Halloween is quickly approaching and there is the possibility of an increased risk of anaphylaxis due to the candy collected during Trick-or-Treating. The Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) did a study in 2020 and found that in Canada “during Halloween and Easter, there were higher rates of anaphylaxis to unknown nuts and peanuts compared to the rest of the year.,” (Leung, Clarke, et al; 2020).
I believe that children in the U.S., like in Canada, also have a greater risk of Anaphylaxis at Halloween and Easter, which is why awareness and initiatives like the Teal Pumpkin Project are so important. What is the Teal Pumpkin Project, you say? Click here for more details but in short, it is an initiative to help those who are impacted by allergies and intolerances be included and have fun on food-driven holidays like Halloween.
In my Teal Pumpkin I have pencils, spider rings, bubbles, fun straws, vampire fangs, halloween tattoos and stickers, pencils, plastic snakes, sticky halloween hands and animals, as well as my favorite, bouncy balls. I also love giving out glow sticks from the Dollar Store (Dollar & Quarter). I will also add Dum Dums lollipops, as they are free of the top 8 allergens.
Most of these items, I bought at Walmart and Target but you can also look online at Oriental Trading and Amazon. Amazon has stretchy skeletons that look fun!
At Halloween, I have two goodie bowls, one with candy and one with alternates to candy. The Teal Pumpkin Project provides flyers that you can display so that allergy affected kids (or their parents) can ask for an alternative. I typically ask if the kids have an allergy, which is not always necessary but welcome.
Even if you aren’t effected by someone with an allergy, it would be a welcome treat if you participated in the Teal Pumpkin Project. Visit tealpumpkinproject.org for more info and resources.
And don’t forget, if you are packing treats for your kid’s class please include allergy friendly options as well. While most schools are now peanut free (thankfully!) kids with severe allergies cannot eat anything that is processed with nuts. Dum Dums and Tootsie Rolls are great options in addition to non-food treats. Check with your child’s teacher to see if there are allergies to be aware of.
Check back here in the next week or so for a detailed list of candy that is safe for your nut free loved one!