A Kid’s Visual Guide to Halloween

CHICAGO - Oct. 27, 2014 - PRLog -- Chicago, IL – (Monday, October 27, 2014) – Halloween is an exciting time of year for people of all ages. What’s not to love? There’s the chance to dress up as an action hero, party with friends, and many neighborhoods are decked out with giant spiders and spooky ghosts decorations. But for young children and those with developmental differences, Halloween can be a stressful time of year.

Whether you have children or not, you’ve likely seen (in real life or portrayed on TV) the tears of a child as he or she meets the Easter Bunny or get a little too close to Benny the Bull at the United Center. Despite children often knowing it’s only someone in a costume, it’s not easy to turn down the fear because it’s often a fear of the unknown. In the case of the Easter Bunny, it’s not necessarily a fear of a giant rabbit but “what is going to happen when that rabbit gets close to me?”

“One of the best ways to combat those fears is to address expectations ahead of time,” said Lorell Marin, a developmental therapist and founder of LEEP Forward, a developmental clinic in Chicago’s West Loop. “A step-by-step visual guide can help children understand what’s going to happen. We created one for our families and we use it in our therapeutic preschool as well. We’ve found that once they understand the expectations, they’ll feel more comfortable trying something new.”

“Halloween has a social script. As adults, we forget that because we’ve done it so many times. But children may need it explicitly said that decorations are only pretend and that they can knock on the door but shouldn’t make themselves at home inside a strangers house. And they may need a reminder that they can hold mom and dad’s hand if anything scary or surprising happens.”

Marin and her team primarily work with children with developmental differences that include Autism spectrum and other developmental disorders. However, their visual guide is perfect for parents of neurotypical children as well. Marin recommends finding a quiet time to sit down with your child and reading the story together. If your child expresses any anxiety about the night, help them build a plan that helps alleviate his or her concerns. That may include setting the specific time that you’ve leave and return, drawing a map of where you’ll go trick-or-treating, or discussing who will be in the trick-or-treating group.

“You may even find that your child feels more comfortable costume watching or handing out candy at home. Find what works for your child and remember they will have a great time if they’re spending time with you.” You can download LEEP’s Halloween visual guide by clicking <a href="http://www.leepforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Hal...">
here</a>.