You may notice a trend this Halloween, with multi-colored pumpkins lining porches and trick-or-treaters toting around different colored pails.
But it's not just about being festive -- these colorful pumpkins are sending a message.
"The idea behind these colored pumpkins and buckets is rooted in a way to help families with children with all types of special health care needs navigate a night of trick-or-treating with a little less stress, and more patience and understanding," Dr. Anson Koshy, a developmental-behavioral pediatric specialist with UT Physicians, explained in an article.
Here's what the different colors mean.
Teal -- safe treats for food allergies
If you see a house displaying a teal pumpkin on the doorstep, it means there are non-food treats available, like stickers, fake vampire teeth or glow sticks.
If you see a trick-or-treater carrying a teal pumpkin pail or tote bag, it could signify that they may have a life-threatening food allergy.
"The benefit of the teal pumpkin is that it allows these kids with food anaphylaxis to trick-or-treat safely. If somebody puts out a teal pumpkin, it means that they are absolutely aware of food allergies and that the treats they're giving these kids are going to be safe and not have any food allergens in them," Dr. Inderpal Randhawa, founder of the Food Allergy Institute, told WBBM.
The trend began in 2014 with the launch of the Teal Pumpkin Project and has grown to reach all 50 states with CVS Pharmacy as a national sponsor.
If you are displaying a teal pumpkin on your doorstep this year, you can add your house to an interactive map, so families know which stops near them offer allergy-safe treats.
Blue -- understanding autism and non-verbal disorders
If you see a child carrying a blue pumpkin pail or trick-or-treat bag, it may indicate that they are on the autism spectrum disorder and are non-verbal or have limited verbal skills. While they may not be able to ask for a treat, the blue bucket means they still want one.
"The blue bucket can promote a feeling of independence by providing a subtle, dignified way of alerting people that the child or young adult at their door may not be able to participate in all of the traditional aspects of trick-or-treating, but they certainly deserve to enjoy the night as much as everyone else," Wendy Fournier, president of the National Autism Association, wrote in a blog post.
Purple -- sign of epilepsy awareness
If you see a trick-or-treater carrying a purple pumpkin or bag, it indicates that they may have epilepsy. Likewise, homes with purple pumpkins on display may signify that member of the household has epilepsy and that they can recognize and respond to a seizure.
The trend began in 2012 with the launch of the Purple Pumpkin Project to raise funds and draw awareness to epilepsy, which affects 3.4 million people in the United States.
Pink -- supporting breast cancer awareness
Much like the pink ribbons, a home displaying or trick-or-treaters carrying pink pumpkins indicates that they may know a breast cancer survivor or someone who is currently undergoing treatment. With Halloween falling at the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, many use the trend to show support for the cause.
The colorful pumpkins may have intentions to extend inclusiveness to all, but not everyone is on board.
The blue pumpkin trend, for example, is considered particularly controversial, with some saying the practice singles out children with autism and could even make them targets for abuse.
"Someone with a disability or issues with communication may not want to be identified," Catherine Pall, with the Richmond Autism Integration Network, told WWBT. "They don't want to talk about autism; they just want to be themselves. They don't want someone saying, 'Oh, you're different so I have to treat you differently.' You don't have to treat them differently, treat them like kids; like you would any other kid."