Hidden Disability Sunflower Lanyards: How to get a free one and 8 reasons your autistic child should wear one

sunshinelayla
Oct 14
5 min read

You may have seen children or adults wearing a distinctive green lanyard printed with sunflowers around their neck. This is a hidden disability lanyard, and it can be worn by anyone, including children with autism, adhd, learning disabilities or epilepsy.

About the lanyard

The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard was created in 2016 and launched in Gatwick Airport in the May of that year. The lanyard was originally designed to help airport staff identify passengers that may need additional help while travelling / transiting through the airport. It was such a success that the scheme was rolled out across all major UK airport over the next three years. It is now used to across society both in the UK and abroad, including supermarkets, GP surgeries, NHS, museums, galleries, libraries and other transport providers. Millions have now been distributed to people all over the world.

The lanyard can be worn by anyone, you do not have to prove to anyone that you are disabled, and their is no list of included conditions or diagnoses. If you or your child would like people to know that you have a hidden disability, then you can wear one.

Should I consider a sunflower lanyard for my autistic / adhd child?

An autistic child wearing a hiden disability sunflower lanyard on board a plane, looking out of the window

Both our boys are neurodivergent, and it is not always obvious that they have a hidden disability such as autism or adhd. We first came across the lanyard in 2023 when we booked special assistance on a flight from Gatwick. At first neither us or the boys were too sure about wearing it, it seemed so bright and we felt that it made us stand out in a way that we weren't comfortable with.

Fast forward two years and we have totally changed our minds, the boys love wearing them and we take the lanyards with us wherever we go. It definitely helps that they come with a clip at the end that you can attach a chewy or fidget toy on to as well.

We would absolutely recommend getting a sunflower lanyard for your child, even if you wear it on their behalf. Read on to see why.

8 reasons why you or your child should consider wearing a sunflower lanyard for autism / adhd

It lets those around you know that your child may find interactions with new people or environments more difficult than others. We have found that venue staff are more likely to give us time and space to do what we need to do for our children, without us having to ask for it
In health care settings it makes it clear to staff that you will need extra support - GPs, hospitals, dentists etc are all places that autistic kids may feel extra stressed in and will need any communication or interactions with them to be adapted in response.

Staff in many organisations are now trained to recognise the lanyards and understand why people wear them. They will feel more confident about starting a conversation with you, and it makes it easier for you ask for help or explain what adjustments your child might need.

It makes us feel confident to ask if we can use the disabled access queue / or move to front of a queue at entrances to tourist attractions. museums, galleries etc. We also carry proof of disability such as the National Hidden Disability Card and Access Card but are rarely asked to show them.

We find people are less likely to view our children as badly behaved - the sunflower lanyard signifies that there is more going on in the moment then they realise

It can start conversations with other parents. It is not unusual for other mums or dads to reach out and say something like... "I see your son is wearing the sunflowers, is he autistic? My daughter / grandson etc... is as well."

AT AIRPORTS: Many airports (like Gatwick) now have a dedicated passport queue for people wearing the sunflower lanyard. This can be helpful if this part of the journey is difficult for your child and they would benefit from greater understanding. It is not a skip the queue pass, but they will try to process you through as quickly as they can.

I think this last point is the most important one:

Encouraging our autistic children to wear the sunflower lanyard instils in them the belief that they should in no way be ashamed or afraid to ask for extra support or help. Wearing the lanyard validates their right to be included and lets them know that it is ok to expect society to make reasonable adjustments (normally in terms of attitude, language and behaviour) to enable to them to participate or access services.

Where can I get a sunflower lanyard?

Sunflower lanyards are available from a number of places.

Many organisations who sign up to the Sunflower scheme also distribute the lanyards. The HD sunflower website has an interactive map that can help you locate venues that may be able to give you a lanyard.

You can also pick one up at the special assistance desks at most airports.

The lanyards should always be provided free of charge.

Alternatively you can choose to buy a lanyard (or other sunflower products) directly from the HD Sunflower website.

Please do not buy the lanyards on ebay or amazon as they are likely to be counterfeit products or being sold on by people who obtained them for free.

For more information on travelling with or using special assistance for autism and adhd (adults and kids) visit our dedicated pages:

Introduction to Special Assistance

Special Assistance at Airports

Special Assistance on Airlines

Special Assistance on Eurostar departing London

Special Assistance on Eurostar departing Paris

Useful Links to some UK airports and their special assistance pages and resources:

London Gatwick Airport

Sunflower lanyards - hidden disabilities and general accessibility

AccessAble Guides page to the Airport

e.g. South Terminal Toilet and Changing Places Facilities

London Heathrow Airport

General Accessibility Page

Sunflower Lanyard Scheme

SENSORY OBJECTS PACK:

Airports can be overwhelming spaces with many sensory triggers. To support our passengers with non-visible disabilities, Heathrow is currently offering free sensory objects packs in all terminals. The pack includes; a fidget toy, key ring with mobility and feelings cards. The cards are designed to help communicate with our Heathrow colleagues. The pack is free and can be requested at one of the following locations .

London Stansted

General Accessibility page

Non-visible disabilities page

Selection of Familiarisation videos about the airport with the aim of reducing anxiety

Bristol

Special Assistance homepage

Hidden disabilities page

A helpful Autism Alert card (pdf)

Manchester

Special Assistance homepage

Invisible disabilities page

Familiarisation video - Accessibility Journey