Food Allergies Do Not Have To Make Halloween Scary

Next to birthday celebrations, kids are overly excited about Halloween. And it is not just for the costumes, but the treats as well. However, this day does not excite everyone that much. Parents with allergic children panic before and during Halloween since their children may suffer an allergic reaction to Halloween treats and party foods. In this article, we will look at some of the scary food facts in line with the spirit of Halloween and the tips to prevent food allergies.

Scary food facts:
Some of these facts will spook you but sadly, there are true.
Commonly, you will see orange pumpkins but did you know there exist white, green, gray and red pumpkins?
There are insect fragments in chocolate and peanut butter approved by the FDA.
Raspberry and vanilla flavors contain beaver’s anal secretion, Castoreum for enhancement purposes.
There are 50 different chemicals in strawberry flavor.
Candies such as jellybeans and Tootsie rolls are coated with Shellac, which is excreted from lac beetle.
Of the 61% of children with an epinephrine auto-injector, only 23% carry them all the time.
Based on survey respondents, 78% of moms need additional information to curb food allergies.
Food allergies are increasingly becoming common.

Preventing food allergies:
All hope is not lost when dealing with food allergies. Parents can make Halloween safe by.

Teaching your allergic child to read labels:
You want the child to join in on the fun without fear that they will be rushed to the hospital anytime. Hence, you need to teach your child to be responsible enough to read labels of any treats and foods they come by. In case they are with an adult, whether you or the caregiver, watch out for foods with allergens that trigger allergic reactions. And if by any chance they get allergies while trick-or-treating, you should be prepared to give first aid before getting medical assistance.

Communicating with your neighbors:
Sharing about your child’s allergy with neighbors is a necessary precaution to a safe Halloween. Avoid the risk by giving recommendations on some of the allergen-free treats they can get for your child. If it is a large neighborhood and you cannot get the word out to everyone, asking your child to hold off from eating the treats until you verify they are safe. It is the right thing to do.

Watching out for the Teal pumpkin:
The idea of the teal pumpkin was created by Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) in a bid to aid safe trick-or-treating. Houses push on with the campaign by having safe treats and making it known with the teal pumpkin. This is an effective campaign reducing your child’s and others from being at risk.

Being part of the celebration:
There are a variety of Halloween foods and treats at Halloween parties at home or at school. In either, you should be involved so that you can provide non-food treats that are safe for allergic children. Collaborating with the teachers and other people gives you control over the situation.

Let Halloween be fun again with the necessary precautions such trading treats for other prizes, hosting the parties and any of the above. Making the right preparations in advance helps you and your child to scare less and look forward to Halloween.