Why care about learning to drive? After all, POTS is a serious MEDICAL condition.
Well…..
Learning to drive is a rite of passage for almost all teens.
But it is more than that.
Using a private vehicle to get around can be huge for self-esteem.
It can also make life easier. Buses and Ubers are never going to be as comfortable or as stressless as driving to class, to therapy, or to a bestie’s house.
Driver Education classes or private instructors rarely know how to accommodate teens with POTS.
They need to.
They may want to.
It isn’t easy or simple. If they don’t, won’t, or can’t learn how to accommodate kids with POTS, their OTs and their parents should be able to step in and guide the process so that learning to drive isn’t painful or a failure. These kids face frustrations or potential failures on a daily basis. This is something that can be made easier and give them a success!!
I wrote a recent handout pack for Your Therapy Source on teens with dysautonomia and hypermobility: Teens with Hypermobility and Dysautonomia . One of the most important sheets in the pack discusses how to navigate driver education.
Here are 3 important takeaways from my handout pack:
- Beware the trees inside the car. Air fresheners can be overwhelming to a driver with dysautonomia. Strong scents are among the most common triggers for POTS symptoms. Those tree-shaped air fresheners can’t be used inches away from a teen’s face while driving.
- Optimize safety. Teens who have sudden episodes of lightheadedness or dizziness may not be safe to learn to drive. They can take classes on a simulator. They can be a passenger and learn many defensive driving strategies. They can learn basic car maintenance. But they can only get behind the wheel of a car when an instructor has the ability to immediately take control. Learning to drive can be the motivation a teen needs to be serious about managing their condition well.
- Timing lessons with optimal medical stability is vital for successful learning. Learning any new skill is easier when rested, hydrated, and calm. Kids with POTS often take medications or wear compression garments to improve orthostatic homeostasis. They need to be behind the wheel during their peak times, not their worst times of day. Weekends are more flexible. If they need private lessons timed to their condition, then that is the right choice.
Need more information to help YOUR teen?
Take a look at my handout pack on the site where you can buy all of my handouts and books:
Your Therapy Source
