Help your child with autism LOVE Halloween!

bluewebmm
Oct 29, 2014
2 min read

As exciting and fun as Halloween is intended to be, for parents of children with autism, the night can often become stressful and exhausting. While the experience of Halloween can be overwhelming for your family, there are some helpful tips that can help you make this Halloween a fun and memorable holiday.

It’s important that your child with autism knows what lies ahead for them before Halloween actually comes around. Being prepared for the scary costumes and decorations before your child experiences them in person (and in large numbers) could make a huge difference in how they react. It’s a good idea to pick up a Halloween video or a book, or even go to a Halloween store to show them what lies in store for them.

It’s also good to get your child excited. If they have a favorite character from TV, movies or books, allow your child to dress up like them! And make sure that your child dresses up in something they find comfortable, and non-restricting. If your child feels most comfortable in a t-shirt, you can decorate a plain t-shirt as a costume for them to wear.

Halloween safety for children with autism involves practicing. In order for your child to be comfortable with Halloween’s unorthodox traditions, like ringing doorbells, wearing costumes, and handing out candy, it’s important to acclimate them to those situations in advance. Practice trick-or-treating with your child. Ask a neighbor if you can practice ringing their doorbell, and accepting candy. Walk your child around to neighbor’s houses that might already be decorated, so they can experience this unique atmosphere in advance.

Personally, you might want to do a walkthrough of your neighborhood in advance so you can identify houses with decorations like flashing lights and loud noises that might be problematic for your child.