HALIFAX- Six-year old Van Bernard uses a wheelchair every day, but Halloween presents some unique challenges for him when it comes to traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating.
Bernard was diagnosed with a very rare genetic muscular disorder when he was just eight-months old.
His mother Julie Clegg said their family has learned to adapt.
“His big sister, Kerris, is fantastic,” Clegg told Global News.
“She will go to the door, walk up the steps and say ‘Happy Halloween! Can I have some candy for my little brother?'” she said. “Some of the parents are like ‘Oh ya, sure, Where’s your little brother?’ because they can’t see him and then we’ll be in the background going ‘Hi, we’re over here!”
For Clegg’s family, accessibility means safety.
Living in a subdivision of Hammonds Plains where there are no sidewalks and the homes are very far apart means Van must travel on the gravel shoulder of the road — something Clegg is not comfortable letting him do, even with adult supervision.
Instead, they go to homes they know on their street and attend indoor or ‘parking lot’ Halloween gatherings, where Van can safely wheel around collecting Halloween goodies.
Nancy Cashen is a rehabilitation nurse at the Halifax’s IWK Hospital. She said holidays like Halloween can be nerve-wracking for families of children with disabilities, both visible and non-visible.
“I think it’s really taking the lead of your child and knowing what your child wants to do. Going door-to-door is not for everybody,” she said. “Maybe that’s when you do the party, maybe that’s when you bake the cookies.”
Cashen has some helpful tips and hints for parents this Halloween:
- Try a “Switch Witch” — This tradition involves the child coming home from trick-or-treating and a family member dressed as the ‘witch’ offers them a deal to swap their candy for another type of treat, like a doll or a train set.
- Practice trick-or-treating in advance — Cashen says this is especially helpful for parents of children with autism or anxiety disorders who may not feel comfortable with strangers or even strange costumes.
- Try using a ‘trick-or-treat’ sign — Perfect for shy children or those who cannot speak, use a sign that reads “Trick or Treat” pinned to their costume to get the message across instead.
- Go to or host a party — Cashen says this is a fail-safe way to make sure children are safe and comfortable, especially those with mobility issues.
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