D-Mom Blog

The sweet life with a diabetic child

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Tricks for Treating Your Child with Diabetes on Halloween

Here are some tricks and tips for enjoying Halloween with type 1 diabetes. Learn how to make school parties and trick-or-tricking go more smoothly.

Halloween is probably our family’s favorite holiday. We spend the entire month of October going to various activities, including the pumpkin patch, the spooked-out zoo, parties, and of course, trick-or-treating. When our son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a young child, we wondered how it would affect our enjoyment of the holiday. I’m sure the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Halloween is a huge bag full of candy! I assure you that your child can still enjoy Halloween, especially if you make the fun the focus and not the candy.

I was recently reflecting on one of our first Halloweens with diabetes; it was just before we started on the insulin pump. It made me a little upset that my kiddo couldn’t have hot chocolate at a late-night festivity, because it would have meant another injection. At another party, we took home the cupcake and other treats to have the next day at mealtime while his classmates gorged themselves carefree. I have to say that the insulin pump has given him so much more freedom because he can eat at any time without that extra injection.

Enjoying Halloween with Diabetes

Whether your child is on multiple daily injections (MDI) or an insulin pump, here are a few suggestions for helping them enjoy Halloween with type 1 diabetes:

  • Volunteer at the school party so that you can give insulin for cupcakes and other treats.
  • Hand out small trinkets, such as bouncy eyeballs, rubber bats, pencils, and Play-Doh, instead of candy. Other parents appreciate it, and it might just catch on.
  • Allow your child to eat a couple of pieces of candy after trick-or-treating.
  • Let your child pick out a dozen or so of their favorite candies to eat with meals over the next week and donate the rest.
  • Have the same rules for all of your kids so that the one with diabetes doesn’t feel like they are being treated differently.
  • Pull out high-sugar items, such as Smarties and Skittles, to use for treating low blood sugars.

Tips for Safe Trick-or-Treating

  • Make sure you carry a blood glucose meter or continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and low blood sugar treatments when you haunt the neighborhood.
  • Older children who are not accompanied by a parent should use the buddy system and carry a cell phone.
  • Your children will be doing a lot of walking. It’s a good idea to check your child’s blood sugar before you set out and during the course of the night.
  • You can always reach into the bag and grab a sugary candy to treat a low. One roll of Smarties is 6 grams of carbs.
  • And, of course, make sure they follow general safety tips, such as crossing streets with a grown-up, wearing bright clothing or bringing a flashlight to make them visible to drivers, never going inside homes, and always staying with a buddy or adult.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

“Tricks for Treating Your Child with Diabetes on Halloween” originally appeared on Insulet’s Omnipod Suite D blog, now called Podder Talk. In full disclosure, Insulet compensated me for the content that I created for them, but I am not being compensated for sharing it today. The post has been slightly modified for D-Mom Blog.

Updated 10/21.

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Diabetes at School: End of the School Year Checklist

Summary: Your end-of-the-school-year checklist for students with diabetes should include: gathering diabetes supplies, thanking the school nurse, and taking stock of any updates that might be needed in your student with diabetes’ 504 plan.

Last Day Checklist

School ends this week for our family. I know this may be too late for some of you, but as I made a mental note of things I needed to take care of at school this week regarding my child’s diabetes, I thought I would share some of my to-do list with you.

End of School Diabetes Checklist

Gather Supplies

If you are like us, you have a gazillion diabetes supplies stored at school. Time to schlep all that stuff back home.

We have “low kits” stashed in several locations throughout the school including the PE office and the art and library area. We also have larger kits in the classroom and music room (that’s in a separate building) that have everything he might need in the event of a lockdown.

And save those expired glucagon kits. You can use them to train teachers and staff at the beginning of the next school year.

The Nurse

Don’t forget to thank the school nurse.

I feel it’s important to thank the school nurse for keeping my child safe and for helping him manage his diabetes during the school year.

What is an appropriate token of your appreciation? I like to write a little note or purchase a thank you card. At Christmas time I usually give a small gift card to Starbuck’s or some other fun place.

Looking Forward

The end of the school year is also a good time to reflect on what went right this year and where there could be some changes or improvements for next year. Think about any issues you might have had and how they can be addressed in the 504 plan. Even though school is technically out for summer, administrators are often there and can set up a meeting before school resumes to make any changes. After all, the 504 is a fluid document and you can make changes at any time.

Phew! We made it through another year.

Learn More

Back to School with Diabetes: Lots of information and links!

I have an entire chapter about school in my book Kids First, Diabetes Second.

Read more posts about Diabetes at School.

Please remember that I never give medical advice. Ask your endocrinologist or pediatrician for advice about your own child. Make your own informed decisions for your own child.

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Diabetes at School: Low Blood Sugar Classroom Kits

“Low blood sugar classroom kits,” including fast-acting sugar such as juice and glucose tablets, can be stashed throughout the school where your student with type 1 diabetes might need them.

Low BG Classroom Kits

Low Blood Sugar Classroom Kits

In addition to the long list of school supplies we have to gather each fall, we also have to get all of our diabetes supplies together. While in grade school, we stashed low blood sugar kits throughout the school. Q didn’t carry his supply bag everywhere, so it was good to have items to quickly treat lows when he was is in other areas of the school such as PE, music, art, and library.

Now in high school, he carries basic supplies with him and has backup supplies in the nurse’s office.

I kept the low blood sugar kits simple and only included the basics. If he needed additional snacks or treatment, he could return to the classroom where the supplies were kept. I like to use pencil boxes because they are sturdy and cheap. And I label them with our medical alert labels.

Low Blood Sugar Classroom Kits

  • Blood glucose meter, test strips, lancing device, lancets
  • Juice box
  • Travel roll of glucose tablets and/or Smarties
  • Glucose gel
  • 2-page instruction sheet

Low Blood Sugar Kit

Low Blood Sugar Kit

Tip: Pick up extra blood sugar meters at diabetes walks, product expos, and camps. Your endocrinologist can write you a prescription so that you can pick one up at the pharmacy. Insurance companies often pay all or most of the cost. You can also call the manufacturer and see if they will send you additional meters.

Learn More

Back to School with Diabetes: Lots of information and links!

I have an entire chapter about school in my book Kids First, Diabetes Second.

Read more posts about Diabetes at School.

Please remember that I never give medical advice. Ask your endocrinologist or pediatrician for advice about your own child. Make your own informed decisions for your own child.

(Originally published August 14, 2013. Updated May 29, 2021.)

Diabetes Awareness Month: Day 26

“When a child’s blood sugar is high or low, they may also have extreme emotions such as crying easily and being short-tempered.”