Halloween can be a spooky time for parents of T1D kids, especially if you are managing it for the first time since your child’s diagnosis.

How many carbs are in a handful of candy corn?!

Should I let her eat skittles if her blood sugar is high?

Oh goodie! Someone gave him a full size candy bar vs. fun size…

With a candy conundrum seemingly around every corner, it can help to have a plan for how you will handle the sugar influx so you can all focus on fun and enjoy the holiday.

Some families let their kids indulge and prepare to dose insulin accordingly. Others strictly monitor and limit candy intake. Some skip the candy altogether. And many parents take the opportunity to stockpile those perfectly portioned mini-candy supplies for future low blood sugar treats.

Of course when it comes to T1D, even the best laid plans can sometimes be thrown a curveball. For my daughter’s first Halloween post-diagnosis, we went out of our way to set her expectations that she would not be able to eat as much candy as she had in prior years. She would simply have to wait and pick a few of her favorites once she returned home from trick-or-treating.

We failed to realize the toll that all of the walking and running while trick-or-treating would take on her blood sugar, and we ended up making her eat candy the entire time just to keep her stable. It was the complete opposite of what we had planned, and an early lesson in learning to be flexible when it comes to T1D.

Whichever strategy you choose, arm yourselves with this handy candy carb count guide to help accurately manage those treats and have a fun, safe Halloween!

Written By: Amy Gallagher