How to enjoy Halloween if your child has food allergies
- 10 October 2022
- News
If your child has serious food allergies, you may feel concerned about their safety while ‘Trick-or-Treating’ or attending a Halloween party.
Under normal circumstances, parents can check ingredient lists for their child’s allergens to avoid the risk of anaphylaxis but during Halloween, the the chances of your child coming into contact with their allergens is significantly increased. Factors include unlabelled sweets, homemade treats and low lighting making it difficult to check packaging, but Halloween can also be a great opportunity to help teach your child about their allergies.
By taking some extra precautions, your child can still enjoy all the fun of Halloween. The following tips outline the important measures to take and what to consider in advance.
- Keep your child’s two adrenaline auto-injectors (AAI) with them at all times and check these are in date.
- Remind your child what their food allergens look like.
Before you go:
- Keep your child’s two adrenaline auto-injectors (AAI) with them at all times and check these are in date.
- Remind your child what their food allergens look like.
- Have approved sweets, fruit or non-food treats ready that can be swapped for any treats that are not suitable.
- If ‘Trick-or-Treating’ with others, make sure that any adults or friends with your child know about their allergies, what signs and symptoms to look for and how to administer their AAI.
While you are out:
- Always accompany your child.
- Ask your child not to eat any sweets or treats until they are checked at home.
When you return:
- Always wash your hands after returning home.
- Replace anything unwrapped, unlabelled or homemade with your preapproved treats.
- Check all labels of treats before giving to your child, including treats you recognise as ingredients can change.
