Trick-or-treating with food allergies? Keep your eyes peeled for teal pumpkins

Enter the Teal Pumpkin Project, which identifies houses that offer non-food items using a trademark teal pumpkin.

To participate, you can either spray-paint a real pumpkin or download a teal pumpkin poster online, said Casandra Whiteside, the London mom who's bringing the mermaid-hued gourds to Middlesex County.

Whiteside's daughter, Sienna, is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish and eggs, and also has an sensitivity to food dyes and artificial sugars.

"There's really nothing food-wise for candy that she can eat and feel well afterwards, so we really appreciate having the non-food treats that she can have fun with," said Whiteside, who added that her Old East Village neighbourhood has been very supportive of the project.

Food allergies a 'growing public concern'

Casandra Whiteside says the Teal Pumpkin Project has helped make Halloween more inclusive for her daughter, who lives with several food allergies. (Submitted)

Although some might see teal pumpkins as a symbol of overprotective parenting, food allergies are a serious problem for Canadian families, said Dr. Parwinder Gill, who works in clinical immunology and allergy at St. Joseph's Hospital in London.

"Food allergies are a growing public concern here in Canada," she said, adding that the incidence is higher in children under three, with between 6 and 8 per cent affected.

• Regina parents advocate for healthy trick or treat alternatives
• Grown-ups Get Food Allergies Too!

There are no cures for food allergies, and the only way to prevent reactions are to avoid the allergen altogether, said Gill.

Whiteside said that this can be particularly frustrating in a family that has multiple food allergies, especially during food-related holidays like Halloween.

Initiatives like the Teal Pumpkin Project go along way to making kids with food allergies feel included, she said.

"I love the fact that there is something now that can help to encourage parents to understand that not everyone can trick or treat safely," she said.

"These children can also enjoy Halloween more, instead of fearing it or dreading it at this time of year."

Source: cbc