Halloween is full of spooky ghosts, bloody zombies, and multiple clowns of all sizes running around with fake weapons. But maybe the most freighting thing about Halloween for some is the fear of their child coming in contact with peanuts.
Peanut allergies are one of the most common food allergies and have been attributed to the most food related deaths in the US. There is a reason that they are banned in all schools across the country (and most parts of the world).
Let's look at these stats for a minute to get a really good idea of how common this allergy is. My daughter's school has only 165 kids in it. According to Food Allergy Canada, 2 in every 100 children are allergic to peanuts. So there is at least 3 kids in her school who suffer with this allergy. Her school has 9 classes in it so, with all things being equal, the likelihood of her having a friend in her class allergic to peanuts is about 1 in 3. That's huge!
There is some debate whether the increase in food allergies is due to an increase in awareness, or whether our increased use of antibiotics and clean living has had a negative effect on our tolerance. Vadas et al (2001) ran a study that concluded a direct link between exposure while in utero and breastmilk and peanut allergies. They state, however, that only at-risk children will have an effect when exposed to peanuts through these outlets.
New studies have emerged indicating that we may have a predisposition to peanut allergies (Wang et al 2015; Asai et al, 2017). These studies have found that our genes play an important role in our development of certain allergies, in specific the peanut allergy. With this information, authors from both papers hope that there can be an increase in early detection of these allergies in the near future.
With all of that in mind, here are some tips for those parents of children with allergies:
New studies have emerged indicating that we may have a predisposition to peanut allergies (Wang et al 2015; Asai et al, 2017). These studies have found that our genes play an important role in our development of certain allergies, in specific the peanut allergy. With this information, authors from both papers hope that there can be an increase in early detection of these allergies in the near future.
With all of that in mind, here are some tips for those parents of children with allergies:
1. Double check all candy your child collects to ensure it hasn't been tampered with. In 2015, Niagara Region alone had reports of 2 incidents of razor blades found in candy bars.
2. Don't be afraid to speak to your neighbors before Halloween about your child's allergy. Maybe provide them with a peanut-free alternative for when you trick or treat at their house.
3. Talk to your child about their allergy, what it would mean if they ate a peanut, and what to do if they have a reaction.
4. Make sure that their EpiPen is up to date and with them the whole night.
4. Make sure that their EpiPen is up to date and with them the whole night.
5. Keep an eye out for teal pumpkins - these houses have indicated that they have peanut-free treats to give out.
www.northerncheminc.com
Northernchem Inc
www.northerncheminc.com
Northernchem Inc
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