Mum's inclusive trick or treat for Halloween

Jessica has always loved Halloween, but was "scared" to trick or treat after her diabetes diagnosis

A mother has created an accessible Halloween display at her home so children in her area can trick or treat regardless of any health conditions.

Jessica, 13, has dwarfism and, in 2020, was diagnosed with coeliac disease and type 1 diabetes.

After the diagnosis, her mother Susan, from East Yorkshire, said she was “dreading” taking Jessica trick or treating in case any of the sweets she collected made her unwell.

The display outside the family's home in Newport includes sensory toys and trick or treat bags which contain sweets without allergens and suitable for diabetics.

Susan has made a disability-friendly Halloween display with her son Brandon, 15, and daughter Jessica, 13

Susan said: “I love Halloween. But what I didn’t like was watching her sitting on the floor swapping her sweets with her brothers, trying to figure out what she could and couldn’t eat. It was just horrific.”

Jessica said: “For the first few years, I was always like, what if I can’t eat everything my friends are eating? Am I going to be left out?"

Susan said she thought it was unfair that other children might never experience trick or treating because of disabilities.

She said there are children with a range of disabilities living nearby.

“Last year, one woman messaged me to say that her son had been able to experience trick or treating for the first time, because I’d put the notice out on Facebook that I would be doing a display.”

Susan makes most of the items in her displays from recycled materials which she buys from charity shops

Diabetes UK offers advice on how to have a "frightfully good Halloween".

It includes not eating all the sweets you are given when you are out and about, testing your blood glucose levels and making sure you are enjoying a healthy, balanced diet around Halloween.

Jessica said she was now "fine" with her diabetes diagnosis, because “it’s not all about the sweets, it’s about the experience."

Susan said: “Seeing the smiles is more than enough.”

Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.