We love Halloween!
Dressing up, going door to door, seeing all the different costumes people come up with and walking up to the spooky decorated houses is so much fun!
However, we also have rules to keep us safe and seizure smart while we’re Trick or Treating!
Here are a few things to remember to keep your kids safe and seizure safe:
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Make sure you don’t skip your seizure medication.
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Have a cell phone and emergency meds on hand if you are walking long distances.
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Trick or treat with a friend of family member familiar with your seizures.
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If you are photosensitive avoid houses with strobe lights.
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It’s a good rule of thumb to check all your candy before eating it, but definitely don’t eat it if you’re on a restrictive (Ketogenic or modified Atkins) diet.
A great suggestion I got from my sister-in-law Denise over at RunDMT for kids who are unable to eat their candy due to dietary restrictions:
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Check out the Halloween Candy Buy Back Program! Some dentists will buy back your kids candy and then ship it overseas to the troops! So not only will your kid be making money… they’ll be helping out our military overseas! It’s a win win!
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Wear reflectors or glow necklaces so cars can see you.
- Always walk on the sidewalks when possible.
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Always look both ways before crossing the street.
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NEVER enter a home for candy!
It’s important to be safe and seizure smart, but it’s also important to make sure you have FUN!
Here are a few fun facts about Halloween I found over at the Epilepsy Therapy Project:
- The celebration of Halloween started in the United States as an autumn harvest festival. In pioneer days, some Americans celebrated Halloween with com-popping parties, taffy pulls and hayrides.
- In the late nineteenth century, with the large influx of Irish immigrants into the U.S., Halloween became associated with ghosts, goblins and witches.
- Jack-o-lanterns are an Irish tradition. In Ireland, oversized rutabagas, turnips and potatoes were hollowed-out, carved into faces and illuminated with candles to be used as lanterns during Halloween celebrations.
- The pumpkin originated in Mexico about 9,000 years ago. It is one of America’s oldest known vegetables. Pumpkins generally weigh from 15 to 30 pounds, although some weigh as much as 200 pounds. The majority of pumpkins are orange, but they also can be white or yellow. They are rich in vitamin A, beta-carotene and potassium, and their seeds provide protein and iron.
Facts taken from Candy USA: http://www.candyusa.org/Classroom/Facts/default.asp?Fact=Halloween
Coffee, Chocolate & Xanax 