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Keeping the Trick Out of Halloween Treats for Food Allergy Sufferers

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Tuesday, October 14, 2014   

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - A bag of Halloween candy isn't all treats for the one in 13 U.S. kids who suffers from food allergies, which is why one group is working to make this year's holiday a little less tricky.

Angela Fuller, founder of Food Allergy Families of the Triad, organized her group after her child was born with food allergies. She says she appreciates those who distribute inexpensive items on Halloween that aren't going to exclude her child as they trick-or-treat.

"Whenever people do offer food-free treats, like little spider rings or bouncy balls, those are the things that our kids can enjoy," says Fuller. "They get just as much enjoyment out of those things as kids do out of a Snickers bar."

This year, Fuller and other families will be looking for houses decorated with a special pumpkin design. The group Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) is encouraging participating homes to paint a pumpkin teal, the color that denotes food allergy awareness, and put the pumpkin on the porch or doorstep with a sign indicating the house is allergy-safe.

A free printable sign and more information is on the Food Allergy Research and Education website.

Veronica LaFemina, FARE vice president of communications, says food allergies can leave many children feeling left out. She hopes the Teal Pumpkin Project will help create a more inclusive holiday.

"It's empowering for families managing food allergies to know their neighbors and communities really want to make sure that their children are feeling involved and safe," says LaFemina, "and able to participate in the same way their friends can."

Fuller says with candy being such a traditional part of Halloween, her group and other similar organizations are working hard to make the public aware there are other options for good-natured Halloween fun that can be found at a comparable, reasonable cost.

"It's really just getting our generation and previous generations on board, and helping them recognize it wasn't like this when we were kids, but this is where we are now," she says.

Because of cross-contamination risks for allergy sufferers and other safety concerns for kids, experts remind parents to carefully inspect Halloween treats, and to set a "No Eating While Trick-or-Treating" policy.


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