Have you used one? If so, do you find people you show it to take notice?
I'm thinking of getting one but want to know if it's worthwhile. If it is, is it better to get one with a photo and personalised icons? I'd love something that might help in environments with too much light/noise.
This is Anglesey, literally the end of the line, we don't get as many delieveries as those south of Birmingham do. My son noticed straight away on moving to Manchester from the south east that shelves were empty faster and for longer and that certain things seemed to run out as soom as they'd come in and yet it would be a few days before they were restocked, its the same here. Supermarkets are totally unresponsive to customer demand or needs, or the volume of customers, it not unsual before a a ferry leaves for people to come into Holyhead supermarkets like a plague of locusts and take whole boxes of things and leave massive gaps on the shelves that aren't refilled until the following day, when it all happens again. If you want to be sure of getting something you have to sync your shopping with delivery times and tide times too
That is just such a poor experience. Sorry you got that response, TheCatWoman No-one should be othered like that. And the system needs thinking through by supermarket HQ. Deliveries overnight? I worked nights in a supermarket during the pandemic making sure shelves were replenished and nicely merchandised by 0700 each day, so I know it can be done.
I've not been mocked for wearing a lanyard and I don't have one, but I have been on the recieving end of ignorance about autism, like being told in a supermarket that they have times for people like me, 8:30-10am on a Saturday morning where they keep the lights and music low and also before any deliveries arrive so we'd have to go back later when its loud and busy anyway.
I have it in my bag at all times and wear it selectively: when I am in medical settings, at visitor attractions, on the train, in a big unfamiliar shop or when I am feeling overwhelmed.
I tend to wear layers (except when the weather is hot) so, when I have the sunflower lanyard on, I can pop it inside my hoodie and do a 'ta-da' when I need it.
My experience has been positive to date in outpatient settings in York and also when on holiday in Scotland at Historic Scotland properties, a library and a museum! My local Dunelm was very good too and LNER staff have been supportive.
Mine is the personalised photo one with the icons, from Hidden Disabilities.
I can appreciate it's a risk opening yourself up as a target for ridicule? Its not nice to hear about the lanyard doing the opposite of help for you.
It's hard to trust people sometimes. The point of wearing one is to make people recognise you might need help more, but if they take advantage of that things can be really nasty. The user below mentions about using it in shops, so maybe wearing it for specific circumstances is when the lanyards are most effective.
The different colours was an interesting thought, would likely take a while to be recognised. But ways for people to acknowledge and appreciate a Neuro divergent spectrum is badly needed imo.
We booked assistance via Bristol Airport this summer, and they said we should have booked via the airline when we got the tickets.
They suggested the system was being abused by people just turning up and saying they need help, so they've tightened things up.
Luckily they let us go through the assistance lane as we could show that we'd booked something even if it wasn't via their approved method.
At other airports overseas we've often found the sunflower lanyard is spotted and we're offered assistance straight away.
We've never been questioned as to why we have it, though I'm not naive enough to think that never happens
At the airport I suggest pre booking “assistance”, the lanyard on its own won’t do the trick there but we pre book assistance and last time at Manchester were sped through security by passing all the queues. Of course the security is the same but they were really helpful when I explained my pain from fibromyalgia made it very difficult to remove my shoes. Then coming back from Dublin it was similar and we had a personal car across the airstrip concrete to the plane steps. We also declare disability when booking and get great access seats with more leg room, no fuss about sitting together, and this is with budget airlines.
There is a lot of genuine help out there but you need, or a carer does, to advocate assertively to get it sometimes
I tried using it at the airport but it only made getting through security harder. (Asked to remove it for the scanner, the woman looked at it like I shouldn't have it.) Don't think I'll wear it again.
Mine definitely helps, the lanyard itself and the badge are a standard recognisable format, it has helped a lot when travelling by both train and bus, and in shops and supermarkets. Recently a member of staff in a huge store could see I was distressed, spotted the lanyard, came and asked how she could help and then led me past the long queue of aggravated customers to a quiet separated area without the queue where I was able to pay. The small details that can be put on the badge didnt impact this experience but were I unable to communicate they would have. I recommend them 100%, but only buy them from the Hidden Disabilities charity.
That is awful. Mind you they can’t even get the “ My Name is….” Push right. I have to access NHS with parents. I lose count of people who don’t tell you who they are. Name or position. Just start talking at you. I can see why a sunflower would pass them by. You don’t look autistic is classic. I’ve had that, along with it is just a label or we are all autistic really. A very long way to go I think.
If there are so many lanyards around that people don't know what they mean now, how will having different coloured sunflowers for different conditions or parts of the spectrum help?
Does anyone feel more vulnerable wearing a sunflower lanyard? It could make people more likely to be targeted by bullies etc?
That sounds so harsh. Are they autistic too? Do they understand what might help (I don't want to judge). Having one to put on at any time is useful to have, you could have the option to wear it as you please
I've noticed these are becoming increasingly common, and over time should become more accepted. I read a story recently about a young boy who wore one to the Formula 1 in Silverstone, and it made his experience a lot more enjoyable. There was a time when they didn't exist, and everyone was pigeon-holed into one standard (more so, at least). But society is wising up, and we have the opportunity to feel more comfortable in our own skin wearing a sunflower lanyard.
I don't know how valuable this would be, but maybe different coloured sunflowers to better illustrate the sceptrum, and accommodate varying needs between people?
Even so knowing my luck and clumsyness I'd end up with it caught on something and strangle myself
Having to have a photo is enough to put me off.
It's optional.
Having to have a photo is enough to put me off.
I can't be doing with bracelets of any description and if I had to get a necklace listing all my allergies and autism, and arthritis, fibromyalgia etc, it would be a breast plate!
Sorry, I despair, and held off sharing this, but it's my real NHS experience.
So sorry you went through this, but all experience is useful information, not just the positive stuff. We still have so far to go in educating people and, alas, it falls to us to have to do so much of that work. 
