What is one of the first things you think about when someone says Halloween?

Most times it is pumpkins and candy.  Followed by the phrase ” trick or treat”

The thing is that small phrase is actually quite important to the holiday.  It is what is expected to be said by all candy hunters and quite frankly there are a number of candy givers who will seriously not give up the treats until those words are said.

But what if your child cannot say those words?  What if your child cannot talk at all? or what if your child has such intense sensory issues that even simply wearing their costume is taking all they have that day?

I have to say that all that really fits how things were for Elizabeth in her early years.  Her special needs of Dyspraxia and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) were really affecting her life at this point.  She was non-verbal until five years old and even after that, there words were slow in coming.

So what do you do? Read the rest of this entry »