The Autism News | English
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“The amazing story of Dr. Temple Grandin’s ability to read the animal mind, which has made her the most famous autistic woman on the planet.” – BBC
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The Autism News | English
Some simple precautions can ensure that your little ones are safer as they hit the streets to go trick-or-treating Saturday night, including bringing hand sanitizer along from the night and ensuring that they don’t touch their eyes, noses or mouths. (Photograph by: Greg Southam)
By Joanne Laucius | The Ottawa Citizen| with files from Canwest News Service and Citizen News Services
Parents wondering whether it’s safe to let their little ghosts and goblins go trick-or-treating have nothing to worry about, as long as they take reasonable precautions, says Canada’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. David butler-jones. Here are the answers to some other questions you may have before Saturday night.
For parents of young children, H1N1 might be the scariest thing about Halloween this year.
But even Canada’s chief medical officer of health says there’s no reason to let flu fears spoil the fun. As long as adults take reasonable precautions, Dr. David Butler-Jones says there’s no reason to lock up the ghosts and goblins. Keep their hands clean and make sure they don’t share drinking glasses if they go to parties.
If a child is ill, he or she should be kept home. Yes, it will make you unpopular, but there are alternatives. Consider asking other children to trick-or-treat for them, Butler-Jones suggests.
“Finding other ways so that kids can enjoy Halloween even if they’re ill without actually having to go out there, I think is one way to address it.”
What should I do if I’m handing out treats?
If you are the one at the door in charge of the candy bowl, hand candy out yourself instead of allowing children to put their hands in the bowl. Make sure all treats are wrapped.
Should I wear a surgical mask if I’m handing out treats?
Only if your goal is to scare children. Health Canada does not recommend that members of the general public use surgical masks to protect themselves from contracting H1N1. You run the risk of contaminating yourself when putting on and taking off a surgical mask, and actually increase the risk of getting infected. The exception to this is people who are displaying flu-like symptoms. If this is you, you should not be handing out treats at the door.
What should parents do?
Bring some hand sanitizer with you when you’re going from door to door, and remind children to keep their hands away from their eyes, noses and mouths.
What about Halloween masks?
Even without H1N1, makeup is safer than masks, which can make it hard for children to see. But physicians have pointed out the dangers of trying on masks in a store before Halloween. You can be infected if the H1N1 virus is introduced into a hospitable environment such as the eyes, nose or mouth. That includes the surfaces of a mask that are pressed against a child’s face.
If you do choose a mask and bring it home, be sure to clean it thoroughly before anyone wears it.
What about going to Halloween parties?
Stay away if you have flu-like symptoms — fever and cough are the giveaways, especially combined with body aches, a sore throat, or a runny nose. Public-health officials are counting on vigilant parents to help prevent the spread of H1N1. But Health Canada says it is important for healthy people to continue their daily lives during the pandemic, including going to community events. In crowded situations, take extra precautions such as frequent handwashing. Make sure children practise cough etiquette — cough into their elbows, not their hands — and avoid communal bowls.
Are big public celebrations doing anything different?
Rideau Hall has its annual spooky village planned, running from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday night. “It’s an outdoor event,” said spokeswoman Julie Rocheleau. “We’re not really making any change.”
Anything else to avoid?
Bobbing for apples is definitely a no-no this year.
Any final words?
Don’t forget to take the usual precautions to keep children safe when they’re trick-or-treating, including making sure costumes are visible to motorists and children are supervised while trick-or-treating. Discard any unwrapped candy for general safety reasons as well as preventing H1N1 infection.
There are a number of documented risks around Halloween that have nothing to do with H1N1, ranging from eye injuries caused by thrown eggs to cases of diarrhea connected to over-indulgence in candy containing sorbitol. But the biggest Halloween risk is probably the danger of being struck by a car or another vehicle. According to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children are four times more likely to be struck by cars on Halloween than on other nights.
Source: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/H1N1+guide+Halloween/2161091/story.html
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The Autism News | English
Photo/Jill Cornfield
By Jill Cornfield | Autism Vox
Halloween is the child’s New Year’s Eve, the mother of a friend of mine observed, and it’s true. A night starry with a number of significant points: unlimited candy, free candy, dressing up, roaming around, staying up late. Some kids spend most of the year anticipating Halloween, but mine don’t. Ned occasionally pipes up with a costume idea in July or wonders in September if it’s almost here, but he doesn’t stay on message for too long. And Alex, of course, ignores the whole thing until it’s time to dress up.
It’s a good thing we make our own costumes in this family, because I don’t think Alex (a boy who refuses to wear any trousers but khakis these days, who for about three years would wear any t-shirt as long as it was black) would be willing to put on some strange garment made of unfamiliar fabric. Our most successful costume was the year of the cowboy. Ned had become devoted to “Toy Story,” so a Woody costume was a natural. I liked it, because he looked so cute in jeans and a yellow plaid shirt that we had anyway. I made the vest out of white and black felt. Then we realized Alex could easily be a cowboy, too. (He was willing to wear jeans back then.) We even had a black vest to glue white patches onto — and Alex was willing to wear it.
For a few years Alex agreed to wear regular clothes with a bit of fiddling. He was a fireman (yellow raincoat slicker and red fireman hat). He was a skateboard dude (shorts and checkered Vans). He was a doctor (black pants, long white shirt). This year, though, I don’t think it’s going to be that easy. Maybe something like this would work. My sister thinks it’s funny. I guess I sort of do, too. (Check Zazzle.com for other Halloween/autism-themed t-shirts.)
We generally talk about Halloween for a few days beforehand, and how we’ll dress up and knock on neighbors’ doors (but NOT go into neighbors’ apartments). Alex doesn’t like candy, but he does love chocolate, and Halloween always nets some. So that’s another selling point. We discuss with Alex how we’ll dress up because it’s fun to pretend be something or someone unusual. Something that works with Alex is to put him in front of a full-length mirror so he can see how he looks when he’s in character. He enjoys this a lot, and I should remember to do this when it’s not Halloween, but I’d like him to wear something he doesn’t want to wear. Like a winter coat.
Halloween talking points
Source: http://www.blisstree.com/autismvox/five-tips-for-halloween/
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The Autism News | English
By KimmyKrocker
GFCF Peanut Butter Cookies
An easy, delicious recipe for GFCF Peanut Butter Cookies…it seems I need to remember to keep my curtains closed while filming!
GFCF Halloween Sugar Cookies
These make great Halloween treats for your youngins…Only I didn’t realize how much danger I was in while baking them! Happy Halloween everyone! 
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