Halloween Doesn't Have to Be Scary for Kids With Food...( SEATTLE Oct. 19 /- While children are...),Health

SEATTLE, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- While children are already anticipating Halloween "trick or treating," some parents are dreading the observed holiday that focuses on youngsters going door-to-door to receive free candy.

Parents of children with a life-threatening food allergy must be extra careful when their child is the recipient of food outside the home. With a little planning, children with a food allergy can stay safe without having to miss out on the Halloween fun.

Sally Porter of Sammamish, whose son Charlie has a deadly peanut allergy, approaches Halloween as a learning opportunity. She is fortunate to have many neighbors who ask about the safety of treats before purchasing or giving one to her son. Last year, for the first time, Charlie, then 5 years old, asked on his own if candy was safe before taking it--an important milestone toward becoming independent.

Yet Porter says the holiday also serves as a reminder that she and her family can never be complacent about Charlie's safety and insists on strict enforcement of two rules: 1) Charlie's costume must include gloves to avoid skin contact with candy, and 2) a parent must examine all food before consumption to remove anything unsafe or in doubt.

By enforcing these rules, Porter says she feels confident they are taking necessary precautions and hopes they are giving her son the foundation he needs to learn how to protect himself.

"Charlie will have to make decisions for the rest of his life--decisions that can have dire consequences, so if our consistency can make it almost second nature for him to make good decisions, we are happy," added Porter.

According to How To Manage Your Child's Life-Threatening Food Allergies by Linda Marienhoff Coss, the author recommends the following:

1. Stay home: Allow your child to distribute "safe" candy at your home.
2. Distribute safe candy to your neighbors: Secretly
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