Customer Reviews

Trick-Or-Treat for Diabetes: A Halloween Story for Kids Living With Diabetes

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Many of our holiday traditions are built around food. Some, such as Thanksgiving, are at least built around a complete meal. Halloween tends to emphasize the eating of large quantities of sweets.

Even kids who have adjusted well to their diabetes may feel left out during food-oriented celebrations. At such times, other kids are allowed to break their usual meal patterns. The child with diabetes is made more acutely aware of his or her difference.

The story illustrates a mother and daughter using creative problem solving. The girl is fairly confident with her usual diabetic management, but goes to her mother for advice on how to deal with special situations. The mother enlists the help of the girl's grandmother and teacher. Together they make plans that allow the girl to participate in the Halloween festivities and enjoy a few sweet treats without compromising her diabetic control. She exchanges most of her treats for money, and keeps a few of her favorites for when she has a low blood sugar emergency. The family also emphasizes that many of the fun, social parts of Halloween can be enjoyed whether or not one is eating all the same things as one's friends.

I think that the Halloween plan in this book might work well for many children with diabetes.

Carol Watkins, M.D.