Halloween is just around the corner, and that means that small armies of even smaller humans will dress up and come to the door begging for candy. The holiday is one of the few great American community celebrations, a time where neighbors see each other and interact in a way that is rare in an increasingly isolated world.
Sadly, a lot of people get so swept up in the holiday they forget to make accommodations for disabled trick-or-treaters. Here are a series of Dos and Don’ts for people to be better for children with mental and physical disabilities on Halloween night.
DO: Have Candy/Treat Options
Food allergies and sensitivities don’t take Halloween night off. True chocolate allergies are rare, but peanut butter allergies account for 1 in 50 Americans. Look, we all love the little Reese’s, but grab a bag of something else just in case. Keep them in separate containers to avoid cross contamination.
The Teal Pumpkin Project has also been encouraging people to have small toys on hand rather than food. You can buy packs of pencils, notebooks, small balls, army figures, and more at the dollar store. A little variety can make everyone feel included.
DON’T: Block Wheelchair Access or Make People Climb Steps
The vast majority of homes are not innately wheelchair accessible. Even if you have a decently paved path to your door, there may not be enough room to turn around a wheelchair on your porch. The best thing to do is to either sit out on the driveway and hand out treats, or you can leave a card table there if you don’t want to keep hiking out there all night. Likewise, make sure that you haven’t parked your car in a way that blocks the sidewalk.
DO: Be Patient and Accommodating at the Door
Disabilities take many forms. Some kids may lack the motor skills to pick up small pieces of candy. Hand it to them instead. Others may be non-verbal or have anxiety. If they don’t say “trick or treat’ or respond to a request for conversation or a joke, simply let it go. Likewise, don’t get high and mighty if the kid is not wearing a costume or their costume does not meet your standards of Halloween effort. There are a myriad of legitimate physical and mental reasons why a kid didn’t wear a costume, and no one needs to be the holiday police.
DON’T: Make Kids Go Through a Mini-Haunted House or Jump Scares
Look, I get it. I literally spend every Friday scaring people even outside the Halloween season. That said, forcing children to endure a gauntlet of terrifying animatronics or a friend hiding in the bushes is mean. The city has a dozen professional and amateur haunted houses for that sort of thing. Neurodivergent kids already have enough overstimulation without frightening them.
If you want to do scary stuff, put up a sign warning parents that a jump scare is ahead. Trust me, it will still get them, as every horror movie and game has adequately proven. On that note, leave the strobe lights off. Epilepsy is a real danger, and the lights can trigger migraines.
DO: Be Mindful of Dogs
Having the family pet sit out with you to meet the neighborhood kids is a true joy. However, some kids are allergic, and some have hard times with animals in general. Keep your dog on a leash at all times and be ready to take them inside or up the drive if there appears to be a problem. Remember that people like to also take their dogs with them trick-or-treating, and those dogs may not react well with yours. It’s fine to include Fido as long as everyone is prepared to handle conflicts.
DON’T: Insist on Special Indicators for Disability
A child doesn’t need to be carrying a blue pumpkin to receive consideration for their autism. They may step out of their wheelchair to come to the door because they feel they can and want to do so. Stutters may appear suddenly after an otherwise normal conversation. Lots of disabilities are either invisible or situational. That does not mean they don’t exist or aren’t real. Just take people at their word and be kind. No one is required to wear a badge to earn your accommodation.
DO: Learn Some Halloween Sign Language
Sign language is easier to learn than you might think. Because it’s merely an adaptation to a language you already speak, it’s far less mentally taxing. Take a few minutes and practice with some basic signs that might come in handy on Halloween. I recommend this video by Learn to Sign. Children who use signs will be delighted you took the effort to speak in a way they can understand, and it’s a good overall practice for dealing with the deaf and hard of hearing community. Even if you don’t see any kids that use signs on Halloween, maybe it will encourage others to learn to sign. There’s literally nothing to lose and everything to gain by keeping all children in mind on the holiday.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
