Making Halloween Safe and Fun for Kids with Allergies
Published on in Health Tip of the Week
Published on in Health Tip of the Week
Halloween offers scares and delights for children, but for parents of kids with food allergies, the holiday also brings an extra level of concern.
Children who are allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk or wheat — common ingredients in packaged candies — can’t go trick-or-treating and casually eat any treats they collect. For children with severe allergies, a single bite can trigger anaphylaxis — a life-threatening reaction.
Rushani Saltzman, MD, an attending physician in the Allergy Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), has a few suggestions for keeping Halloween both safe and fun for kids with food allergies.
“Any holiday or celebration that involves food requires care and vigilance for families of kids with food allergies,” says Dr. Saltzman. “That means paying close attention to ingredients. It’s also important to keep holidays fun and to help your child feel included in the celebration.”
Halloween isn’t only about the candy. If your child has a food allergy, emphasize the other aspects of the holiday.
The candy your child collects at Halloween may include types and brands that are new to you and your child.
Like the tooth fairy, who comes while a child is sleeping and exchanges a tooth for money, the switch witch exchanges Halloween candy for toys.
In the days leading up to Halloween, consider introducing the idea of the switch witch to your child and find out what toy and what amount of candy would make the trade appealing. In your home, the switch witch might only trade for candy with ingredients your child can’t eat. Or your child might choose to offer up excess candy for an even better toy.
Contributed by: Rushani Saltzman, MD
Categories: Health Tip of the Week