While surprises around every corner and spooky decorations may scream Halloween for some families, for those with autistic or sensory-sensitive children, these festivities can often be anxiety-inducing.
Signal Hill’s newest applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy center, Intercare Therapy, is throwing a Halloween party with these families in mind on Oct. 30. Kids can come dressed in costume (or not, if they don’t enjoy wearing them) and walk through the fun-filled center for a treat trail — no “trick or treat” chants required, and no unexpected scares.
“I think for any parent you’re constantly like, ‘What can I do? What can I take my kids to?’ But for families with autism sometimes that’s not always an option,” said Intercare Therapy Senior Managing Director Anna Stone. “It’s such a good opportunity for people to know that it’s a safe space [where] they can come and have a great time.”
Kids will receive sensory-friendly treats throughout the event, and families can explore the space and all its offerings, including an indoor playground, dress-up costumes, sensory toys and more. Stone added that oftentimes sensory-friendly events not only benefit a child with autism, but also allow their siblings and parents to relax and have fun with them.
For kids who have a speech delay or who are non-verbal in particular, the social contract of saying “trick or treat” to get candy can be stressful, if not impossible. A trend started a few years ago where kids with autism carried blue candy buckets to let people know they may not be able to wear a costume, make eye contact or say thank you. However, Stone said families shouldn’t feel the need to disclose their child’s condition to the world in order for them to enjoy Halloween.
“We’re calling it a treat trail because we just want families to come into this space and just go have fun,” Stone said. “Be able to kind of still have that [Halloween] experience, if that experience isn’t typically available to them.”
Their event could also be educational, Stone added, for those who don’t have someone with autism in their lives, to see how they can better interact with neurodivergent people.
“I think that our community as a whole could really benefit from understanding and learning more from everyone because everyone is so different,” Stone said. “And I do think that some of these community events also give space for that.”
For Intercare, the party symbolizes more than an all-abilities Halloween bash. The day will serve as Intercare Therapy’s grand opening in Signal Hill and the center’s introduction to Signal Hill and Long Beach families. Rooms will be filled with treats, games and decorations, as well as a variety of vendors serving the neurodivergent community for families to meet. Vendors can offer anything from karate and gymnastics classes to haircuts and skating lessons, all with autistic families in mind.
“Navigating childhood, early childhood is hard enough, but navigating a child with special needs — it’s a lot of work,” Stone said. “So what I really do is take these opportunities to create a community event for families to have resources that they might not otherwise have access to or know about.”
Unlike many new-age ABA therapy locations, Intercare is family-owned and operated, honoring the legacy of Naomi Heller, a speech pathologist who began giving ABA therapy sessions out of her garage in Santa Monica in 1949.
Heller passed away in 2009, but the company is now run by her sons. One thing that sets Intercare apart is that they only grow according to the community’s needs, rather than for profit, Stone said. They heard about a need in Signal Hill through families at other locations, practitioners and insurance providers.
Intercare’s main goal: no waiting list. While it may seem impossible for families accustomed to months-long waiting periods before their child can receive services, Stone said they view it as “negligent” to make families wait that long. To remedy this issue, Intercare hires therapists before bringing in new families, rather than the other way around.
The Halloween party will take place at Intercare Therapy, located at 2525 Cherry Ave., on Oct. 30 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The public can RSVP for free to Intercare’s Spooktacular sensory-friendly Halloween on Eventbrite. RSVPs will help ensure there are enough treat bags for every kid.
Learn more about Intercare Therapy and the services they offer on their website.
