SharonKingWorldWide October 2026 Newsletter

Supporting • Educating • Encouraging • Empowering Our Special Needs Community

Happy October to my beautiful special needs community!

As we welcome a new month, SharonKingWorldWide continues our commitment to supporting special needs children, adults, parents, caregivers, and families. October is filled with important awareness observances that give us opportunities to educate ourselves, advocate for our loved ones, celebrate their abilities, and remind families that support and resources matter.

This month, we are also preparing for Halloween. Halloween should be fun and inclusive for every child, including children with disabilities, sensory differences, communication needs, ADHD, food allergies, and other special needs. A little preparation can make a big difference.

🍂 OCTOBER AWARENESS & MENTAL HEALTH OBSERVANCES

October recognizes several conditions and issues that are especially important to our special needs community.

ADHD Awareness Month

October is ADHD Awareness Month. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that can affect attention, impulse control, activity levels, organization, and other areas of everyday life. Every person with ADHD is different, and appropriate support at home, school, work, and in the community can make an important difference.

Down Syndrome Awareness Month

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Montha time to celebrate people with Down syndrome, promote inclusion, challenge misconceptions, and recognize their abilities, achievements, dreams, and contributions to our communities.

Dyslexia Awareness Month

Dyslexia Awareness Month brings attention to dyslexia and the importance of understanding learning differences. Children with dyslexia can thrive when they receive appropriate instruction, accommodations, encouragement, and support.

International AAC Awareness Month

October is also International Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Awareness Month. AAC includes communication methods and tools such as gestures, pictures, symbols, communication boards, and speech-generating devices. Every individual deserves a way to communicate and to have their voice respected.

Audiology Awareness Month

October recognizes the importance of hearing health, hearing evaluations, early identification of hearing differences, and access to appropriate communication and hearing supports.

National Bullying Prevention Month

Bullying prevention is especially important in the special needs community. Children with disabilities deserve to feel safe, respected, included, and protected at school and everywhere else they go. Parents should encourage children to report bullying and maintain communication with teachers, administrators, and support teams.

Depression & Mental Health Screening Month

Mental health deserves the same attention and compassion as physical health. Pay attention to significant changes in your child’s mood, sleep, behavior, interests, appetite, relationships, or school performance, and reach out to a qualified professional when you have concerns.

Mental Illness Awareness Week  October 4–10, 2026

This week provides an opportunity to increase understanding of mental health conditions, reduce stigma, encourage conversations, and connect families with resources.

World Mental Health Day  October 10, 2026

Mental health matters for our children and it matters for parents and caregivers too. Caring for someone else does not mean that your own emotional and mental well-being should be ignored.

OCD Awareness Week  October 11–17, 2026

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition involving obsessions and compulsions that can significantly interfere with daily life. Awareness helps replace stereotypes and misinformation with understanding and appropriate support.

International Stuttering Awareness Day October 22

Communication may look and sound different from person to person. Children and adults who stutter deserve patience, respect, and the time they need to communicate.

💚 PARENT & CAREGIVER MENTAL HEALTH CHECK-IN

Parents and caregivers, please remember: you matter too.

Advocating, attending meetings and appointments, communicating with schools, managing therapies, working, caring for your household, and worrying about your child’s future can become overwhelming.

Give yourself permission to rest. Take a walk. Sit quietly. Talk with someone you trust. Ask for help when you need it. Make an appointment with a mental health professional when additional support is needed.

Taking care of yourself is an important part of being able to care for the people you love.

🎃 HALLOWEEN & OUR SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY

Halloween can be exciting, but costumes, crowds, flashing decorations, loud noises, unfamiliar people, changes in routine, and sensory experiences may be overwhelming for some children.

Parents: your child does not have to celebrate Halloween the way everyone else does.

If your child doesn’t want to wear a costume, that’s okay. If they don’t want to say “trick or treat,” that’s okay. If they use AAC or another communication method, that’s okay. If they can only visit a few houses, that’s okay. If they prefer staying home and celebrating in a comfortable environment, that’s okay too.

The goal is not to create a “perfect” Halloween. The goal is for your child to feel safe, comfortable, included, and happy.

🎃 HALLOWEEN SAFETY CHECKLIST FOR PARENTS

1. Plan the route ahead of time. Choose familiar, well-lit areas and decide how long your child can comfortably participate.
2. Never allow young children or children who require supervision to trick-or-treat alone. Stay together and establish a plan in case anyone becomes separated.
3. Consider wandering or elopement risks. For children who may wander, use the safety strategies that work for your family and make sure supervising adults understand the child’s needs.
4. Make costumes visible. Consider reflective tape, glow sticks, flashlights, or other visibility aids. Make sure costumes fit properly and do not create a tripping hazard.
5. Consider sensory needs. Avoid uncomfortable masks, fabrics, makeup, sounds, lights, or accessories if they may cause sensory distress.
6. Practice before Halloween. Some children benefit from practicing putting on their costume, walking the route, ringing a doorbell, receiving candy, or using a visual schedule or social story.
7. Prepare for communication needs. Children who use AAC should have access to their communication system. A simple card or device message can also communicate “Trick or Treat,” “Thank you,” or important information when appropriate.
8. Have an exit plan. If your child becomes overwhelmed, it is okay to go home early. Watch for signs of sensory overload, anxiety, fatigue, or distress.
9. Bring necessary medications and emergency information. If your child has prescribed emergency medication, make sure it is available and supervising adults know what to do in an emergency.
10. Talk about street safety. Use sidewalks when available, cross at appropriate crossings, stay alert around driveways and vehicles, and use extra caution after dark.

🍬 VERY IMPORTANT: CHECK THE CANDY BEFORE YOUR CHILD EATS IT

The FDA recommends that children wait until they return home so an adult can inspect their Halloween treats before eating them.

Parents should:

Check every piece of candy. Look for opened or torn wrappers, unusual appearance, discoloration, tiny holes, damaged packaging, or anything suspicious. Throw it away if you are uncertain.

Avoid unwrapped treats. Be cautious with homemade or unwrapped foods when you do not know their ingredients or source.

Read the ingredient label every time. If your child has a food allergy, never assume a familiar candy is safe. Ingredients and manufacturing practices can vary.

Pay special attention to miniature or “fun-size” candy. Smaller Halloween versions can have different ingredients or manufacturing information from the regular-sized version of the same product.

Watch for choking hazards. Hard candy, gum, whole nuts, popcorn, small candies, wrappers, and small toys can present choking risks, particularly for younger children or children with swallowing or developmental needs.

Don’t let children eat candy while trick-or-treating. Give them a meal or snack beforehand and inspect their treats once they return home.

🩵 FOOD ALLERGIES & THE TEAL PUMPKIN PROJECT

Halloween can be challenging for children with food allergies.

The Teal Pumpkin Project encourages families to offer non-food treats so more children can safely participate in Halloween.

Consider handing out:

Glow sticks • Stickers • Pencils • Bubbles • Bookmarks • Small toys • Stencils • Bracelets • Other age-appropriate non-food items

Keep non-food treats separate from candy to reduce the possibility of cross-contact.

Most importantly, never pressure a child to eat something they or their parent says is unsafe.

🌟 OCTOBER FAMILY REMINDER

Different does not mean less.

Some children communicate differently.
Some children learn differently.
Some children process the world differently.

Some children need additional time, accommodations, structure, breaks, or support.

Every child deserves to be respected, 

encouraged, included, and given the opportunity to reach their fullest potential.

This October, let’s continue replacing judgment with understanding, misinformation with education, and exclusion with inclusion.

🔗 TRUSTED FAMILY RESOURCES

ADHD: CHADD — Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Down Syndrome: National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS)

Dyslexia: International Dyslexia Association (IDA)

Communication & AAC: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

Mental Health: National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

OCD: International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)

Halloween Candy & Food Safety: U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

Halloween & Children’s Safety: American Academy of Pediatrics — HealthyChildren.org

Food Allergies & Teal Pumpkin Project: Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE)

Children with Disabilities Safety: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

💜 FROM SHARON’S HEART

To my beautiful special needs community: as we enter another month, please remember that you are doing an amazing job.

Parents and caregivers, continue advocating. Continue asking questions. Continue celebrating the small victories because those small victories can become big victories.

And to our amazing special needs children and adults: you are seen, you are valued, your voice matters, and you belong.

Let’s make October a month of awareness, acceptance, education, mental wellness, safety, and inclusion.

With love , gratitude, appreciation and continued advocacy

Sharon Mae King
Founder & CEO
SharonKingWorldWide

SharonKingWorldWide provides educational and informational resources for families and caregivers. Information shared in this newsletter is not intended to replace individualized medical, mental health, educational, legal, or other professional advice. Families should consult qualified professionals regarding their individual circumstances.