Guest Author - Megan Dlugokinski

It’s almost Halloween and the excitement is in the air. I remember the fun of picking out a costume and going from house to house gathering up all the candy I could and then racing back home to look through my loot. Safety never even crossed my mind back then. Life is a whole lot different now.

As we know kids with ADHD are more impulsive, distracted and accident-prone than their non-ADHD peers. This means we need to be extra careful in planning the Halloween evening festivities. Talk to your children ahead of time and let them know what you expect. Kids get easily excited and are even more prone to their ADHD symptoms. The more they know ahead of time the easier it will be.

Here are some things to do before you go trick or treating:

• Choose your costume carefully – make sure it fits well and won’t hinder the child’s vision, won’t trip them, and is flame resistant. Make sure that they have reflective lighting on both their costume and their trick or treat bag so they can be easily seen in the dark. Be careful of any swords or other props that might hurt them if they fall. Don’t forget to dress the kids warmly if it is cold where you live. Make sure they wear extra clothing or undergarments under their costume if they don’t want to wear a jacket over their costume.

• Plan your trick or treat route ahead of time so the kids know where to go and how far they can go. Set a limit on how much candy they can collect. Make sure a responsible adult is with the child at all times. Just in case the child should get separated pin your child’s name, address and phone number to their costume.


• Feed your child before they go trick or treating so they won’t be as tempted to come home and gorge on all their goodies. Set a limit as to how much they can eat afterwards.

• Don’t let the children eat their candy while they are trick or treating. They can easily choke in all the excitement. When they child returns home with their loot make sure you go through it thoroughly and throw out any unwrapped candies, any suspicious candies or choking hazards.


• Carry a flashlight and walk on the sidewalks rather than in the yards. Make sure your child knows not to walk between parked cars or to run out into the street without looking. Some children mistakenly assume they can run back and forth across the street and they are somehow safe on this holiday. Make sure your child understands that motorists aren’t always able to see them or stop quickly enough if they dart out into the road.

• Only go to well homes that are well-lit and never enter a stranger’s home. Do not accept candy from motorists.


• Review the stop-drop-roll procedure if their costumes catch on fire.

• Teach the child how to call 911 if they have an emergency or get lost. Make sure they know that 911 can be dialed free from any phone.



There are plenty of good alternatives to the traditional trick or treating. You can go to shopping malls, community centers, or local churches. Our local zoo holds a great event for the children each year so they can trick or treat safely. Many children like to have Halloween parties instead of trick or treating. There are lots of great ways to celebrate the holiday that are safe and fun for you and your children.

With just a little preparation you can ensure that your holiday is a great experience for everyone. Have a happy Halloween!!