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BOO! Halloween is right around the corner, and it can either be fun or scary; sometimes even both if your child has food allergies. Ghosts and goblins are supposed to be the scary part of Halloween, not the candy! Here are a few tips to keep your gremlins, witches or little pumpkins safe from an accidental exposure to food allergens during school parties and trick-or-treating.

Dealing with Halloween parties at school:

• Well before the party; make sure the teacher is aware of your child’s food allergies and usual symptoms. Also, be sure the teacher and your child (if mature) are aware how to use self-injectable epinephrine (Epi-Pen or Auvi-Q) in case of an exposure. Have the written anaphylaxis emergency plan in an easy-to-find location.
• Provide snacks for the party. It may be a small price to pay knowing everything is safe. If doing so, be thoughtful of other classmates allergen needs as well.
• Attend the classroom party to observe and resolve safety concerns. If you do not stay for the entire party, stay long enough to check all of the food.
• Remember your child’s emotional needs and be cautious not to draw unnecessary attention to their food allergies.

Trick-or-Treating:

The school party is only half of the Halloween hurdle. We also need to keep our allergic children safe while trick-or-treating.

• Be sure to carry your child’s emergency medication (self- injectable epinephrine) and check expiration dates ahead of time.
• Engage in an alternative activity, such as having a spooky scavenger hunt for safe treats.
• Bake other goodies for that night.
• While trick-or-treating, carry safe snacks with you for those hungry little monsters.
• When returning home, check all ingredients and trade unsafe candy (or the entire bag) for allergen-safe treats. Most individually wrapped candies do not have ingredients listed on them. As always, when in doubt, throw it out!

Family Allergy & Asthma care of Montana wishes you and your little spooksters a happy and safe Halloween!

This information is solely for informational purposes and not intended as a substitute for consultation with a medical professional.