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This Article is From Dec 07, 2014

For Kids With Autism, A 'Flight' To Ease Stress

For Kids With Autism, A 'Flight' To Ease Stress
Nathaniel Epstein, 14, smiles as he sits in his seat on an airplane at the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. (Associated Press)
Maryland: With boarding passes in hand, children with autism spectrum disorders and their families took part in an air travel rehearsal at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Fifty families experienced a typical day at an airport, from check-in and security to receiving peanuts and pretzels from flight attendants onboard a Southwest Airlines jet for a 30-minute simulated "flight" that never left the gate.

Rehearsals like this one originated with a Massachusetts-based chapter of The Arc, an advocacy organization for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The goal is to alleviate some of the stress of air travel for children with autism.

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