For many children and families, Halloween marks a fun time, filled with parades at school, costumes and trick or treating. For the families of children with food allergies, this time of year may bring much anxiety. You may be worried about your child’s safety as he or she is offered foods and candies that often contain some common allergenic foods, such as peanuts and tree nuts.
It helps to discuss appropriate foods with your child this time of year, as well as his or her teachers, relatives and friends. It helps to understand exactly what foods your child should be avoiding, and also to understand how to read the labels on candies and other food products. It may help to set rules, such as not eating candy until he or she brings it home and you can look at it together.
A great website for families for food allergies is FARE: www.foodallergy.org
Talk to your child’s teachers and see what activities are planned. Although it may be hard for your child when he or she cannot eat spontaneously like others, you can try to plan activities with your child, like switching out candy for something else that your child enjoys.
It is important to always carry 2 epinephrine autoinjectors with you in case of accidental ingestion and to review your food allergy action plan with your allergist.
Understanding what foods needs to be avoided, how to avoid them, and what to do in the case of an accidental ingestion is the best way to be prepared and to have fun!
by Faith Huang, M.D.
Allergy & Asthma Associates of Southern California provides relief from allergies, asthma, sinus problems, chronic cough and other related conditions. Dr. William E. Berger, Dr. Warner W. Carr, Dr. Mark S. Sugar, Dr. Christina D. Schwindt, and Dr. Faith R. Huang together with their staff specialize in allergy and immunology in Southern California.
If you or your child is suffering from a food allergy or any other kind of allergy, please call us at (949) 364-2900 to schedule your appointment today. You can also use our online Request an Appointment form to schedule a future appointment.
