As a mother of autistic children I can tell you that Trunk or Treats are great for autistic children. Once Trunk or Treats starting becoming a regular occurrence I completely stopped door-to-door trick-or-treating. Trunk or Treats are usually family friendly and refrain from scary elements. No more worrying about motion sensor creatures or things jumping out at my kiddos. No more flashing strobe lights and loud sudden noises to set my son into a tizzy because of the sensory overload.
Most autistic families that I know also favor going to Trunk or Treats rather than traditional trick-or-treating due to the reduced stimuli and safety concerns. Wandering children, as so many autistic children are, are less likely to run into the road, for example, and they are often put on by a church or social group, so there is less fear of some of the dangerous aspects associated with trick-or-treating.
According to the CDC, 1 in 59 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder. So if you are hosting a Trunk or Treat, you are most likely to have several autistic children attending.
So how can you make your Trunk or Treat more autism friendly?
Reduce Stimuli
Loud and sudden noises are triggers for many people on the autism spectrum. Flashing lights, especially strobe lights can also be triggers. Signs that a child might be facing too much stimuli are flapping arms, not moving or trying to move away, covering their ears or even screaming. If one of your cars features these elements you might want to consider placing that car near the end of the line, so the autistic children can opt out of this particular vehicle and still be able to enjoy the rest.
Remember That Some Kids May Be Non-Verbal
Some autistic children are non-verbal and may not say trick-or-treat. Many times they will be accompanied by an adult or sibling that will say it for them. If a child approaches and simply holds out their bag without saying trick-or-treat, they may not be rude, but simply non-verbal. You can always ask them, “Would you like a piece of candy?” Most of the time they will nod, but not always. Sometimes they are overwhelmed and may just stand there. In this instance you could drop the candy into their bag/bucket and say “Happy Halloween!”
Selecting a Piece of Candy
Some autistic children have poor motor skills and have trouble picking out a piece of candy. If you see a child having trouble, you can ask them “What piece would you like?” and then hand it to them. This helps to reduce frustration. Also sometimes they are faced with too many choices and cannot come to a decision. In this instance you could select two different pieces and hold them up and ask, “Which would you like?” Don’t be surprised though if they grab a different piece from the bucket instead. Or instead of just offering the basket you can place candy in every child’s bag as they go by, which many Trunk or Treats do.
Older Special Needs Trick-or-Treaters
Many children on the autism spectrum are developmentally delayed. While they may be older/look older than your typical trick-or-treater in many ways they are the same age developmentally. They still enjoy trick-or-treating and don’t understand age limits or “trick-or-treating is for younger children”. If they are in costume and holding out a bag or bucket, please be understanding and hand them a piece of candy. The saying “young at heart” is totally true in these circumstances and they LOVE trick-or-treating.
As our children got older, we tried to keep them from asking for candy, and leaving it for the smaller kids. We were very lucky in that the one we attend remembered our kids and continued to give them candy, even though they were older. It made it wonderfully inclusive for them.
Candy Alternatives
With so many allergies out there (1 in 13 kids have food allergies), it is nice to have a candy alternative. I’ve seen things including friendship bracelets, stickers, jumping frogs, plastic rings, bouncing balls, and rubber duckies. These are great alternatives that I’ve used when my church had Trunk or Treats that all the kids loved.
Identifying a Child on the Autism Spectrum
Some children are easy to identify, but others are not. Autism is in how the spectrum in brain operates and is isn’t always easy to tell from looking at a child because their is no visual clue, only in their actions – or in actions. Each person on the spectrum has a different level of ability to adapt and interact with their environment so one cannot make an assumption.
Some will carry a blue pumpkin with them (an trend that has developed over the years). Not every child with a blue pumpkin is autistic, it could just be a child that likes the color blue. Also not every autistic parent know about the blue pumpkin, or could find a blue pumpkin, or their child may prefer a different color. Also blue pumpkins can symbolize food allergies, as well as autism.
An autistic child may be wearing a costume that normally would have a mask, but isn’t wearing one due to sensory issues but really likes that character. They may be in a partial costume because they don’t want to dress up, but still want to participate.
Other common things you may is is a child who is non-verbal, covering their ears, shying away because they are uncomfortable or an older child in costume. They may be flapping with excitement (called stemming) or talking louder than the average person. They may stand closer to people than the average person as many don’t understand the concept of personal space.
A Few Final Words
Autistic children enjoy Halloween just as much as other children. With just a few modifications, they can be easily accommodated. They just need a little patience and understanding. As a mother of children on the autism spectrum I always appreciate when people make an effort to include my kiddos and am very grateful to those who help my oldest (he’ll be the tallest trick-or-treater at the event) still experience the fun of Halloween.
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