Share Halloween photos of your 1p36 child for the 1p36
DSA Fall Newsletter!
Send your favorite Halloween photo
to c.daggett@1p36dsa.org and include
your child’s name & age.
We can’t wait
to see what great costumes our 1p36 kids are parading around in this October!
Halloween is around the corner and planning for a child with
special needs to participate in all the fun can be challenging. 1p36 Deletion Syndrome parents are used to
getting creative about a lot of things including costumes and trick-or-treating. Here are some thoughts and ideas to help.
Costumes
A little creativity and forethought can help with costume
planning. For my 9 year old daughter
with 1p36 Deletion Syndrome, I have a lot to think about for a costume. It needs to be one that she will be
comfortable in and that will allow for diaper changes and g-tube access. She won’t stand for a hat staying on longer
than 30 seconds and she won’t keep her hands away from face make-up. So these are things we avoid. Because she is in a wheelchair, the costume
has to be one that she can stay in while seated and that doesn’t interfere with
the chair’s belts and straps.
Other costume considerations for a special needs child might
be
·
avoid accessories that could be a choking hazard,
·
consider visibility both for the child to see
out easily and for others to see him or her on a dark street,
·
try to make it easy to get on and off for
you and your child.
·
If you child has sensory issues, think of a
costume that uses the child’s clothing.
Check out these websites for
costume ideas:
http://bit.ly/rq5TBr
- Ideas for children with sensory issues. If you see an idea that interests you, click
on ‘view this resource’.
http://bit.ly/JuJ1 - Great wheelchair costume ideas and advice
Trick-or-Treating
We have never gone trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. It’s too difficult to imagine getting my
daughter’s wheelchair up the steps of every house on the block. I would be exhausted by the end of the night. Don’t get me wrong, if my daughter wanted to
do it, I would ignore my aching back and muscle through! Luckily there are other options for Halloween
fun such as church functions, trunk-or-treat
community events and merchants both downtown and at the local malls that
entertain trick-or-treaters on Halloween night.
Do an internet search or look through the local paper to find events in
your area.
Some children (including mine) can easily be over-stimulated
so plan ahead and bring things that can help your child feel comfortable.
Have fun and enjoy your Halloween. We look forward to seeing your pictures!
