just for kids

october 2002

Halloween is a bittersweet holiday for children with diabetes. There is the excitement of planning a costume and maybe a party, but there is the problem with all of the candy that is dropped into the goodie bag or plastic pumpkin. We can have our children collect for UNICEF, but the candy still comes and even with the new nutrition guidelines, eating many candy bars is not good for your child.

There is help out there. Every year many local ADA chapters have a Halloween party for children, siblings, and families. Call your local ADA or JDF and see who subsidizes a Halloween party in your city. Typical for most are live music or a DJ, healthy snacks, games, face painting, prizes for costumes, and for parents all of the information about diabetes they were willing to take home or ask about at the information booth. There's usually no charge for this party and no one checks to see if you are a member of the ADA. If your child is going trick-or-treating, parents, here are some tips for a safe and happy Halloween for both you and your child. Kids with diabetes can have treats. The rule is moderation with candy and other treats high in carbohydrates. Suggest that your child select a few favorite treats, put some away to be doled out over the next several months, and trade the rest in for a present, or money. Any treat eaten will need to be a part of the carbohydrates in that day's mealplan. Parents should consult with their child's physician or dietitian to learn how to incorporate moderate amounts of candy in a child's mealplan. They should also help their kids count carbs and assist them in figuring out how many grams of carbs are in a candy bar or other Halloween snack to insure that their carbs do not exceed the daily allotment needed to manage their disease. The best part of Halloween is the costume. Put extra effort in your child to pretend to be whatever he/she wants and involve the entire family. With a little imagination you can create a costume with things you have on hand. Here's some ideas to get your child's imagination jump-started: Spider: black leotard and tights + 3 pairs of black panty hose stuffed with old nylons, with the panty hose stitched to the waist of the leotard. Black stocking cap with pipe cleaners painted black attached as the antennae Dice: 2 cardboard boxes as the body with painted dots. Tourist: colorful wildly patterned shirt, shorts, several cameras hung around the neck, sunglasses, and a wild hat Bunch of grapes: green or purple leotard and tights with same colored blown-up balloons pinned onto the suit with safety pins. Since Halloween this year is on Sunday night, arrange for your child and a friend or two to visit a haunted house or go on a hayride this year instead of going trick-or-treating. Plan to stop for a special "treat" such as ice cream or frozen yogurt on the way home. How about a party at home? Use black or dark purple table cloths. Change the light bulbs to blue to set the mood. Decorate with plastic cobwebs and spiders as well as skeletons. Place paper bats on the walls and hang other flying objects on wire from the ceiling at a safe height. There are games to play, and some are as old as the hills. There are always bobbing for apples, scary stories with props, and scary movies from the video store. Give out plenty of prizes all around. Here's a recipe for a Ghost Meringues that we've adapted from The Country Fair Cookbook by Alison Boteler (Barron's). We've known Alison for years, and she has always had great ideas for children. In her book, the meringues are piped into the shape of snowmen with currants for eyes and a sliver of candied orange peel for the nose (remember this for Christmas). They can also take the form of a ghost, a terrific treat to make for a party at home or to send with your child as treats for the school Halloween party (check with your child's teacher first). Your child will enjoy helping you make these! Ghost Meringues FTG