How do you navigate Halloween with food allergies?
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Like a lot of other holidays, food often plays a big part in how people celebrate Halloween, but it can be a more complex to navigate if you have a food allergy - especially if you want to go to parties or take children trick or treating.
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How do people with allergies ensure they can take part in the fun and stay safe? And how can you help make sure that everyone is included in the celebrations?
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Ciara, 15, is allergic to milk and eggs.
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"You have to make sure you read every packet of everything, and you couldn't eat anything until you got home so that you were safe and you were sure of what was happening," she said.
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When it comes to Halloween, she said people having more awareness would mean that everyone could be included in the fun.
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She says that her friend group really help her by knowing about her allergies and what to do if she was to have a reaction.
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Whilst she said it "wasn't easy" or a "particularly enjoyable" thing to do, she taught her group what to do in an emergency situation.
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Ciara, 15, went to a Halloween party this week dressed as Daphne from Scooby Doo Ciara carries EpiPens.
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These are adrenaline injections that can help to save people's lives in a serious allergic reaction. The 15-year-old explained that Halloween can be a bit more difficult to navigate.
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She described how a lot of people are helpful and understanding about allergies but sometimes, "there are other people that just don't seem to fully understand the consequences" of what would happen if she was exposed to what she's allergic to.
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Her mum, Claire McGuigan, said she is proud of how well Ciara deals with her allergy.
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She explained that parents of children with allergies have all the usual worries but "first and foremost is your allergy".
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"As a parent, you carry all that worry and you just hope that they go out and they have a nice time and they come back safe, full of fun, and they can forget about their allergies as much as they can for that night".
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"I think having a good circle of friends who understands the allergies is important.
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"Trying to prevent the harm rather than relying on the rescue medication is really, really important," she continued.
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Ciara's mum described the emotional burden on families and called for a national conversation about it.
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She said people who have children with allergies or have allergies themselves have to do their "best to navigate a whole world that wasn't designed for you".
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"I think take your wins everyday that you're safe and that you're happy and don't let it define you.
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You can be who you want to be," she continued. She believes that with "a bit of careful planning" children with allergies can feel included.
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Caolán has just turned 11.
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His mum Colette Donaghy said he does all the "school activities that you could name" and he's "mad into scooting". Caolán is allergic to nuts, dairy and eggs and has had, in the past, a very serious anaphylactic reaction that resulted in him being in an induced coma in intensive care.
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"He has an awareness and a knowledge and probably a risk awareness that many other children of his age wouldn't have," his mum said.
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She thinks it's important that children with allergies are "understood" but not made to feel "really different".
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Caolán's mum, Colette Donaghy, said giving out individually wrapped sweets to trick-or-treaters could help avoid cross-contamination When it comes to Halloween, Donaghy explained that when Caolán trick or treats, he waits until the end when all the other children have been given their sweets.
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"Then he will explain to the people at the door that he has allergies and there's only certain things he can have.
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And then, of course, before he would eat anything, we would have to check it," she said.
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Donaghy advised giving out individually wrapped sweets to help avoid cross-contamination. She also suggested looking at alternatives to sweets like fruit or little toys "that don't cost very much".
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"There's loads of different options for people and that would take away another layer of anxiety for parents," she said.
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Donaghy also explained how some people use teal pumpkins to indicate that a house will offer treats that are suitable for any trick-or-treaters who have any food allergies or intolerances.
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Niamh Kennedy, from Food Allergy NI, said everyone should "think ahead" to consider how they can make celebrations inclusive Niamh Kennedy has three children who have food allergies and she is the chair of Food Allergy NI.
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It's a group aiming to build a safer and more inclusive society for everyone affected by food allergies.
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She said special occasions are often centred around food.
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"For families living with food allergies, these celebrations can bring an extra layer of planning and worry that many people never have to think about." She explained that "every item may need to be checked and every situation assessed for risk".
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Kennedy suggests that everyone should "think ahead" to consider how they can make celebrations inclusive.
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She said this may include "offering non-food alternatives, providing clear ingredient information, communicating with families in advance and being mindful of the risk of cross-contact".
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"Being thoughtful and understanding can make a real difference to whether someone feels left out or included in these occasions."
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Spook-tacular Derry Halloween festival turns 40 Parents call for tougher measures in schools to tackle allergies Families call for stronger allergy protections in NI schools
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