Halloween and Childhood Food Allergies
For many, Halloween is a time of spookiness, fun, and excitement over candy.
For a significant number of children, however, Halloween is a time of true fear. The culprit? Their food allergies, which make the risk of accidental exposure and illness all too scary.
Is this well founded? And what can families do?
Food allergies on Halloween
According to FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education), 1 in 10 adults and 1 in 13 children have food allergies. Of those children, over 40% have experienced a severe reaction.
Infographic from FARE.
Furthermore, research published in 2020 out of Canada demonstrated that higher rates of anaphylaxis (a severe, sometimes fatal, type of allergic reaction) occurred on Halloween due to accidental exposure to unknown nut and peanut allergens.
Steps Families Can Take
Make decisions as a family
Should your child go trick or treating freely, with supervision, or only in controlled situations? These are decisions that have no right answers, so take the time consider your child and family’s unique situations, and have an open conversation together about plans.
Review the concerns of food allergies, and be open about both the risks and vulnerabilities, especially when with peers, and opportunities for participation.
Remember, the Teal Pumpkin Project is a way to know which homes may have safe treats for your child.
2. Educate
This is a great learning opportunity for your child to gain some knowledge in reading food labels and advisory statements
Educate friends, family, and schools about risks for food allergy
3. Review the safety plan
Accidents are never planned, so take the time to review your child’s safety plan in the event of a minor or severe reaction.
Remind your child and anyone with them about the signs to look out for
4. Consider giving back!
Consider registering your home for this year’s Teal Pumpkin Project, or find other ways to be inclusive of your child and others with food allergies.
Teal Pumpkin Project from FARE
Ways to Cope
Coping with fear of food allergies and the very real challenges of feeling excluded can be difficult for children and teens living with food allergies. If you or your child might benefit from some assistance in finding the balance between staying safe and living life fully, help is here. Take the first step in finding a specialized pediatric psychologist by clicking the Get Started button at the top right of your screen.