![]() ![]() Ultimately, it's up to the individual and/or family to decide what works best for them. Some may display blue pumpkins as a sign that they've prepared in advance to address common obstacles that children on the autism spectrum face on this holiday as well.īut it's important to note that some people feel like blue pumpkins as a whole create more of a barrier on Halloween for those on the austism spectrum. It's a moment when families have an opportunity to explain that traditional Halloween displays may trigger sensory issues, or as Taylor explained, that verbal communication may be limited or nonexistent during evening festivities (and that's okay!). ![]() Other parents and caregivers have expressed concern over requiring a child to carry a visual indicator, and will instead opt for blue pumpkin displays to prompt a conversation about the best ways to greet and interact with a child on the autism spectrum. Please allow him (or anyone with a Blue Bucket) to enjoy this day… this holiday is hard enough without any added stress," she added. This year, we will be trying the Blue Bucket to signify he has autism. "Last year, houses will wait for him to say 'Trick or Treat' in order for him to get a piece of candy - and there I go explaining the situation for the next 5 blocks. He is nonverbal," Omairis Taylor wrote on Facebook back in 2019. One viral 2019 post lays out why parents are hoping blue pumpkins will catch on across cities and neighborhoods everywhere. Primarily, blue pumpkins are used by families and caregivers to signal to others that their child is on the autism spectrum (and that trick-or-treating exchanges may present unique perplexities for them) to prompt neighbors to be more aware of the situation in the moment. There are two ways blue pumpkins may be used in the fall season and during Halloween while neither is tied to a singular public campaign or a nonprofit fundraising goal, many families organize blue pumpkin displays and outreach efforts for unique awareness (and for personal goals, too!). Be extra kind!" What is the meaning of a blue pumpkin? "This means that speech may be difficult as well as their ability to interact with you. One pediatric therapy group based in Wyoming took to Facebook to sum up the most popular way blue pumpkins have been used by families in the know: "If you see someone carrying a blue pumpkin while trick or treating, please consider that they may have autism," they shared on Facebook. Since then, many families have taken to displaying blue pumpkins on their porches, lawns and in backyards to aim to kick off a conversation with neighbors - and some have created blue-pumpkin candy bags for children to prompt neighbors to think twice about how they may have to adjust their interactions once they open the door to trick or treaters. ![]() It's unclear who first began using blue pumpkins as a conversation starter for autism education, but one of the first viral posts about the social-fueled grassroots campaign came from one Louisiana-based family in 2018. Most likely inspired by the Teal Pumpkin Project - which launched in 2013 as a way for families facing severe food allergies to better educate neighbors about these challenges - social media users began noticing blue pumpkins begin to trend as symbols to raise awareness about how Autism Spectrum Disorders may impact trick-or-treating and other Halloween festivities. This is particularly true for blue-colored pumpkins and gourds used in traditional decorative displays in October and in the case of Halloween, any dark-blue pumpkin candy buckets and yard signs getting fellow trick-or-treaters to take a second look.Īnd like many other non-traditional pumpkins at Halloween, the act of setting out a blue pumpkin started as a grassroots movement on social media - but it has remained a family-first awareness campaign for the 1-in-54 American children who are on the autism spectrum, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data.
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