Halloween | Peanut Allergy Awareness

Every October 31st, Halloween arrives, bringing hundreds of young children dressed in all sorts of costumes to your front door. After reading The Peanut Allergy Epidemic by my friend & colleague, Heather Fraser, I released how great of an education opportunity Halloween is to educate parents on the cause to the explosion of peanut allergies among the younger generation. This is a strategy to educate other parents, especially whose children have severe tree nut allergies. Loving everyday carrying an Epi-pen is not an easy lifestyle.

To educate as many parents as possible on the cause of widespread peanut allergies, complete the following:
Step 1 | Buy a supply of peanut containing candy or do what I do and take last year’s collected candy from my children (they don’t eat the candy anyway, so nothing is lost)
Step 2 | Download this predrafted template, cut along the dotted lines and then tape to the back of the peanut containing candy.

Step 3 | Pass out 3 pieces of candy to each child. Have the cover of the attached book face down, so that the children don’t know which home it came from. Also mix in with other candy to create additional anonymity.

After an evening traipsing through the neighborhood, parents will sort through their children’s collection and remove anything that appears damaged or possibly modified for malicious intent. Parents of children with peanut allergies typically are more keen to removing any nut containing candy. A severe peanut allergy leading to anaphylaxis shock is no laughing matter and no parent wants to inject an Epi-pen into their child if they can avoid doings so.

On a side note, I also add in a flyer from Learntherisk.org each time I pass out candy. Again, I am looking for ways for other parents to start reading the “actual research”.

Tools:
1 | This study discusses the possible connection between food proteins, injections and the development of food allergies.

2 | Adjuvant 65-4, emulsified peanut oil, is added to some vaccines.

3 | Medical doctors confirm food allergen-specific IgE elevates after injecting Alum-containing vaccines