I post this pic on my Autism Daddy Facebook Page every couple of months and I’m always shocked at how many people don’t know that in many (most?) states in the US you may qualify for a handicap parking permit if your child has autism. To me this is one of the only perks of autism… (along with the front of the line pass at amusement parks)
🙂
I did a google search on “parking permits & autism” and there is no definitive website with all the info about this. So I figured let me write a blog post to be THE place to learn about all this.
Let me start by saying that how it worked for me and my son. We live in New York and my severe asd son has no sense of danger and sometimes likes to bolt / dart away which in a big crowded parking lot can be SCARY.
So in NY we printed out the application from the NY DMV website online, filled it out, and brought it to our pediatrician who filled out his part and confirmed that he has a disability… And then mailed it to the DMV
And in a few weeks… presto! great parking spots at the zoo, amusement parks, movie theaters, Costco 🙂 AS LONG AS YOU HAVE YOUR ASD KID WITH YOU…
We don’t have the special license plates. We have the visor thing you see in the picture which I think is better. It says YTH which means Youth and you can switch it to any car that your disabled kid is in. Even when my sister watches Kyle for an afternoon we give it to her…
We definitely don’t use it all the time by any means if there are other decent spots available…but if it means walking a 1/2 mile into a store, I’m taking the handicapped spot… The wife and i call that “playing the A-card…” And most newer stores now seem to have a plethora of handicap spots available.
And after having the permit for 2 years I can honestly say that I’ve almost never seen a person in a wheelchair in a handicapped spot… Most of the people I see APPEAR to be perfectly healthy elderly people who get their dr’s to say they need it….(my mom falls into this category and it drives me crazy!) Sometimes I’ll see people with breathing problems or canes or a van from a group home… but I’ve never felt like I was taking somebody else’s space. There always seems to be enough spaces around. And so far I have never gotten stares or questions from people as to why we are using the space… but if you see my son for a minute you kinda get it… 🙂
So below are links to all the handicap parking permit info & forms, state by state. I believe all states require a doctor’s signature on part of the form. Some states are a lot stricter than others. New York State seems to be one of the easiest states. It has 2 check boxes on the form that apply to some in the ASD community.
1) “Severely limited in ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological or orthopedic condition.”
2) “Has a physical or mental impairment or condition not listed above which constitutes an equal degree of disability, and which imposes unusual hardship in the use of public transportation and prevents the person from getting around without great difficulty.”
But MANY other states have stipulations that may apply to autism but you may have to fight for them…
Many states say something like…
“Is severely limited in the ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition”
I would fight on those grounds that because of your kid’s NEUROLOGICAL condition it severely limits his ability to walk SAFELY…
Some states on the form have a check box for…
“Cannot walk without the use of, or assistance from, another person or brace, cane, crutch, prosthetic device, wheelchair or other assistance device.”
My asd kid cannot walk without holding mom or dads hand… so that counts…
So, again look for your state below and check out the forms and see what your state says…
And please report back if you’ve had success or failure in your state and I will revise this post.
Also if you live in another country and have knowledge of this, please send me the link to the forms and any info you have on your country and I will add it to this page.
Good luck!
—————
ADDED 12/5/12 — Every time I post & repost this I take some flack because people don’t get my warped sense of humor (as you can tell by many of the comments below). I write a lot of my blog with a very “tongue in cheek” style. So consider this my disclaimer…
Of course, I don’t consider this a “perk” of autism, but you gotta look on the bright side sometimes right?. Of course I don’t abuse the situation. Of course I know that there’s lots of people who are walking and use handicapped spots and have completely legitimate reasons. Of course I don’t think all kids with autism should get this or even should qualify for it. But if your kid has “elopement” issues and/or has no sense of danger, and your pediatrician can confirm this then why not get it? Ok, now on to the state’s weblinks… Good luck!
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You are a lifesaver!!!
just PLEASE don't park in the spot that has the big white lines next to it, I REALLY need those to unload my son's wheelchair. Thank you
YES, PLEASE don't... I totally understand where you're coming from.
Here is the new link for Texas, the old one had moved! Your awesome! THank you!
http://www.txdmv.gov/vehicles/drivers/disabled.htm
OK, I have to say that your comment about never seeing anyone in a wheelchair use a handicapped spot kind of offends me. I follow you on Facebook quite religiously, since I have 3 kids on the spectrum and we are approximately the same age. However, I will tell you that to YOU, my 68 year old mother may LOOK like one of those "healthy elderly people" who just got her doctor to say she needs a handicapped placard. But to ME, I know that she's a woman with a heart condition, and that to walk 20 feet to the bathroom from the couch leaves her winded, and she rarely leaves the house to go to the store because it's so hard for her to breathe. SO, you know how angry WE get when someone labels our kid as a spoiled brat who would get better if we would just (fill in the blank)....? Well, that's how it is for me when I think about how you would judge my mother if you saw her. I'm just sayin'.
That said, this is AWESOME information, and I think it's great that you put it out there, because for some kiddos, it's a definite need. I don't think it is for mine at this time, but I appreciate having the information. Thanks for your dedication to getting the plight of autism out there.
I have a heart condition. I don't look handicapped but I can get very tired and short of breath if I walk very far. I'm not old, either. If I'm not having a "bad" day I may not park in the handicap spots and I usually don't park in the closest spot. I leave that for people that have problems far worse than mine.
If I had a child that darted away like that in the parking lot, you can darn well bet that I would not be letting go of them, period. I am the adult and I am responsible for them. No excuses. There is always a way to work things out, even if you have a cart, other children, etc. If you ask for someone to help you with your cart at the grocery store, I'd bet that at the very least they will take the cart to your car while you keep track of your child. That way you can get your child buckled up in their car seat and then load the groceries in the car. Use your child lock on the door if they can get out of their car seat on their own. Even if I parked in a handicapped space with them they could still dart into traffic coming out of the store or they may run away from the car entirely. Perhaps the closer parking will help cut down this problem a little, but it won't entirely eliminate it, so parents, be careful.
AGREED!!!!!!!!!! My son uses a wheelchair and there are many times that I cannot find an accessible spot. Most recently, had to take him to ER for the flu. Had to park pretty far away, and there were NO curb cuts for us to use as the disabled spots were free. As a result, had to wheel him in the driving lanes in the freezing cold. And before he used a wheelchair, his muscular dystrophy only allowed him to walk short distances without having to be picked up and carried (at 80 pounds). We got soooo many dirty looks for using the placard at that point in our lives. We still get dirty looks that we even have a placard for our son (when he is not with us) even though we park in "regular" spots as he is not with us. Have had people ask, why do YOU need a handicapped tag, even though not parked in handicapped space.
I went to a couple of stores recently and ALL of the handicapped spots were taken. I saw this poor woman that could barely walk have to walk from another space since there were no handicapped spots left for her to park in. She looked like she was in pain, too. There either needs to be more handicap spots or they need to become more restrictive over giving them out. It seems like everyone has an excuse these days. I think the point of having them is starting to be lost. It also irks me a bit when handicapped spots are placed further away from regular spots. What's the point of that?
I agree, thought my son has Autism I could prob. get one but at this time he's capable of walking. The intent for SOME Autistic children is to have them feel like other kids so I won't allow myself to get one until the time comes that I feel I need one. Than I will only use it when I NEED it not just because I can.
Finally! I have been stating that over and over again. It is getting very difficult to do things that i need to do. IF I can't find a disabled spot, then I can't get out of my car. I need the spot WITH THE WHITE LINES to get in and out of my car. But then again, instead of listening to the people who really need those spots, you'll assume that we don't know anything about autism.
I agree with anonymous. I don't believe a child with autism needs a handicap sticker. If they are physically disabled to the point of needing to park closer, then yes but just because they dart does not mean they need one. It makes no difference if you park closer. They child can still dart and get hurt. I have a handicap sticker but rarely use it as there are others that need those spots. Those that can't walk or can't breath well enough to get to where they are going.
I don't think autism is valid excuse for a parking permit in North Carolina, according to what I read.
Very ignorant of you. No one needs your opinion, since you obviously don't know much about Autism
I realize this comment is super old, but someone might find it helpful. LOL It's a little nebulous in NC. I do have one for my autistic son. It kind of depends on the comfort level of your pediatrician. Mine was ok with using the "neurological condition that severely limits walking" or whatever it was. He is not only inclined to bolt but also to just drop to the ground. The older and bigger he gets, the bigger a safety issue this becomes.
I am debating on getting one for my son in NC. He is only three now, so for the time being I can juggle him and my 5 year old pretty well, but give him a few extra pounds or a heavier than usual shopping bag and it could be a different story. My son is inclined to drop to the ground when its time to hold hands if he does not want to follow directions, he is unaware of danger, and he will bolt if he can.... I suppose this is a topic I will need to discuss at our next ped. appointment. Thanks!!
This is something that I am going to have to talk to my cousin about. She has a three year old little boy with severe autism and mild ODD, so he can be very combative. He is about the size of a five or six year old. He likes to drop out of nowhere, bolt, and if he is having a really bad day, fight every single person around him. So I am going to have to show this to my cousin and talk to her about it. I know people would probably give us dirty looks. But I would rather get dirty looks than have him run off in the middle of a parking lot or drop suddenly with all the cars and not have somebody see him. He has a little sister, and if his mom has to go to the store alone with them, or I have to, or their dad has to, this would be very handy. Or even just two of us, because it takes two people sometimes just to get him buckled into his seat. So this is definitely something I am going to have his mom look into and see if she would be interested in it.
I have a son with Autism who is a 'big boy' at the age of 9. He runs towards cars moving and/or parked to look inside them or to open the doors. We take all precautions necessary to make sure he doesn't hurt himself.. but there have been times where we just could not restrain him for a long walk through the parking lot. His grandparents absolutely cannot hold onto him. I have thought about applying for a permit but have felt that I was handling the situation and could do without. Lately, we feel it's time to try for a permit. Our last issue was to see my daughter playing with her elementary school band at a college football game and they requested we park about 1/2 mile away. I cried! I begged them to please let us through and they did. We would have never gotten to see her if we had to park far. They strongly requested that we get a handicapped sticker. I would never, ever use this if it weren't absolutely necessary. Autism sucks! Living with it is so very difficult for everyone in the family. Please don't judge us... we are doing the best we can! Don't you think we try to teach them to hold hands etc? I truly feel for those who have physically disabled children and they deserve a spot always. Please try to understand where we come from too... A 100lb child who lays in the middle of the parking lot and won't get up because they refuse to walk isn't easy to tend with.
We've had a permit in MD for years. Actually it is in the name of our child with EG, since if he flares he can be so weak he can't walk, but our MD was perfectly willing otherwise to sign for our child with ACC, since there are times that due to his unpredictable behavior, he wouldn't be safe crossing a parking lot without physical parental hand-holding and/or direction. We rarely use it, but we had no trouble obtaining it.
Just like the above post, I'm quite offended by the remark about "healthy elderly". I was able to get a handicap placard at the advice of my severe ASD sons neurologist.
I work as a nurse in a geriatric physicians office. No one in this doctors practice receives a placard unless they have a disability, such as a heart problem, needs oxygen, or something pretty severe.
I have a child with mild ASD who IS a runner and has less safety awareness sometimes than my more severe child. That being said, I could not get a placard for him because, although autistic, hes verbal, and he can follow directions, it's more of a behavioral issue for him.
Please don't judge you sound stupid!
I think AD means people who obviously move around quite well for holding a handicap parking pass. In other words you "know". It just depends on how you read what he types. Those with breathing problems of course dont move very well and you can tell deserve to have the privilege.
Calling others stupid is childish and is just a reflection of yourself. If you follow him then you should know his writing technique and style. He wasnt labeling anyone but those who may be "abusing" the use of the parking privilege and we all know there are those who do abuse things like that out there.
AD, I understand how the darting issues can be a problem. I have 2 of them and they both still have issues comprehending not to take off. I dont go out on me own with them and always park near a sidewalk in the parking lot so I wouldnt choose to apply for the parking pass. For those who really can use it though its good that its available.
Thanks
I agree with you. I think it's great that AD can use humor in dealing with this pervasive disorder. As an SLP, I work with a mother who prefers to see the positives of her two children's behaviors, rather than dwelling on the many negatives (e.g., darting in parking lots, not waiting in lines, screaming in stores, etc.). I strongly believe in helping parents cope with every little aspect of their daily lives -- whether it is parking in a closer spot or hiring a nanny to watch the kids (which is not always possible or affordable!).
- Kate Shepard, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
I wonder how soon is too soon to apply for one. My son is 2, so I can still carry him (30 pounds) most of the time from car/parking lot into a store. I suppose when I can't carry him anymore, it will be time to get one. My son is a runner, through and through.
my son is 2 and he has already tried running from me. the doctor said before his diagnosis he would sign off on one for us, so no it is not too soon to get one.
I've adjusted my wording above so I don't sound so stupid... :-)
I am disabled myself so I don't need to pursue a placard for my son because I already qualify. When I get out of the car, a lot of times people think I am just fine but in all reality I have very weak knees and legs that give out and dislocate on me if I walk too far (Ehlers Danlos). I have always been frusterated at people that think they can decide I have no business being in the handicapped spot just because they can't "see" what is wrong.
I think this is a WONDERFUL thing that they are allowing this for the "unseen" disability of Autism too. It truly does give a life protecting asset to us parents of these precious children who can't understand the dangers of the parking lots and other cars. If I saw someone getting out of their car in handicapped parking spot I wouldn't challenge them. Even if their taking that spot meant there wasn't one left for me. I figure as long as they have the placard or plate, they have a reason for being there and they obviously need it. :)
Thanks so much for sharing this. :)