Screenshot from http://zazzle.com

Often trick-or-treating can be tough with kids on the spectrum: there's a lot of changes of light and darkness, hot and cold from walking around, scary doorstep displays that increase anxiety and possibly lack of understanding from those you visit.

Here are some fun products that might help as you walk around the neighborhood this Halloween or attend Halloween parties.

• Zazzle.com has a line of products featuring Halloween Autism Awareness. Some highlights include, the "Eye Contact ? No Thanks" t-shirt, a direct, but fun way to clue in others about not seeking too much eye contact with your autistic child or teen, or the "Talking is overrated, just give me some candy" t-shirt. The site also features a tagless shirt with the slogan: "This is my Halloween costume" in a fun orange print. There are also some very tasteful shirts, buttons, totes  and other products featuring white and blue ghosts and the tagline: "Embrace Differences - Autism Awareness".
• Consider ordering and bringing along a set of Autism Cards with you to hand out as you walk the neighborhood or interact at parties. These are useful beyond Halloween as a simple, non-confrontational way of handling the sometimes difficult task of communicating about some of the difficulties our ASD kids face and the situations that can arise over the course of a day.
• If you're planning a Halloween party for ASD kids, consider stocking up on your party treats from local stores that stock autism diet-friendly items. Sweet Christine's in Kennett Square, for instance, offers a line of gluten-free cookies, muffins, cakes and other wonderful treats. Their products are also sold at other locations throughout the Philadelphia region.