Things to Remember for an Allergy-Free Halloween
It is that time of the year once again when the young and old alike find an excuse to dress up in costumes, stay out late, and have all the candy they could eat. It should also be a time to be careful, especially when it comes to childhood allergies.
ABC News shares the top triggers that we – especially those among us who are parents to kids who will go out trick-or-treating – should watch out for on All Hallow’s Eve.
Costumes. Children are bound to wear things that they don’t normally wear on Halloween, and it is recommended that parents pay attention to the little things in their child’s costume that might trigger allergies. If your child will re-use or borrow someone else’s old Halloween costumes, wash these in hot water.
The American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (ACAAI) issued the following warning regarding costumes: “Watch out for nickel in costume accessories, from cowboy belts and pirate swords to tiaras and magic wands… Nickel is one of the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis, which can make skin itchy and spoil trick or treating fun.”
Candies and goodies. When the kids set out with their plastic pumpkin baskets and pails on Halloween, the objective is pretty clear: get as much candy as they could. While we would like our children to have fun, it is important to keep their safety in mind.
Remind your kids to refrain from sneaking into the stash without checking with you first. Ensure that any candy or sweet treat that they eat does not contain ingredients that your child is allergic to. It will also help if you have non-allergy-causing snacks on hand for your kids to munch on while trick-or-treating, and to bring medication with you – just in case.
Tags: allergy free Halloween, costume allergy, Halloween allergy, Halloween allergy triggers, Halloween asthma attacks, Halloween asthma triggers
