Halloween season is upon us, along with all the fun and festivities that come with it. For some trick-or-treaters and partygoers, however, there are more decisions to be made than simply what costume they’re wearing. For those with allergies and asthma, these activities come with a few additional precautions necessary to steer clear of potential risks and reactions.
Halloween Allergy Considerations
As a parent or guardian, there are several things you can do before, during and after your planned activities to help your child enjoy a safe and scare-free Halloween. Take some stress off your shoulders and prepare for the special occasion with our recommended action items for effective allergy management.
Have Important Items Ready
When taking the kids out for some spooky fun, don’t forget to bring along their essential safety items and medications. This includes having a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector (such as EpiPen or Auvi-Q) available in case a severe allergic reaction occurs. If your child experiences asthma, bring along an inhaler to treat any coughing or wheezing while outdoors. For easy access, all emergency medications should be kept in a separate bag. This helps to ensure that you can swiftly grab any needed items and administer them without delay.
Communicate About Their Needs
It’s important for children with food allergies to know how to communicate their dietary restrictions to others, especially when going door-to-door for Halloween treats. The more aware kids are of their own allergies, the more they can alert others and avoid triggers.
As you’re explaining these concepts, there are a few simple ways to make things understandable. Let them know that some foods can make them very sick, and tell them which foods are “safe” or “unsafe” for them to eat.
To help your little one feel empowered and supported, use “we” statements when discussing food allergy management. When a child feels involved in their safety plan, certain precautions and restrictions feel less harsh.
“A simple statement before leaving the house such as ‘We have our medicine kit with us, so now we’re ready to leave!’ can help reinforce that you do not go anywhere without their medication."
Source: FARE
If your child is unable to communicate their allergy needs verbally, there are a few other ways that others around them can be made aware. These methods include carrying a list of food allergies, providing personalized allergy information cards or wearing alert bracelets or necklaces indicating allergies, such as those made by Allermates.
Focus on Fun, Not Candy
While so many activities are centered around candy and other sweet treats, that’s not where all the fun is! There are many exciting ways beyond trick-or-treating to give your kids a Halloween to remember and keep them from feeling left out of the festivities.
Costume parties, movie nights, board games, scavenger hunts and crafting decorations are all great ways to add some magic to the spooky season.
If you do go trick-or-treating, it can also be difficult when it comes time to discard any unsafe treats. To avoid this process feeling like a punishment, it can be helpful to find fun and meaningful ways to release these items, such as this example from Food Allergy Resource & Education (FARE):
“Consider starting a tradition by allowing their kids to leave their unsafe candies out for the ‘Good Witch’ to collect and leave behind small gifts and safe treats.” Source: FARE
Stock Up on Safe Treats
It’s also always a good idea to stock up on allergy-safe goodies to keep in your pantry. It’s not guaranteed that your child will come home with an abundance of safe options, and having your own supply on hand can help relieve any disappointment.
Another helpful practice is to prepare goodie bags full of allergy-free treats and pass them out to neighbors before trick-or-treating begins. This way, your child will be able to visit those doorsteps and receive their own sweets, just like any other little witch or werewolf.