Boo! Halloween and Selective Mutism
This post on Halloween is written by Victoria Stavropoulos
Halloween is here! With the holiday comes the excitement for all of the candy, costumes, and festivities. Parents of children and teens with Selective Mutism (SM), may experience unique challenges on Halloween. Children with SM may feel overwhelmed at the thought of trick-or-treating or attending a party. However, with planning and preparation, Halloween can still be a fun holiday for everyone!
Here are ten tips for navigating this spooky holiday
Boundaries
If your child is shut down, don’t push them to say “trick-or-treat” or knock on a door.
Support
Encourage them to be present at the level of social communication they are comfortable with. Waving hi/bye, knocking on the door, and holding their trick-or-treat bag out are all ways to participate nonverbally.
Rehearse
If your child is sensory sensitive, practice dressing in costume ahead of time to make sure your child is comfortable with any wigs, outfits, or makeup that go with their costume
Plan
Are you going out or staying in? Prepare your child for what they can expect the environment to be like (sounds they may hear, people they may see, etc.) to reduce anxiety or fear about the unknown.
Practice
Go through the steps of trick-or-treating, handing out candy, etc. so your child feels more prepared for any planned activities.
Script
Preparing for greetings or responses to common questions that may be asked can help minimize the time your child needs to think and process.
Warm up
If going out, arrive early for your child to adjust to a new setting.
Assign
Giving your child a role (ex: handing out candy) can shift the pressure off themselves onto the job they are doing so that they don’t feel like the center of attention.
Engage
Asking choice questions (ex: “Are you Elsa or Ana?”; “Do you want Reese’s or Twix?”) instead of open-ended (“What costume are you?” “What candy do you want?”) simplifies the interaction for your child.
Gameplan
Creating an “eye-spy” game with your child (ex: “How many princess costumes can you find tonight?” encourages them to engage in the environment in a positive way.
IN SUMMARY…
Halloween doesn’t have to be extra scary for kids and teenagers with SM! Planning, patience, and thinking outside of the box can create unique experiences for your child to enjoy the holiday at their own pace.
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