I love the fall. Football season, crisp fall air, apple picking, pumpkin carving, caramel apples, pies, hayrides, fall leaves, hot apple cider, and all things pumpkin spice. But every year when October 1^st rolls around, I find that I have this little twinge of dread, as I watch the Halloween decorations going up and I know that it’s coming. It isn’t that I’m against dressing up and going trick or treating. I love it! And I have allot of fond memories of it. But for a family raising a child diagnosed with Autism and it’s side kick Sensory Processing Disorder, let’s face it, Halloween can be quite the nightmare. 

Costumes. So fun right?! Pumpkin clad babies, Cute princesses and fairies, swash buckling pirates and little super heroes. But it can also be a total sensory disaster! Scratchy materials, masks that confine, hair pieces that irritate, makeup that finishes the look but which they refuse to wear, and jumpsuits that you can hardly get into, let alone get out of when you need to go potty.

Awe the sights and sounds of Halloween. Screeching witches and scary zombies. This can be frightening stuff for our kiddos. And all the loud sounds can be absolutely overwhelming as well. 

Crowds aren’t easy either. So, while our family likes to go to our churches’ Harvest Festival every year, which is full of fun things to do and free of anything scary, it can be really hard to negotiate the crowded spaces without our daughter becoming overwhelmed. 

Yummy Candy and treats. Need we say more? All filled with tons of sugars, dyes, and preservatives. Even for a typical child they can act as stimulants sure to make our kids climb the walls. Trick or Treaters often end up coming home with quite a stash of candy that parents find themselves having to negotiate. And at festivals and parties where they have fun foods like hotdogs parents may have the difficult job of saying no because the white flour buns and nitrate infused hotdogs are not on their child’s dietary list.  

So, what’s a parent to do? Thankfully there’s allot we can do. It just takes some creativity and flexibility. Let’s tackle costumes first. Every child is different of course and so are their likes and dislikes, so go with what works for your child. In our house costumes had to be soft to the touch, and we did allot of pairing down to the basics by making simple costumes out of things like leggings, a tee-shirt, and a hat. As for the sights of Halloween, there are lots of family friendly venues that don’t include things that might scare our children. And if sounds are too loud try a noise canceling headset (good for other times as well), or simply walk away and find a quieter space, or look for a sensory friendly venue in the community. Crowds too can be moderated by trick or treating at earlier hours, or waiting for when it slows between groups, and maybe taking sensory and space breaks if you are in a crowded place. As for candy and other treats there are many creative ways to get around this if your child has special dietary needs. If you’re going to a festival, street fair, or party you can pack and bring your own approved snacks. There are lots of great substitutes on the market now. Everything from nitrate free hotdogs and gluten free buns, to air-popped popcorn, and dye-free naturally sweetened candies. And if you don’t want to buy these things you can always make your own special treats instead. If you’re trick or treating around the neighborhood you can have your child go trick or treating and then once home trade you for a bag of toys and treats that you know they will like and can actually eat. 

The holidays can be hard. Hopefully this gives you a few fun and creative ideas for how you can still make it happen and enjoy the time making memories as a family too.