October 21 , 2021 The Beacon • 13

By Josie Sellers

Planning on going trick-or-treating or passing out candy ? Here are some tips to help make it a good experience for everyone including those with disabilities .

“ If you are passing out candy , understand that you can ’ t see all disabilities ,” Jen Jones from the ASK Autism support group said . “ The child who grabs a handful of candy might have motorskill issues that make it difficult to pick one piece . A child who doesn ’ t say trick or treat or thank you may be nonverbal , not rude .”

She encouraged people to be kind and understanding .

“ Realize how hard

it can be for the parents of special-needs children to do things most people take for granted ,” Jones said . “ Be OK with a teenager trick-or-treating , even if they aren ’ t special needs . It ’ s a piece of candy . Let them have fun .”

Another tip she has for parents is to not force Halloween activities on them .

“ Remember that even though you have fond memories of trick-or-treating , there may be very little your child enjoys . Strange clothes , strange people , different routine — it can all be overwhelming and scary ,” Jones said . “ Maybe limit how many houses you visit or only go to homes of people you know . For our family , my ( autistic ) daughter enjoyed trick-or-treating , but my ( autistic ) son didn ’ t . He went to be with his sisters , but he would have happily skipped it . He didn ’ t like costumes or strangers . You know your child best . Let them try but don ’ t force them to do something because everyone else is .”

Here is some more handy advice from Safe Kids Worldwide , the Mayo Clinic , the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help keep children of all ages and abilities safe this Halloween .

— Make sure you ’ re visible when trick-or-treating . Reflective tape , glow sticks , flashlights or camping lanterns can make pedestrians more visible to motorists .

— P e d e s t r i a n s should walk on sidewalks if they are available . When sidewalks are not available , walk facing traffic and do so as far off to the side of the road as you can get .

— Drivers should be especially alert to pedestrians on trickor-treat night . Drive slowly , as many kids scurry from house to house in search of Halloween candy .

— Pedestrians and drivers should follow the rules of the road , stopping at intersections and crossing in crosswalks .

— All costumes , wigs and accessories should be fire-resistant . Make sure costumes do not impede your ability to walk or see .

— Test makeup to check for skin irritation before application . Remove it promptly after returning home .

— Set up a buddy system so no one is going it alone . Agree on a specific time children should return home . Adults should chaperone young children .

— While incidences of candy tampering may be minimal , no one should snack on candy until it has been inspected . Inspections also protect against food allergies .