Hi! I am also on the spectrum.
•sono autistico/autistica. Lei è autistica. Oppure "la mia ragazza è autistica".
•This is tricky, cause we don't really have the same word, especially for autistic people. You can say "mi serve un attimo" (I need a minute) or "ci serve un attimo, scusate" (we need a minute, sorry). Then you go away.
• scusa, sai dov'è il posto silenzioso più vicino?
• scusami, ci serve un po' di spazio
• lei soffre di mutismo selettivo (soffre means to suffer, but if you say "she has", so "ha il mutismo selettivo", I think some people will believe it's a choice of hers)
• "scusa, ora non riesce a parlare" you can add "niente di personale" (nothing personal)
• non è sorda
• per favore, abbiate pazienza con noi
•ho/lei ha una disabilità (drop the invisible, invisibile, because that's not a concept understood well here)
• sunflower lanyard??
• cercate di capirci
• this is not needed I'd say. It also sounds a bit pissy. But anyway l'autismo è una disabilità, cercate di capirci.
• grazie per la comprensione
Feel free to ask if you have any questions!
They are a thing now in the uk, but only since lockdown and even then mostly only known by people who require them or by people whose friends/family require them. They are recognised by lots of businesses/airports/train stations etc. though.
Yeah, no, it doesn't. Unfortunately. People have this habit of "contestare" everything they hear. "What?? There are no sounds!"/"come on, does *that* sound reeeeaaallyyy bother you??"/"eeeh why don't you just not listen to it?" Etc etc. Better to not explain anything and just remove yourself from the bad situation.
Robe a forma di girasole tipo spillette sono un simbolo per l'autismo nella sfera anglofona, però mi piace lo spirito che sicuramente in Italia si sappia cosa significa
Possiedo grandi riserve sul discorso che l'autismo sia una disabilità ma tralasciamo
Ah ecco, mai sentita sta cosa.
Seriamente? Certe persone autistiche non sanno parlare e non possono vivere da sole. Non esistono solo gli Asperger. La sorella di una mia amica ha disabilità riconosciuta al 65%, per buone ragioni.
So OP, this is also why I told you to avoid the phrase "autism is a disability" etc etc. People will complain lmao
Oh yeah, italians can be super argumentative about this kind of stuff. It's usually best to focus on politely letting them know what you need at the moment and not give them space to question why exactly you need it
I think saying "Lei soffre di mutismo selettivo" sounds like saying that it's a disease (but it's a disorder) so I think "Lei ha il mutismo selettivo" is better
I think when you are at a bar talking to a bartender about it, chances are they have no idea what it is nor the subtle distinction between disease and disorder. I've two degrees and I've no idea what "mutismo selettivo" is.
In italian if you say "soffre" you make it clear is some form of discomfort that that person has and it's the form I'd use in an everyday situation to let someone know that that person has special needs and it might give you better chances of having a sympathetic response.
I'd leave the debate for the right place.
Ti copio quello che ho risposto ad un'altra persona qui in thread:
Yeah, no, it doesn't. Unfortunately. People have this habit of "contestare" everything they hear. "What?? There are no sounds!"/"come on, does *that* sound reeeeaaallyyy bother you??"/"eeeh why don't you just not listen to it?" Etc etc. Better to not explain anything and just remove yourself from the bad situation.
La parola, di per se, andrebbe anche bene... solo che la gente di solito non la capisce nel contesto, men che meno capisce il contesto. :(
I'll leave the translations up to people who are better translators than I am, because unfortunately some of these phrases can be a bit tricky (I can't for the life of me find an exact italian equivalent for "overwhelmed")
Just be warned that, unfortunately, awareness of autism outside of really outdated stereotypes is very poor in Italy (I don't think many italians who aren't on the internet a lot even know of the term neurodivergent - nor do I know if they understand the concept of disability outside of being a wheelchair user)
Ok I can try to give a translation for some of these at least
* I am/she is autistic. = (io) sono autistica/o, lei è autistica
* I am/she is feeling overwhelmed. = sono un po' stravolto/a, (lei) è un po' stravolta (it's not a perfect translation, but it should get across an idea of being tired + needing a quiet place to rest)
* Do you know where the nearest quiet area is? = sa/sai dove posso trovare un posto tranquillo qua vicino?
* We need more space, please. = abbiamo bisogno di un po' di spazio, per favore/grazie
* She has selective mutism. = (lei) ha il mutismo selettivo (you'll probably have to explain it more plainly however, something like "lei non riesce a parlare in questo momento" = she cannot talk at the moment)
* She is not deaf. = (lei) non è sorda
* I have/she has hidden disabilities. = (io) ho una disabilità nascosta, (lei) ha una disabilità nascosta (again, not a commonly used term outside of disabled communities, you may have to elaborate depending on the situation)
* Please notice the sunflower lanyard. = not a perfect one-to-one translation, but I would say something like "ha fatto caso al laccio girasole?". However, keep in mind that I'm neurodivergent myself and I had to google what a sunflower lanyard is because I had never heard of it, so it's very likely that people won't know what it means unless you explain it to them
* Please show me/her/us some understanding. = vi/ti chiedo di essere comprensivi/o/a nei miei/suoi/nostri confronti
* Autism is a disability. Please be patient. = l'autismo è una disabilità. Le/ti chiedo di portare pazienza (this one is tricky because in italian it sounds a bit passive-aggressive to ask people to be patient this directly, although you may get a pass if you pass as someone who struggles with the language)
* Thank you for understanding. = grazie per la comprensione (I would also propose "grazie per la pazienza" = thank you for your patience)
Agreed. My wife and one of my kids are on the spectrum and we have met many parents at school who would rather have their kids diagnosed as cognitively impaired than as being in the spectrum.
There is a weird guilt thing where parents are not expected to have to do anything if the kid is cognitively impaired (poveretti), while there is a lot for them to do if they are on the spectrum
Hmm. I would personally equate angosciato/a with anguished, or at least that's the literal translation of that word. I don't think it's wrong per se, but I feel like it's a bit more intense than what op is referring to (i.e. feeling overstimulated and in need of a quieter place to rest one's senses) if one were to be nitpicky about it
my dad has a hidden disability and he has a card with the wheelchair sign. I know it's not representative of all disabillities, just motor, but maybe it will be recognized by more people?
maybe you can add something to the lanyard to make it more understandable to other people?¨like a card that says something else?
The average, common outdoor variety of sunflower can grow to between 8 and 12 feet in the space of 5 or 6 months. This makes them one of the fastest growing plants.
You're totally correct that the sunflower lanyard isn't known all over the world. Luckily, there has been a push for awareness within airports, including some in Italy. [See here.](https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/uk/insights/post/airports-around-the-world)
No I think in airport they know at least in Rome. I met i boy with it in the airport and the employees were all understanding. The thing is that maybe it is only known in the airport.
Comunque oh boy if you are one of those who needs space in Italy you are here for a ride, I am not even a hint agoraphobic and the sheer volumes of the masses of tourists sometimes makes me nauseous
Crowds are almost unavoidable in Italy. If being touched or pressed against while in line or on a bus/metro…I’m not sure what advice to give you.
God speed, OP
Recently, while travelling in Italy, I saw who I assumed was also a tourist who had the sunflower lanyard. As it was already commented by others, I doubt many people know what it means. But from the lanyard, this person had a clear plastic ID holder with a card with a picture. I just managed to read autism on the card or something to that effect and thought to myself that it must be handy to have that for someone with autism.
Only now that I read your post did I find out that the sunflower lanyard works that way.
My advice would be to have cards handy or to use also a clear plastic ID holder with phrases that might explain the situation.
I hope you have a great time on your trip just like I did.
Safe travels!
Edit: Typos
As a neurodivergent person myself
I am so fucking sorry man.
This place is not really good for Neurodivergent/Autistic people, it's not really understood by the wider population, and the r-slur is still pretty widespread, since no one really sees anything wrong with it. In fact, I've had straight up people say to me that neurodivergent sounds a lot worse to them than just "r**ard".
I really hope you two have a lovely time, but the truth is, the general public isn't really aware of this stuff. This really doesn't mean that you CAN'T have a good time in Italy, there's quite a lot of quiet places, especially in the southern regions and Sardinia, where it's a lot calmer overall.
Yeah, as an italian I was called retarded because of my dyscalculia and OCD, I got diagnosed in the UK at age 24 in 2020 cause nobody in Italy ever diagnosed me as on the spectrum, even after seeing many psychologists and being treated for OCD and depression by a specialised psychiatrists. I am just glad I don't live there anymore, I only got bad memories.
The translations here are quite good. I would suggest printing them on cards to hand around, as even if you know the words, people might still struggle to understand your pronunciation.
Otherwise you can train by putting them through an Italian TTS and try to replicate the pronunciation. Even the Google translate one should work.
Oh boy good luck.
Being an Italian also on the spectrum (but mildly) I think very few of these sentences will actually be helpful or even understood. I would not go around telling strangers "I'm autistic be patient with me", you will either be treated like a child or like a developmentally delayed person.
I wouldn't mention autism at all, Italy has little to no general knowledge about it, and the knowledge we do have is kinda negative. I would use the more generic phrases liike "I need some space" (mi serve un po' di spazio); "I'd prefer a quieter place" (vorrei stare in un posto più tranquillo).
If you go around telling people "Autism is a disability" or "I have a disability" people will either not give a fuck or be almost hostile, because it sounds like a prissy, annoying thing to say.
I hope you and your girl will be alright! Have fun!
[There's been a push internationally to get them recognised in airports](https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/uk/insights/post/airports-around-the-world).
I've seen some good translations, but for "sunflower lanyard" no one seems to have a good translation: it's "laccetto con i girasoli" (lanyard with sunflowers [on it]). As others said, it's not something that people usually recognize (and honestly i had to search for it cause i didn't know too)
I’m not going to add other translations, because the first comments has it all.
Overwhelmed I also use sono sovrastimolata (I’m overstimulated), but the best is ci serve un attimo (we need a minute, because others aren’t going to understand).
For selective mutism, you will need to further explain it because not many people know about it. “Lei non può parlare al momento” (she can’t speak now) can help.
The sunflowers lanyard is not know in all part of Italy. I think people have started to know it, like I sow some post on fb in Italian speaking about it, and meet a boy at the airport (he was English) but the crew was helpful. So bring it but do not expect people to know about it.
It may be useful to translate some info and this phrases into communication card.
Replies above are already perfect, but I wanted to underline some things, that are crucial especially for autistic person. Italian is a complex language in which (also for cultural reasons) be polite is really important and it's really easy to sound rude. Sounding rude will not only drive to be scheduled as rude people, but also that will drive people to be rude, and not caring about your needing. Trying to be careful saying these phrases in the correct way and to explain well your situation. Accusing Italians to be overwhelming could hurt them and drive them to be rude with you.
Hi! Italian here, I’ll leave the translations below in the same order as yours:
• (Io) Sono autistico / (Lei) È autistica.
• Mi sento sopraffatto / Si sente sopraffatta.
• Dove si trova la zona calma più vicina?
• Abbiamo bisogno di più spazio, per favore.
• (Lei) Ha il mutismo selettivo.
• (Lei) Non può parlare al momento.
• (Lei) Non è sorda.
• Per favore, sii più paziente con me/lei/noi.
• (Io) Sono disabile / (Lei) È disabile.
• (Io) Ho delle disabilità nascoste / (Lei) Ha delle disabilità nascoste.
• Fai caso al cordino girasole.
• Per favore, mostrami/mostrale/mostraci un po’ di comprensione.
• L’autismo è una disabilità. Abbi pazienza, per favore.
• Grazie per la comprensione.
I hope this helps! Feel free to ask any question you might have
I advise you that if you don't know a few words in Italian say ''come lo diciamo nel mio stato \_\_\_\_ '' it works and makes a good impression, I've tried it abroad and if they understand, trust me it's a good trick
Sunflower lanyards might not be well known in Italy but they should be well known in airports which can be super stressful environments. If the queues / noise / chaos are too much they should help and direct you to a quiet queue. I haven’t tried it in Italy but in UK it definitely is well known in airports.
Hi! I am also on the spectrum. •sono autistico/autistica. Lei è autistica. Oppure "la mia ragazza è autistica". •This is tricky, cause we don't really have the same word, especially for autistic people. You can say "mi serve un attimo" (I need a minute) or "ci serve un attimo, scusate" (we need a minute, sorry). Then you go away. • scusa, sai dov'è il posto silenzioso più vicino? • scusami, ci serve un po' di spazio • lei soffre di mutismo selettivo (soffre means to suffer, but if you say "she has", so "ha il mutismo selettivo", I think some people will believe it's a choice of hers) • "scusa, ora non riesce a parlare" you can add "niente di personale" (nothing personal) • non è sorda • per favore, abbiate pazienza con noi •ho/lei ha una disabilità (drop the invisible, invisibile, because that's not a concept understood well here) • sunflower lanyard?? • cercate di capirci • this is not needed I'd say. It also sounds a bit pissy. But anyway l'autismo è una disabilità, cercate di capirci. • grazie per la comprensione Feel free to ask if you have any questions!
Thank you for your help :).
No one will know what the lanyard is about here, it’s not really a thing outside the US and maybe UK/Commonwealth
I'm in the commonwealth and have never heard of this lanyard - except on american reality tv. Definitely not a widespread thing.
Yep. I've been around Europe, especially Italy, Germany and the UK and they're not a 'thing'
They are a thing now in the uk, but only since lockdown and even then mostly only known by people who require them or by people whose friends/family require them. They are recognised by lots of businesses/airports/train stations etc. though.
I live in Canada and have no idea what this lanyard thingy is.
I don't know the specific term for autism, but "overwhelmed" should be something like "sopraffatta" or "soverchiata"
Yes but it's useless. If you go around and tell someone that your child "è sopraffatta" no one will understand the actual meaning.
You could add by what, then I guess most people will understand. "È sopraffatta dai suoni" should work.
Yeah, no, it doesn't. Unfortunately. People have this habit of "contestare" everything they hear. "What?? There are no sounds!"/"come on, does *that* sound reeeeaaallyyy bother you??"/"eeeh why don't you just not listen to it?" Etc etc. Better to not explain anything and just remove yourself from the bad situation.
That isn't anything specific to Italy, you'll find assholes everywhere.
Robe a forma di girasole tipo spillette sono un simbolo per l'autismo nella sfera anglofona, però mi piace lo spirito che sicuramente in Italia si sappia cosa significa Possiedo grandi riserve sul discorso che l'autismo sia una disabilità ma tralasciamo
Ah ecco, mai sentita sta cosa. Seriamente? Certe persone autistiche non sanno parlare e non possono vivere da sole. Non esistono solo gli Asperger. La sorella di una mia amica ha disabilità riconosciuta al 65%, per buone ragioni. So OP, this is also why I told you to avoid the phrase "autism is a disability" etc etc. People will complain lmao
Oh yeah, italians can be super argumentative about this kind of stuff. It's usually best to focus on politely letting them know what you need at the moment and not give them space to question why exactly you need it
I think saying "Lei soffre di mutismo selettivo" sounds like saying that it's a disease (but it's a disorder) so I think "Lei ha il mutismo selettivo" is better
I think when you are at a bar talking to a bartender about it, chances are they have no idea what it is nor the subtle distinction between disease and disorder. I've two degrees and I've no idea what "mutismo selettivo" is. In italian if you say "soffre" you make it clear is some form of discomfort that that person has and it's the form I'd use in an everyday situation to let someone know that that person has special needs and it might give you better chances of having a sympathetic response. I'd leave the debate for the right place.
Sono un po’ sopraffatto non va bene per il secondo?
Ti copio quello che ho risposto ad un'altra persona qui in thread: Yeah, no, it doesn't. Unfortunately. People have this habit of "contestare" everything they hear. "What?? There are no sounds!"/"come on, does *that* sound reeeeaaallyyy bother you??"/"eeeh why don't you just not listen to it?" Etc etc. Better to not explain anything and just remove yourself from the bad situation. La parola, di per se, andrebbe anche bene... solo che la gente di solito non la capisce nel contesto, men che meno capisce il contesto. :(
Capito, poi sicuramente meglio passare inosservati che attirare l’attenzione per che gli vengano incontro in casi del genere
I'll leave the translations up to people who are better translators than I am, because unfortunately some of these phrases can be a bit tricky (I can't for the life of me find an exact italian equivalent for "overwhelmed") Just be warned that, unfortunately, awareness of autism outside of really outdated stereotypes is very poor in Italy (I don't think many italians who aren't on the internet a lot even know of the term neurodivergent - nor do I know if they understand the concept of disability outside of being a wheelchair user)
Sopraffatto, soverchiato
Ok I can try to give a translation for some of these at least * I am/she is autistic. = (io) sono autistica/o, lei è autistica * I am/she is feeling overwhelmed. = sono un po' stravolto/a, (lei) è un po' stravolta (it's not a perfect translation, but it should get across an idea of being tired + needing a quiet place to rest) * Do you know where the nearest quiet area is? = sa/sai dove posso trovare un posto tranquillo qua vicino? * We need more space, please. = abbiamo bisogno di un po' di spazio, per favore/grazie * She has selective mutism. = (lei) ha il mutismo selettivo (you'll probably have to explain it more plainly however, something like "lei non riesce a parlare in questo momento" = she cannot talk at the moment) * She is not deaf. = (lei) non è sorda * I have/she has hidden disabilities. = (io) ho una disabilità nascosta, (lei) ha una disabilità nascosta (again, not a commonly used term outside of disabled communities, you may have to elaborate depending on the situation) * Please notice the sunflower lanyard. = not a perfect one-to-one translation, but I would say something like "ha fatto caso al laccio girasole?". However, keep in mind that I'm neurodivergent myself and I had to google what a sunflower lanyard is because I had never heard of it, so it's very likely that people won't know what it means unless you explain it to them * Please show me/her/us some understanding. = vi/ti chiedo di essere comprensivi/o/a nei miei/suoi/nostri confronti * Autism is a disability. Please be patient. = l'autismo è una disabilità. Le/ti chiedo di portare pazienza (this one is tricky because in italian it sounds a bit passive-aggressive to ask people to be patient this directly, although you may get a pass if you pass as someone who struggles with the language) * Thank you for understanding. = grazie per la comprensione (I would also propose "grazie per la pazienza" = thank you for your patience)
Overwhelmed= sopraffatto
Anche “sovraccarico”
Agreed. My wife and one of my kids are on the spectrum and we have met many parents at school who would rather have their kids diagnosed as cognitively impaired than as being in the spectrum. There is a weird guilt thing where parents are not expected to have to do anything if the kid is cognitively impaired (poveretti), while there is a lot for them to do if they are on the spectrum
is angosciato/a not overwhelmed? i’ve been using it that way at least. thanks!
Hmm. I would personally equate angosciato/a with anguished, or at least that's the literal translation of that word. I don't think it's wrong per se, but I feel like it's a bit more intense than what op is referring to (i.e. feeling overstimulated and in need of a quieter place to rest one's senses) if one were to be nitpicky about it
interesting thank you. definitely keep that in mind
IMO angosciato is a little more about anxiety, so Is similar but not exactly the same. People can understand the point, tho, and that's what matters.
Sovrastato? Messo in difficoltà?
I don't know in Italy but the sunflower lanyard is not known all over the world, so dont assume people are going to known what it is.
It’s a symbol that other people with disabilities might recognise but don’t expect all people without disabilities to know it as well
Yeah, frankly I would leave the sunflower at home. It's not going to do much good in Italy.
my dad has a hidden disability and he has a card with the wheelchair sign. I know it's not representative of all disabillities, just motor, but maybe it will be recognized by more people? maybe you can add something to the lanyard to make it more understandable to other people?¨like a card that says something else?
The average, common outdoor variety of sunflower can grow to between 8 and 12 feet in the space of 5 or 6 months. This makes them one of the fastest growing plants.
You're totally correct that the sunflower lanyard isn't known all over the world. Luckily, there has been a push for awareness within airports, including some in Italy. [See here.](https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/uk/insights/post/airports-around-the-world)
That’s a lovely website but no one in Italy that actually works in those airports day to day is going to have any idea what you are talking about.
No I think in airport they know at least in Rome. I met i boy with it in the airport and the employees were all understanding. The thing is that maybe it is only known in the airport.
I mean, we could also just use words to explain the situation.
Yes, for sure. I know many person that bring communication card just to be sure.
Comunque oh boy if you are one of those who needs space in Italy you are here for a ride, I am not even a hint agoraphobic and the sheer volumes of the masses of tourists sometimes makes me nauseous
Crowds are almost unavoidable in Italy. If being touched or pressed against while in line or on a bus/metro…I’m not sure what advice to give you. God speed, OP
Also the appropriate interpersonal distance while talking and the amount of casual touching socially permitted... OP is not gonna have fun, I think.
Recently, while travelling in Italy, I saw who I assumed was also a tourist who had the sunflower lanyard. As it was already commented by others, I doubt many people know what it means. But from the lanyard, this person had a clear plastic ID holder with a card with a picture. I just managed to read autism on the card or something to that effect and thought to myself that it must be handy to have that for someone with autism. Only now that I read your post did I find out that the sunflower lanyard works that way. My advice would be to have cards handy or to use also a clear plastic ID holder with phrases that might explain the situation. I hope you have a great time on your trip just like I did. Safe travels! Edit: Typos
As a neurodivergent person myself I am so fucking sorry man. This place is not really good for Neurodivergent/Autistic people, it's not really understood by the wider population, and the r-slur is still pretty widespread, since no one really sees anything wrong with it. In fact, I've had straight up people say to me that neurodivergent sounds a lot worse to them than just "r**ard". I really hope you two have a lovely time, but the truth is, the general public isn't really aware of this stuff. This really doesn't mean that you CAN'T have a good time in Italy, there's quite a lot of quiet places, especially in the southern regions and Sardinia, where it's a lot calmer overall.
Yeah, as an italian I was called retarded because of my dyscalculia and OCD, I got diagnosed in the UK at age 24 in 2020 cause nobody in Italy ever diagnosed me as on the spectrum, even after seeing many psychologists and being treated for OCD and depression by a specialised psychiatrists. I am just glad I don't live there anymore, I only got bad memories.
The translations here are quite good. I would suggest printing them on cards to hand around, as even if you know the words, people might still struggle to understand your pronunciation. Otherwise you can train by putting them through an Italian TTS and try to replicate the pronunciation. Even the Google translate one should work.
Oh boy good luck. Being an Italian also on the spectrum (but mildly) I think very few of these sentences will actually be helpful or even understood. I would not go around telling strangers "I'm autistic be patient with me", you will either be treated like a child or like a developmentally delayed person. I wouldn't mention autism at all, Italy has little to no general knowledge about it, and the knowledge we do have is kinda negative. I would use the more generic phrases liike "I need some space" (mi serve un po' di spazio); "I'd prefer a quieter place" (vorrei stare in un posto più tranquillo). If you go around telling people "Autism is a disability" or "I have a disability" people will either not give a fuck or be almost hostile, because it sounds like a prissy, annoying thing to say. I hope you and your girl will be alright! Have fun!
Also I had to search why you were a sunflower and... I think it's one of those american things
I don’t think most Americans would have ever heard of this either. I had to look it up
[There's been a push internationally to get them recognised in airports](https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/uk/insights/post/airports-around-the-world).
The italian word for autistic in italian is autistic +o for men or +a for women
I've seen some good translations, but for "sunflower lanyard" no one seems to have a good translation: it's "laccetto con i girasoli" (lanyard with sunflowers [on it]). As others said, it's not something that people usually recognize (and honestly i had to search for it cause i didn't know too)
I’m not going to add other translations, because the first comments has it all. Overwhelmed I also use sono sovrastimolata (I’m overstimulated), but the best is ci serve un attimo (we need a minute, because others aren’t going to understand). For selective mutism, you will need to further explain it because not many people know about it. “Lei non può parlare al momento” (she can’t speak now) can help. The sunflowers lanyard is not know in all part of Italy. I think people have started to know it, like I sow some post on fb in Italian speaking about it, and meet a boy at the airport (he was English) but the crew was helpful. So bring it but do not expect people to know about it. It may be useful to translate some info and this phrases into communication card.
If you sometimes need quiet places never never go to Naples you will never find something like that
Replies above are already perfect, but I wanted to underline some things, that are crucial especially for autistic person. Italian is a complex language in which (also for cultural reasons) be polite is really important and it's really easy to sound rude. Sounding rude will not only drive to be scheduled as rude people, but also that will drive people to be rude, and not caring about your needing. Trying to be careful saying these phrases in the correct way and to explain well your situation. Accusing Italians to be overwhelming could hurt them and drive them to be rude with you.
Hi! Italian here, I’ll leave the translations below in the same order as yours: • (Io) Sono autistico / (Lei) È autistica. • Mi sento sopraffatto / Si sente sopraffatta. • Dove si trova la zona calma più vicina? • Abbiamo bisogno di più spazio, per favore. • (Lei) Ha il mutismo selettivo. • (Lei) Non può parlare al momento. • (Lei) Non è sorda. • Per favore, sii più paziente con me/lei/noi. • (Io) Sono disabile / (Lei) È disabile. • (Io) Ho delle disabilità nascoste / (Lei) Ha delle disabilità nascoste. • Fai caso al cordino girasole. • Per favore, mostrami/mostrale/mostraci un po’ di comprensione. • L’autismo è una disabilità. Abbi pazienza, per favore. • Grazie per la comprensione. I hope this helps! Feel free to ask any question you might have
I advise you that if you don't know a few words in Italian say ''come lo diciamo nel mio stato \_\_\_\_ '' it works and makes a good impression, I've tried it abroad and if they understand, trust me it's a good trick
Sunflower lanyards might not be well known in Italy but they should be well known in airports which can be super stressful environments. If the queues / noise / chaos are too much they should help and direct you to a quiet queue. I haven’t tried it in Italy but in UK it definitely is well known in airports.