Practice airport experience reduces travel anxiety for children with disabilities

Helga Hood, left, sits with her son, Max, aboard a United 737 during a Wings for All simulated flight at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, in Houston. The Arc hosted a Wings for All event, designed to alleviate some of the stress that people with disabilities and their families experience when traveling by air. The children and their families ran through a "practice" scenario going through check in, security and boarding an airplane. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle ) less Helga Hood, left, sits with her son, Max, aboard a United 737 during a Wings for All simulated flight at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, in Houston. The Arc hosted a Wings for ... more Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Practice airport experience reduces travel anxiety for children with disabilities 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Bush Intercontinental Airport is holding its fifth Wings for All event Tuesday to provide a practice airport experience for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

With their parents, the children will practice obtaining boarding passes, going through airport security, waiting in the boarding area and then boarding an airplane.

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Airports can be a stressful experience, and more so for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Wings for All is designed to take away some of the anxiety and to make traveling easier for families who have children with disabilities.

"The 'practice' is both a teaching and learning opportunity for families, TSA, airport, and airline personnel in building confidence and familiarity with air travel processes and in alleviating stress so that air travel is successful for everyone involved," Ana M. Martinez, CEO for The Arc of Texas, said in a news release.

This event is held in partnership with Bush Intercontinental Airport, United Airlines, the Transportation Security Administration, The Arc and the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism.