October 22, 2021
Jim Evancho
Halloween is right around the corner and neighborhoods will be filled with kids asking for candy. Kids are kids and all want to have some fun on the evening when strangers are allowed to hand out candy to anyone that comes to their door wearing a costume and carrying a traditional orange pumpkin candy bucket or bag. What some people may not know is that children with autism, or children who have been found to be somewhere on the spectrum, also enjoy the festivities.
No one can emphatically state when the blue pumpkin bucket started, but the first recorded event was in 2016 by a mom with a child diagnosed with nonverbal autism. She then brought it to social media and it became a widespread topic throughout the country. Now today there is a much larger movement to bring awareness to people about the purpose of the blue pumpkins.
Many parents want their child or children to enjoy the evening even if they can’t follow the traditional “trick or treat” norms. If the child doesn’t say “trick or treat” or make eye contact it is not a sign of a rude child. Children with autism can sometimes be overwhelmed with the activities going on around them and may become more quiet. It does not mean the child does not want to participate, it may be a coping mechanism they have with autism.
The message that many of the parents of children with autism is simple, if you see a child come to your door carrying a blue pumpkin please be patient and understanding. They are also just trying to enjoy the evening and get some candy loot.
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