Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I love the pumpkins, the crisp air, the non-scary decorations, and seeing kids in their costumes. However, Halloween night can be a lot for kids. Just the thought of all the candy they are going to get can send most children into overdrive! While this night can be a great time, it can also be overwhelming, especially for our friends on the Autism spectrum. So to have the night be enchanting and not a fright, some things to consider (if Halloween is actually happening this year! #thanksCOVID:
1.) Try to avoid costumes that have scratchy material that may bother sensory sensitive kids. Avoiding costumes with masks or face paint falls in this category as well! Think about how tight the costume might feel in certain areas like armpits and around the neck.
2.) Consider bringing headphones or a change of clothes if sensory demands become too much. Nothing will put an end to the evening quicker than a child deciding they need their costume off RIGHT NOW!
3.) Practice with your child so they know what to expect. A change in routine can be hard! Practice wearing the costume (this will help you work out what will and will not work!), walk the route you will take on Halloween, practice knocking on doors and saying trick-or-treat. This can be a great time to also practice making eye contact if your child has that as a goal.
4️.) Talk to your child’s speech pathologist about creating a social story. This is another way to help desensitize all the elements of change for the evening and help give your child a script to follow.
5️.) Follow your child’s lead for the evening. If they are having a tough time, it is okay to turn around after 2 houses and call it a night. Your child might enjoy handing out candy more! On the other hand, it is also 100 percent okay to not worry about making eye contact, to not worry about if they are saying the correct thing, to not worry if their costume only consists of carrying a jack-o-lantern. The magic of Halloween lies in one’s imagination!
Lastly, some tips for those handing out the candy…
1.) Children with autism may be carrying a blue jack-o-lantern. This symbolizes to you that the child may not be able to ask for candy but that certainly doesn’t mean they don’t want it!
2️.) If you know of a child in your neighborhood that has sensory issues, think about deactivating any motion detector decor that moves or makes noise . This can be a lot for children (and who am I kidding, ME!) to handle.
About the Author
JANENE BESCH
Director/Speech-Language Pathologist
Janene Besch, née Martin, holds a Master’s degree in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences from San Diego State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California at San Diego. Janene is a member of the American Academy of Private Practice in Speech Pathology
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