Spooky on the spectrum 

As the vibrant colors of fall usher in the excitement of Halloween, families with children on the spectrum often face unique challenges during this festive season.   From sensory overload to navigating social interactions, creating an autism-friendly Halloween can make all the difference. Here are a few simple strategies parents can implement to help the little ghouls and goblins enjoy a night of fun and spooktacular memories:& Be flexible& Morgan Allen, speech language pathologist at Hopebridge Autism Centers, suggests that parents keep an open mind when opening the door to trick-or-treaters this Halloween.& “We don’t know who we’re going to open the door up to, but what we do know is that whoever we open the door up is deserving of candy,” Allen said. “Just being flexible and knowing that not every trick-or-treater may be in a costume and not every trick-or-treater may be able to verbalize and say, ‘Thank you.’”& Check on others& Keeping an eye out for others is an essential step. Making sure you’re being kind and thoughtful about the needs of others will encourage children to do the same.& “If you are walking with your children and maybe you see somebody having a hard time, we could...