Now that our little Trick-or-Treaters are gearing up to go on the prowl for candy and treats for Halloween we need to make some preparations to ensure a safe and fun time.
If your child has any food allergy, as do six to eight percent of children in the US, Halloween activities can potentially be dangerous. Now that doesn’t mean your children can’t enjoy the holiday—it just means that you have to take extra special care.
First of all, remember, even mild food allergiesthose that result in watery eyes or a rashcan become more severe and can trigger a dangerous reaction known as anaphylaxis, which progresses quickly and can cause airway swelling and low blood pressure.
Halloween candy often contains common allergens, such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk and eggs. Kids with food allergies should not trick-or-treat alone, and they should carry self-injectable epinephrine.
There are several other things we can do to make Halloween enjoyable as well as safe:
First of all SAY SOMETHING if your child has a food allergy. Be sure to inform the host of any Halloween party and provide party hosts with a list of foods that may trigger an allergic reaction.
Clean up. Be sure to clean all cooking utensils, pans or other dishes if they have been in contact with a food allergen.
Check labels. It’s important to read labels to learn if particular foods contain allergens or have been made on the same machine as other products that contain an allergen.
Just make sure your child knows what he or she can eat and remember the old adage–when in doubt, throw it out!
Finally here are some tips on how to safely handle the candy that comes home with your kids:
Get rid of home baked items or fruit. They could be spoiled, poisoned, laced with illegal drugs or contain pins or razors.
Don’t recognize it? Not in the orginal wrapper? Package has hole? Look funny or old? THROW IT OUT!
Young children should not have hard candy or things with nuts because they represent choking hazards.
If it tastes funny, spit it out and rinse out your mouth immediately.
Cut soft candy or candy bars in quarters before eating it to expose and pins.
Now go on and ENJOY!
Until next week…
