that brief time the park turned things around in regards to cleanliness and Customer Service, the man was out with his crew greeting guests, picking up litter, you never knew when you'd see him in the park .... he came up with a guest assistance program that worked fairly for the guests with special needs and the First Aid station was immaculant...he left and that was the last of that level of service, in fact my family that worked there both left after he did because they didn't want to work in that enviornment any longer.

We haven't gone up to Great America ever....for us it's always Disneyland.

I am prone to seizures and there are a few things that the resort offers. Be sure to visit City Hall or Guest Relations at either park and speak to a Cast Member. They will be able to provide you with help and resources to make your stay more comfortable based on your specific needs and help you with any questions/ concerns you may have.