Young child with epilepsy

[Aries14]

Hello everyone.. We have a trip planned for April and I have a 4 year old with epilepsy. Her doctor has recently mentioned to me (when I asked about what things I need to be careful of during our trip) that my daughter would qualify for the DAS pass. I have done a lot of reading on it. I am just not sure what I am supposed to say if I can't tell her illness? I am correct that I can not go in there and talk about her medical condition? Can I tell them she has seizures? She has a few triggers and heat, being over tired and stressed are her main ones. I guess I am just really confused on what they ask if you are not supposed to tell them the disability or have any documentation.
Thanks all! I appreciate any advice.

 

[aaarcher86]

Hello everyone.. We have a trip planned for April and I have a 4 year old with epilepsy. Her doctor has recently mentioned to me (when I asked about what things I need to be careful of during our trip) that my daughter would qualify for the DAS pass. I have done a lot of reading on it. I am just not sure what I am supposed to say if I can't tell her illness? I am correct that I can not go in there and talk about her medical condition? Can I tell them she has seizures? She has a few triggers and heat, being over tired and stressed are her main ones. I guess I am just really confused on what they ask if you are not supposed to tell them the disability or have any documentation.
Thanks all! I appreciate any advice.

You need to explain why your child can't wait in a traditional line. You can't go in and say "epilepsy" but you can explain how the line environment would affect her and why the DAS would help.

 

[SueM in MN]

The previous poster is correct. Saying that your child has seizures doesn't tell them what the needs are and why waiting in the regular line is an issue. That is what you need to explain.

I don't know if you read this thread about DAS, but the first post in it should be helpful. The thread was begun before DAS was rolled out in 2013, so the rest of the thread is not helpful. The first post has been kept up to date, so just read that.
http://www.disboards.com/threads/wd...15-digital-das-on-tickets-magicbands.3178976/

 

[anonymousegirl]

Over and over we have seen instances where doctors tell patients that they will qualify for a special assistance pass. Truth is, only Disney knows. The doctors are perpetuating a myth, that decades ago, might have been true, but is no longer.

 

[DisneyOma]

Over and over we have seen instances where doctors tell patients that they will qualify for a special assistance pass. Truth is, only Disney knows. The doctors are perpetuating a myth, that decades ago, might have been true, but is no longer.

Yes, the dreaded doctor with the God complex - "I'll write you a note and they'll have to let you to the front of the line" scenario that was prevalent even last week on my FB feed.

OP, find out from your doctor what you can doto prevent/limit the seizures - does she need shade, extra hydration, a stroller as a wheelchair to prevent exhaustion, etc? There's going to be a lot more exposure to heat, stress, etc, outside of the queues for the attractions, and the DAS only works at the attractions with FP+.

 

[gap2368]

when you do to gust relation they will ask what dose she need in lines ( or some thing tho that effect) think of what she needs in lines like dose she need to be able to sit dose she need to be in the shade, dose she need____ this is what you need to be able to tell the CM at GR and they will help you come up with a plane that will help your daughter. as some one else said you can say my daughter has a epilespy and her needs in line are_______

 

[SueM in MN]

Keep in mind that almost all lines are shaded, many are indoors for the majority of the wait and even most of the outdoor ones have fans to stir the air.

There is more information about WDW with epilepsy in the disABILITIES FAQs thread. That thread is near the top of this board or you can follow the link in my signature.
There is some information in post 3 and a lot more in another post further down in that thread.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

they won't even LOOK at a doctor's note. All they want to know is, does the disabled person need to wait somewhere other than the ride queue.

 

[lanejudy]

I guess I am just really confused on what they ask if you are not supposed to tell them the disability or have any documentation.

As others have stated, the CMs at Guest Relations most likely will refuse to look at a doctor's note. Neither her doctor nor anybody here, only a Guest Relations CM, can truly decide whether a DAS is the appropriate accommodation for your daughter. DAS is "need" based, not diagnosis based. So you should be prepared to explain your daughter's needs as related to waiting in a standard queue environment. Maybe you can try out a local zoo or amusement park before your trip, and see how that goes. Or, if you get to WDW and still aren't sure what to say, maybe try a ride or two before going to Guest Relations. You do not have to request the DAS first thing on your first day, you can give the park a try and then head to Guest Relations to discuss what you've experienced so far.

You have specifically mentioned heat, over-tired and stress. I'm thinking a "stroller-as-wheelchair" could help. It gives her a place to escape and rest when she's hot and tired, and stretch her stamina a bit by riding instead of walking all the time. It does not mean she must remain in the stroller all day every day. With a stroller tag, you will be allowed to bring the stroller through the queues. Ride queues are primarily indoors or shaded. You might want to make this your first request, and then see what if anything else she needs based on how your day goes.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[gap2368]

As others have stated, the CMs at Guest Relations most likely will refuse to look at a doctor's note. Neither her doctor nor anybody here, only a Guest Relations CM, can truly decide whether a DAS is the appropriate accommodation for your daughter. DAS is "need" based, not diagnosis based. So you should be prepared to explain your daughter's needs as related to waiting in a standard queue environment. Maybe you can try out a local zoo or amusement park before your trip, and see how that goes. Or, if you get to WDW and still aren't sure what to say, maybe try a ride or two before going to Guest Relations. You do not have to request the DAS first thing on your first day, you can give the park a try and then head to Guest Relations to discuss what you've experienced so far.

You have specifically mentioned heat, over-tired and stress. I'm thinking a "stroller-as-wheelchair" could help. It gives her a place to escape and rest when she's hot and tired, and stretch her stamina a bit by riding instead of walking all the time. It does not mean she must remain in the stroller all day every day. With a stroller tag, you will be allowed to bring the stroller through the queues. Ride queues are primarily indoors or shaded. You might want to make this your first request, and then see what if anything else she needs based on how your day goes.

Enjoy your vacation!

I have seen people clip a fain on to a stroller this will also give her more of a breeze and keep her a little cooler April normally is just starting to get warmer but we ( in FL) have not really had a winter so who know what April will bring.

 

[Aries14]

Thank you all for your help and advice! It's appreciated more than you know. First big trip with her and I just feel like I need to be over prepared for everything. Thanks again everyone

 

[Nevada Jen]

You got good advice on the DAS. Think what would happen if she had a seizure in a packed line and explain that. If she is newly diagnosed, you might not know about bringing a rescue med with you. Ask your neuro about that. Not gonna lie, WDW with a seizure kid the first time is a bit intimidating. If her seizures are infrequent, you really might enjoy the park more just using the stroller as a wheelchair and not trying to figure out the DAS pass on your first trip.

 

[DisneyOma]

You got good advice on the DAS. Think what would happen if she had a seizure in a packed line and explain that. If she is newly diagnosed, you might not know about bringing a rescue med with you. Ask your neuro about that. Not gonna lie, WDW with a seizure kid the first time is a bit intimidating. If her seizures are infrequent, you really might enjoy the park more just using the stroller as a wheelchair and not trying to figure out the DAS pass on your first trip.

If handling a seizure in a 'packed line' is an issue, so much so that a DAS is needed, what precautions/safety would you recommend for a seizure occurring on the attraction itself? Is there a protocol, or some plan Disney has that you know of, etc? Luckily, the most of the attractions are pretty short compared to the standby queue, but is there something that should always be brought along, or should a CM be notified just in case?

 

[MakiraMarlena]

well, they won't give you a DAS for her because she has epilepsy. They will give it because she needs to wait somewhere other than the regular queue. You'd have to think about explaining how having her wait someplace without crowding would help prevent her from having a seizure. If you want, you can say seizure; if you don't want to say it, you can find some other way to express what she needs. As for heat, most queues are indoors or shaded, and there might not be a handy indoor place to wait depending on where you are. Being tired doesn't sound like something that having a DAS could assist with; if she can't stand up for long periods a wheelchair would be suggested.

 

[ladyjubilee]

Hello everyone.. We have a trip planned for April and I have a 4 year old with epilepsy. Her doctor has recently mentioned to me (when I asked about what things I need to be careful of during our trip) that my daughter would qualify for the DAS pass. I have done a lot of reading on it. I am just not sure what I am supposed to say if I can't tell her illness? I am correct that I can not go in there and talk about her medical condition? Can I tell them she has seizures? She has a few triggers and heat, being over tired and stressed are her main ones. I guess I am just really confused on what they ask if you are not supposed to tell them the disability or have any documentation.
Thanks all! I appreciate any advice.

My son is non verbal/autism and epilepsy. I haven't been to WDW since Dec 2014, things may have changed. When we've gone we did take letters about his needs, in case he got separated. I don't know what they did with the letters. But GS did take them into another room saying they were making a copy and took his wristband to the other room. No one claimed the letter had anything to do with DAS or accommodation, but in case of separation. They could have put them in File 13 for all I know, but it made me feel better.

The other area where my experience has been a little different is that the shade in some of the lines wasn't enough for my son. It hasn't been a big deal. I just alerted a cast member and we were able to wait in a shady spot. (Being overheated triggers seizures for him.)

My other suggestion is be sure to have a stroller. Even little guys weigh a ton in the post ictal phase/after Diastat. Finally, if the worst happens, be firm and clear about what you need. On our first visit my son had what we now know was a seizure. With all the chaos, and epilepsy still being 'new' to us, I wasn't clear or firm enough about what we needed with cast members who needed to 'keep the line moving.' Put bluntly I panicked and they just saw a ranting crazy woman. My son's epileptologist firmly educated me never to risk my son's health like that again when I told him what happened.

My final piece of advice is to talk to the epilepsy educator/advocate before you go. Get tips for avoiding events, and go back over the Plan and have epilepsy tattoos on a body part that is very visible.