life with diabetes e-newsletter, october 2008

Making Halloween Less Scary for Kids with Type 1 Diabetes

Making Halloween a treat for kids and teens with type 1 diabetes can be a tricky task.  With millions of children across America "trick or treating" in search of chocolate, candy corn, and other sweets, it's hard for a child with type 1 diabetes to enjoy this ritual with their friends. However, this holiday can be a little less frightening when the day's activities are planned properly.  By being creative and setting some ground rules, parents, friends, and neighbors can maximize the Halloween experience for a child with type 1 diabetes so they don't feel left out of the fun.

"Halloween was a hard time in our family because both my brother and I were diagnosed with the disease as children.  It's hard to watch other kids tear into sacks of candy, but with a little pre-planning, our parents managed to make the holiday more enjoyable for us," said Dr. Aaron Kowalski, program director of Metabolic Control for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).  "Our parents made our neighbors aware of our unique situation, and they in turn made sure to have healthy alternatives on hand.  Some even gave us coins instead of candy.  We never knew the difference, and it saved us from feeling different from our friends."

Following are some ideas for a happy and healthy Halloween. 

• Trade candy for cash or toys - Parents can often allow some candy on Halloween for their type 1 kids, but they should also have their child exchange the bulk of the candy for a toy that they really want. Parents can also buy back the collected candy with a coin for each piece. Older kids may appreciate their parents making a contribution to a charity like JDRF or another worthy cause.
• Plan alternative activities and treats - Host a Halloween party and offer small toys such as glow-in-the-dark insects, Halloween-themed stickers, and cause-related wristbands as treats. During the party, you can make popcorn balls, hand out sugar-free candy, and other sugar-free treats. By placing the focus on fun and not food, the holiday can be better for everyone involved.
• Inform teachers and nurses at your child's school - Prepare your child, teachers, and friends with information about type 1 diabetes before Halloween. The holiday can be a teaching opportunity about health, science, and diet. Some schools have used Halloween as an opportunity to teach students to calculate the carbohydrate counts for varied serving sizes of sweets.
• Take inventory - If you are going to allow your child candy, be sure to space out your distribution by having them pick out only a few things and having them eat one a day or on a supervised schedule.