You can never be too safe for Halloween. This is especially true for children with
learning disabilities (LDs). Trick or treating, as they say, isn't what it used to be." Many parents opt not to allow their children to go at all because of the safety issues. If you do plan to allow your child to participate, planning ahead for safety will help. These tips will help you get started.
Safe Trick or Treating
- Plan your route based on your child's age, emotional maturity, and behavior.
- Consider attending trick or treating events hosted by local parks and recreation organizations, shopping malls, and civic organizations instead of going house-to-house. Some children, such as those with ADHD, may be more manageable with the structure of an organized event than with traditional trick or treating.
- If you must go house-to-house, consider going only in your own neighborhood where you know the residents. Choose a landmark as a stopping point. Tell your child that when you reach the spot, it will be time to go home.
- Do not allow your child not to eat treats before you have carefully examined them. If you expect an argument, carry the treat back yourself. Bring some snacks from home, and share them along the way.
- Check with area hospitals or law enforcement to see if they plan to offer candy x-rays for safety. If they do, take them up on the offer.
- Check each package of candy carefully in strong lighting. Look for broken seals, holes in wrappers, and wrappers showing signs of tampering. Throw away suspect items.
- Always walk with your child. In some cases, older, responsible teens can accompany younger children, but this decision should be made carefully. Does the older child know what to do in cases of emergency? Does he or she actually want to go with the child? Will the younger child follow the teenager's instructions? Most importantly, has this child demonstrated responsible decision making and actions in the past? These are just a few of the questions you should consider before allowing your younger child go with a teenager.
- If your child has more challenging learning disabilities or behavior disorders and special needs, it is often best that you go with him. You may be the only person who can reasonably anticipate and address problems that may arise.
- Keep children on paved walkways if available, and do not allow them to dart across darkened lawns. Remind kids to walk and not run. In neighborhoods with no sidewalks, have children walk beside, and not on, the road.
- Excitement runs high in trick or treating, so remind children to cross streets at corners after looking both ways or waiting for the appropriate traffic signal. Do not allow children to cross at the middle of a street.
- Children should only trick or treat at homes with lights on and should never enter someone's house or apartment unless you know them and you accompany them.
- Watch out for jack o'lanterns, which may have candles with open flames in them. Keep children's costumes away from them.
