While kids are picking pumpkins and Halloween costumes, parents of kids with food allergies are bracing themselves. Halloween is frightening for these parents, who have to guard against bite-sized treats that as early as September, are showcased by many retailers. What are treats for most children, are life-threatening "tricks" for the 5 million American children who are in danger of anaphylaxis.
Anaphylaxis is a sudden, severe, systemic allergic reaction that can involve various areas of the body (such as the skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and cardiovascular system). Symptoms can include hives, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, wheezing, swelling of the lips, tongue and throat, a drop in blood pressure and loss of consciousness. Symptoms can occur within minutes or hours after contact with the allergy-causing substance. In 150-200 incidents a year, anaphylaxis is fatal. It can be caused by a trace amount of an allergen, the eight most common culprits being peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, milk, eggs, shellfish, fish and soy.
"It's not just the trick-or-treating experience that is nerve-racking about Halloween," says Tom Croghan whose son has a severe peanut allergy. "but Halloween also kicks off the 'candy-on-the-coffee table' season. Beginning now and through the holidays, my wife and I are forced to make a clean sweep of every home we visit to clear away the candies, chocolates and nuts that could land Brad in the hospital." The abundance of accessible food during the holidays creates added danger for a child with food allergies. It is especially risky for children who are too young to comprehend their medical condition or too young to tell people around them that they have to avoid certain foods. The challenge of readily identifying food-allergic children and raising awareness about food allergies is what inspired Ria Sharon, a mom of a toddler with food allergies to create a line of clothing specifically for children at risk.
Sharon started a company called Check My Tag, which offers shirts and dresses that are alert devices for food-allergic kids. Each garment has a sewn-on badge on its left sleeve that announces, "Check my Tag! I have food allergies." The inside tag can be personalized by parents with a list of trigger foods and important, life-saving information. The patent-pending design is specifically for children under five, whose parents may hesitate to put an alert bracelet or necklace on their young child but still want to keep their toddler safe in situations when they have to leave them with a caregiver. "I wanted something that would give me back my confidence in being able to keep him safe. To my surprise, everything that was currently available in terms of alert products were not practical solutions for us." Ria applied her creative skills to develop a solution that eased her own anxiety and empowered her son's teachers and babysitters to care for him safely.
The number of diagnosed cases of food allergies has doubled in the last five years. 3-1/2 year old Colin Depke from Ballwin is among them. His mom, Carol writes, "Thanks for creating such a great product with a purpose! Our 3-1/2 year old has severe food allergies and leaving him at camps and school is hard. Your shirts help to let other people know about his food allergies, yet discreetly. We love the colors and unique style to boot! The med pouch is very convenient to slip into a purse and we love that his action plan is right in the front window. Our son's words sum it up best, "I like my tag shirt 'cause it helps keep me safe!"
HALLOWEEN FOOD SAFETY TIPS
o Have non-food treat options for trick-or-treaters
o Place treats in places that cannot be reached by young children without assistance
o Ask teachers before bringing in special Halloween goodies to classrooms
o If you are hosting a party, ask if there are food allergy concerns on your invitation
o Be aware--ask a parent or caregiver before offering food to any child
o If you see a Check My Tag shirt or any other alert device on a child, be extra vigilant
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