So, when I received this question for a reader, I thought it is an issue really all parents of PA kids should be thinking about, even while we are still dipping our toes in the swimming pool. We can re-visit the issue in October, too.
Hey Robyn,This is a great question and one that has been on my mind lately. Since we were dealing with a milk and egg allergy last year, we knew Halloween was a "no go" for us. And, the more I have contemplated the coming Halloween, I do not feel comfortable at all with Tyler trick or treating. The main reason it bothers me is the residue from other candy that isn't sealed well (such as Reece's peanut butter cups) that can get everywhere. That could be transferred to Tyler's hands and then to his mouth. So, no way!!
I was wondering how you handle Halloween?
According to "How To Manage Your Child's Life-Threatening Food Allergies" (review of this book coming next week), the author recommends the following things:
1.) Stay home: Allow your child to distribute "safe" candy at your home.
2.) Distribute safe candy to your neighbors: Secretly go around to your neighbors and explain your situation and only trick or treat at those houses.
3.) Go trick or treating and sort out the safe candy from the unsafe: I don't like this option at all. Not one bit!
4.) Throw a Halloween party instead
We will be doing #1 like we did last year. Tyler absolutely loved watching all the costumed children come to our door. He also help distribute the candy. It never occurred to him that he should be out there. I know one day that will happen. When it does, I think an explanation of the dangers will probably suffice. He's a very smart kid and understands his allergy very well. When that day comes, I like the idea of option #4. Maybe we could do the prep work while others are trick or treating and then have the party after most of the trick or treating is done and his friends can come over. Also, I plan on buying costumes for both of my boys this year so that they still get to participate in that part.
When my youngest child is old enough to understand that he should be out trick or treating (probably another year or two), I think Tyler will be old enough to understand the difference and an explanation of why Dylan is out and he cannot should be enough for him. Of course, I will give Tyler plenty of safe candy so he doesn't feel left out at all.
Halloween is all about traditions. There is no law that says you can't create even more fun ones than going door to door begging neighbors for candy.
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I would love to hear from those of you who have handled this situation in the past. What did you do? Why? Was your PA kid receptive to this? Please leave a comment so we can learn from your experiences.
11 comments:
Another option is to allow the kids to trick or treat and exchange ALL the candy in the bag at the end of the night for a safe bag of treats at home. If you do it right, your kids don't even need to touch the candy. Most people put the candy straight in the bucket for the kids. If the neighbors offer to let the kids pick some themselves, mom or dad can step in.
Amy
Each year I pack up little safe packages of candy for my son and deliver it to all our friends in the neighborhood. I just ask them to please keep it separate from all the "OTHER" candy. Its in a ziplock bag and then his safe treats are sealed within that.
I also limit the number of houses we go to, so that we only go places I KNOW will help keep him safe.
Then, I usually let him eat only about HALF the candy anyways. I mean who really needs all that sugar anyways! ;-)
We swap the candy for safe stuff from home. We also trick or treat early so that the unsafe stuff gets given out later in the evening. The only limitation is that I will not let my child take any peanut containing candy -- at one house last year we were offered only peanut m+ms and those were off limits, so we just said thank you and moved on.
We go trick or treating early since the kids are still pretty young (4 & 7) and we just swap out all the candy we receive for candy I have bought. The next day, Daddy takes the "unsafe" candy to work to share with his coworkers, and we have all of our safe candy to eat. The kids do not mind, as long as they get to dress up and get "oohs" and "ahs" from the grownups who answer the doors at the houses we visit. Our town also has a Halloween parade which is much more exciting than trick or treating.
One interesting thing was that my PA son is so well trained, he informs everyone he meets at Halloween that he has a peanut allergy and asks if they have "peanut-free" candy. I have to explain that I will be reading labels and inspecting candy, so not to worry. In truth, he doesn't eat a bite of what he collects, but that's ok.
I will be watching the comments here closely.
I have let my son trick-or-treat and we usually took the candy to Boscov's in exchange for a gift card.
Last year I let him keep the candy that was safe and replaced the unsafe candy with stuff I had bought. It never really crossed my mind that the wrapped p.b. cups could be cross contaminating the wrappers. I will have to think on this more for this year. I'm not sure what we'll do.
I have done many of the things that people have already commented on. I believe the first year of Halloween was a eye opener for me. With have wrappers that were not keeping the candy away from the other safe candy. When my son trick or treats now we both go to the door and if we see that all the have is pb cups we say no thank you and he says that he is allergic to peanuts and have a good evening everyone seems to understand. Now the neighbors all try to stay away from peanut prodct candies. Not saying all do but most and those who don't understand that we won't be taking any candy. Some might even just give him an apple instead which is better for him anyways. I have also let him trick or treat and than traded bags with him later. He thinks it is fun to go get candy for the people that I work for. He has been invited to any parties yet so I don't know what I would do if he did. We tried passingn out the candy but my son doesn't like all the costume's and in the past he woke up with nightmares which is another issue all together. Some years we just don't even participate. We go to church's sometimes that have a fall party with activties that suits our needs they have games for the children to play and prizes which aren't candy.
We have a special candy bowl for my PA allergic child. I make sure it is a variety of my son's favorite safe candies. After we went trick or treating (he has 2 non-PA brothers), he comes in and trades his candy for the safe candy. He turns in his candy to us and gets to choose from the bowl (so he gets to determine how many of each variety - based on how much we say he can have, of course). We also talked to our neighbors and that helps (but doesn't mean that you will get safe candy). My son (who was 4 last Halloween) also greeted people with "Trick or Treat...No Nuts for Me". We didn't coach him to do that but it was adorable and very helpful. He really didn't get any peanut butter items. (Plenty of non-safe candy but not peanut butter candy.)
My son is now 9 and we have allowed him to trick-or-treat. He is very good at avoiding peanuts, and does not take anything with peanut in it. I then go through his loot when he gets home, and exchange stuff he can't have (may contain traces of peanut) with safe stuff I have bought for this reason. He has no problems with his PA doing this. He also knows his safe candies, and still reads the label on everything himself.
Suzanne
Last year we let our children trick or treat. We removed all the unsafe candy (luckily I don't think anyone gave out p/b cups.) I put some of the safe candy from neighbors in a bowl. The rest of the candy was left on the table. We told the children the Halloween Witch would come during the night and take away the unsafe candy. In return she would leave a small gift for each of them. Worked well for us! We actually got the idea from a co worker who does not have allergies; just doesn't want the children eating all the candy.
Laura
In the days leading up to Halloween we watch "It's the great pumpkin Charlie Brown!" We allow our son to trick or treat, being careful that he does not touch any candy and refusing anything overtly "peanutty". When he comes home I have a halloween candy bucket full of safe candy for him. We leave the candy that he collected trick or treating out for the Great Pumpkin. Over night the candy is taken and replaced with one cool gift. (This year it was the Air Hogs remote control car that works on walls!) My PA son is 5, but we do the same with my older son who is 9 and who does not have allergies, as we run a peanut free home. He LOVES this tradition too, even though he has his suspicions about the "Great Pumpkin" LOL!
April in South Lyon
For my children, we give them all identical bags to put their candy into. Then, we have an extra bag at home which is also identical filled with safe candy. When our son with the peanut allergy gets home and is taking off this shoes (at the door) we switch out the bags, so we know everything in his bag is safe. Someday he'll catch on, but for now it works wonders!
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