Halloween – Trick or treat?

Halloween is a celebration which takes place on 31 October throughout the world which is dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints, martyrs and anyone who has died, in Mexico it’s known as ‘Day of the dead’, made famous by the Coco film.

Originally it is thought that the celebration was influences by Celtic Harvest Festivals, but more recently Halloween has evolved into a host of activities primarily involving entertainment for children including trick or treating, costumes, pumpkin carving, fun and games such as playing tricks, apple bobbling, telling scary stories or a Halloween disco.

With autumn leave and dark evenings, Halloween brings a wealth of excitement, flashes of colour, lights and dressing up.  Although this year it’s likely to be lower key than normal, the potential frights, flashing lights, and a stash of chocolate and sweets can be potentially harmful for individuals who have epilepsy.

This Halloween have a few tricks up your sleeve to make sure that it’s a treat for all children, even those for whom Halloween can be harmful if not managed properly.

You need to be aware of the impact of any lighting or decorations.  Flashing lights are likely to increase the risk of a seizure. Instead ensure that they cover one eye with the palm of the hand and turn away from the trigger. This will reduce the intensity and number of brain cells stimulated by the lights.

Bucket loads of sweets are also a sure fire way to cause overload, so always have some lower sugar, organic snacks on hand to replace those treats In the baskets.