October 2009 -
The Challenge of Childhood Diabetes Newsletter
Halloween- A Trick or A Treat?
Let's face it, it isn't the witches, ghouls and goblins that are scaring us, it is the highs, the lows and the unexpected. When your child has diabetes, a great family holiday like Halloween can seem like a walk through a haunted house. This is our eighth Halloween with Danny since his diagnosis, and experience has made each night easier. At the same time, there is no perfect plan. Each year your child gets older, the trick-or-treat route changes, and the diabetes routine is different. This holiday takes patience, forethought and lots of communication to be enjoyable.
In writing the article below for Diabetes Health magazine, I had the opportunity to review the last seven years. In the resource section, I am including the Halloween tips that I wish I had had when Danny was first diagnosed.
My best wishes to you for a safe and happy Halloween.
Laura Plunkett
“Halloween has put many a sane parent over the edge. Mix together late hours, the temptation of candy bars that slip so easily into the mouth, high and low blood sugar levels and other families who seem to navigate the holiday without a care in the world, and it is a scary bubbling brew! No one wants to be the wicked witch or warlock, always on the verge of cursing a much anticipated holiday with worry and dread. On the other hand, it takes some planning and creativity to keep everyone safe and happy.
Our first Halloween after my son Danny was diagnosed with diabetes, I was a ball of nerves. As with every “first” that year, I found myself trying to micro-manage an event that we had never really paid attention to before. Danny was eight years old, his blood sugar levels were alternating between very high and very low, and we were facing a holiday that had always been about the candy.
As Halloween approached, I secretly bought small objects that he would like: matchbox cars, fancy pencils, baseball cards, a spider ring, and a deck of cards. Then I asked each of our closest neighbors to give one to Danny when he arrived at their door, explaining that the little gifts would give him something to enjoy while his friends were eating candy. The neighbors were happy to cooperate. At the end of the night, Danny ate a couple of his favorite pieces of candy, but he required only one extra shot, and he was very excited about his toys.
A little later, as I read the ingredients on the candy bars that the kids had collected, I realized that those artificial colors, flavorings, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners weren't good for anyone in our family. But I didn’t want a struggle over those bars for the next month! So, to my kids’ delight, my husband began a new tradition: He offered to buy their leftover candy to bring to his office.
Most importantly, we spent a lot of time on costumes and decorations. We started early, had a big healthy dinner with the kids’ friends, visited with our neighbors, and ended the night with a bonfire. Those early traditions have persisted, and for years, Halloween was my son’s favorite holiday.
I still remember the year Danny made a last-minute announcement that he was ready to trick-or-treat on his own. We scrambled to plan a route, to schedule blood sugar check-ins, to draw up an insulin dose he could give himself, and to arrange keeping in touch by cell phone. His friends arrived, and off they went. My husband and I didn’t need costumes to look freaked out that year!
Now Danny is 15 and the tallest person in our family. Our blood sugar checks are now text messages. He carries his own diabetes supplies and makes his own candy decisions. Last year, he and his friends dressed up as clowns. At the end of the evening, he triumphantly handed his dad a huge pillowcase of candy, knowing that he had made some serious money. He still fills up on good food before he goes out, and he always stops by the bonfire with his friends, but there is no sign of the tentative, anxious mother and the wide-eyed child who navigated their first diabetes Halloween.”.
Share Your Tips
Judy Robinson sent me the following suggestion:
“Every year at back to school time Staples has crayons for 10 cents a 24 pack and Market Basket has bubbles for 10 cents. I stock up on both of these for the young kids and buy a few dozen toothbrushes at the Dollar Store. I give the older kids a toothbrush and the younger kids a choice of one. The younger kids' parents are usually very happy about the selection.” Thanks Judy!
Our next newsletter will focus on helping kids make good choices. If you have a story to share about your family's experiences, I’d love to hear from you at newsletter@challengeofdiabetes.com.
October 2009
