Special needs child and ear defenders on takeoff.

[monoceros]

Hi,
I have a child with learning difficulties and aural sensitivity. When we fly we try to used ear defenders. We usually fly ba and I usually phone ahead and tell them what we need to do, there are promises that it will be put onto the manifest and will all be okay. Most often the cabin staff are not aware and it ends up as a negotiation between me and the cabin crew, never an argument, if they say no after I have put my case then I accept it.

So we have a flight on a different carrier (Meridiana) and have no idea where I actually stand.

My son is 8, mental age of about half that. Communicates with sign language and some speech. In an emergency he would not be able to understand cabin crew verbal directions and will need to be directed by me and as I understand it the objection to ear defenders is that the needs to be able to hear the instructions (which he cannot understand Enron if he could hear them). He has a hearing sensitivity and is much happier on takeoff if he wears ear defenders ( over the ear kind) and the gentle pressure the exert helps to calm him.

Is there an official position on this? Some documentation that the cabin crew can accept to avoid my having to negotiate this every time?

Thanks in advance.