Have a Happy, Healthy Halloween!

• When classroom parties are planned, parents can help by packing treats from home that their food-allergic child can eat. Create a "candy swap" with siblings or friends so that allergen-containing candies can be traded for other treats such as stickers or toys.



• Take the focus off of trick-or-treating by hosting a costume party that emphasizes fun instead of candy. Halloween stickers, pencils, spider rings and stamps are great alternatives for goody bags.



• Provide neighbors with allergy-safe candies for your child or ask neighbors to hand out only candy with individualized labels-so kids with allergies can determine whether the treat is safe to eat or not. (I plan to give stuffed dust mite toys to the trick-or-treaters in my neighborhood!)



• Teach children to politely refuse offers of cookies and other homemade treats.



• Remember that candy ingredients can vary for different sizes of the same product such as full-size candy bars and their miniature versions, which are not always individually labeled.



• Always carry emergency epinephrine! Clip on an Ana-Tote for convenient carrying of your epi-pen or ana-kit.



• If your child has ever had an allergic reaction to a food, or has a history of food allergies, seek the care of an allergist/immunologist for a follow-up evaluation and to discuss treatment and environmental control options. For more information, visit AAAAI.

Posted by Craig on Thursday, October 25, 2007