Mom Braces for Backlash From 'Rude People' for Taking Autistic Son on Plane
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A mom of four has opened up about feeling "tense" around other passengers on planes when she's traveling with her 3-year-old son, who is autistic.
Stephanie Randall from Baltimore, Maryland, posted footage to her Instagram @bephiebucks of her son Shyne "stimming" to cope with the stress of being on a flight. Shyne is the youngest of Randall's children, along with Shai, 6, Shiloh, 13, and Sanaa, 21. Like Shyne, Shai is also autistic.
Randall has never shied away from sharing the realities of her family's life on social media. "I was inspired to start creating content because I come from a family who loves to take pictures and videos," she told Newsweek.
So when Shyne began stimming, a term used to describe the repetitive self-stimulatory behaviors some people with autism engage in to help regulate emotions and manage sensory input, Randall got her phone out and began to record.
Stephanie Randall on a flight with her son, Shyne.
Stephanie Randall on a flight with her son, Shyne.
Instagram/bephiebucks
There were several reasons for wanting to record that day. The family was flying to Florida to celebrate Shai's birthday. The challenge here was not Shyne's behavior, but what Randall describes as the unwarranted "huffs and puffs" her son's behavior prompts from other passengers on the plane.
"I decided to record because I am actively documenting both my sons' journey with autism, and it's always tense for me when I take them out because a lot of people are uneducated and rude," she said. "I wanted to shed light on what goes on in my mind when I'm in public with my boys."
Around 1 in every 31 children aged 8 has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ASD is three times more common among boys than girls. While each case is unique, most will be well-versed in the challenges that come with ASD.
Yet, according to Randall, some still lack the necessary empathy and understanding when it comes to encountering parents traveling with autistic children.
"It is not out of the ordinary to encounter rude people when traveling, or just being out and about for that matter," she said.
She often used to dread traveling. However, more recently, she changed her approach.
"In the beginning it gave me so much anxiety that I would be overly apologetic and try to explain just for some people to continue on with the nasty stares and glares," she said. "Now, I ask is there a reason they are staring. Or I give them them a nasty look back. Or I ask is there a problem."
The start of any flight is usually the most challenging time for Randall and her son. Boarding can be particularly difficult. "Because so many people are moving around and talking," she said. "I just allow him to stim like you see in the video."
Like many, Shyne struggles with take-off. His mom is by his side to help him through, though.
"I'm guessing it's the sensation of going up; he has the same reaction on elevators," she said. That's when he may start vocal stimming and grabbing on me. In that case, if I see the stimming isn't working for him, I'll put my arm around him and talk to him for reassurance."
Though some passengers offer quiet judgment, Randall notes that plenty do come to their aid. "People will just smile or offer a snack. Even though Shyne is picky about what he eats, I still appreciate the gesture," she said. Other people will tell me how good Shyne and Shai are doing."
Randall similarly praises the support the airlines she travels with provide.
"I really just want my sons to be treated with respect," she said. "Not to be treated like some highly infectious disease."
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