No one should have to perform any tricks to get a treat this Halloween. That’s what advocates for children with autism want you to know as the holiday approaches.
In just a few weeks, crowds of children will line the streets, carrying buckets of candy. And if you see a child with a blue bucket, it could mean they are on the autism spectrum.
“Some kids don’t just have the skills to say ‘thank you’ or ‘trick-or-treat’ or even know what to do when they get to a house,” said Jennifer Morgan, mother of a child with autism. “They just stand there paralyzed.”
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Morgan’s two-year-old Aldous is going to be Mickey Mouse this Halloween.
“We want him to be able to have the full experience and have the same experience as everyone else,” she said.
Halloween is a time filled with new lights, sounds, sights and senses for many. All the thrills and excitement of the holiday can be overwhelming for children with autism and sensory sensitivities like Aldous.
“He didn’t really have the language to say what he needed to,” Morgan explained. “He would go to a house and just try to take all of the candy that they had.”
You may see a child with an Augmentative and Alternative Communication — or AAC — device this Halloween. These tools help children with autism communicate when they have difficulty speaking.
“If you hear someone say ‘trick-or-treat’ with generated speech, that is an option,” said Morgan Allen, speech language pathologist at Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers.
Allen says there’s ways you can help.
“Be okay with being uncomfortable and learning right then, ultimately, it’s about creating access for everybody,” she said.
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Tips to make Halloween enjoyable for all
- Be flexible with expectations
- Reduce the stimuli
- Turn down lights
- Speak more quietly
- Be patient
- Remember the joy
For parents of children with autism, there are other support ideas.
“You can create a core board like these to paste on their pumpkins or to just keep in their wagon,” Allen explained. “You can point to symbols to let them know I want to do more or I’m ready to go home.”
Experts say it’s a smart idea to introduce aspects of the holiday now, rather than waiting until October 31. For children, trying on their Halloween costume now could help desensitize them to its different textures and feelings.
This story was originally published by Nico Pennisi at Scripps News Indianapolis.
