Halloween is Tricky for Food-Allergic Kids

While kids are picking pumpkins and Halloweenallergies is what inspired Ria Sharon, a mom of a
costumes, parents of kids with food allergies aretoddler with food allergies to create a line of clothing
bracing themselves. Halloween is frightening for thesespecifically for children at risk.
parents, who have to guard against bite-sized treatsSharon started a company called Check My Tag,
that as early as September, are showcased by manywhich offers shirts and dresses that are alert devices
retailers. What are treats for most children, arefor food-allergic kids. Each garment has a sewn-on
life-threatening "tricks" for the 5 million Americanbadge on its left sleeve that announces, "Check my
children who are in danger of anaphylaxis.Tag! I have food allergies." The inside tag can be
Anaphylaxis is a sudden, severe, systemic allergicpersonalized by parents with a list of trigger foods and
reaction that can involve various areas of the bodyimportant, life-saving information. The patent-pending
(such as the skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract,design is specifically for children under five, whose
and cardiovascular system). Symptoms can includeparents may hesitate to put an alert bracelet or
hives, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, wheezing,necklace on their young child but still want to keep their
swelling of the lips, tongue and throat, a drop in bloodtoddler safe in situations when they have to leave
pressure and loss of consciousness. Symptoms canthem with a caregiver. "I wanted something that would
occur within minutes or hours after contact with thegive me back my confidence in being able to keep him
allergy-causing substance. In 150-200 incidents a year,safe. To my surprise, everything that was currently
anaphylaxis is fatal. It can be caused by a traceavailable in terms of alert products were not practical
amount of an allergen, the eight most common culpritssolutions for us." Ria applied her creative skills to
being peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, milk, eggs, shellfish, fishdevelop a solution that eased her own anxiety and
and soy.empowered her son's teachers and babysitters to
"It's not just the trick-or-treating experience that iscare for him safely.
nerve-racking about Halloween," says Tom CroghanThe number of diagnosed cases of food allergies has
whose son has a severe peanut allergy. "butdoubled in the last five years. 3-1/2 year old Colin
Halloween also kicks off the 'candy-on-the-coffeeDepke from Ballwin is among them. His mom, Carol
table' season. Beginning now and through the holidays,writes, "Thanks for creating such a great product with
my wife and I are forced to make a clean sweep ofa purpose! Our 3-1/2 year old has severe food
every home we visit to clear away the candies,allergies and leaving him at camps and school is hard.
chocolates and nuts that could land Brad in theYour shirts help to let other people know about his
hospital." The abundance of accessible food during thefood allergies, yet discreetly. We love the colors and
holidays creates added danger for a child with foodunique style to boot! The med pouch is very
allergies. It is especially risky for children who are tooconvenient to slip into a purse and we love that his
young to comprehend their medical condition or tooaction plan is right in the front window. Our son's words
young to tell people around them that they have tosum it up best, "I like my tag shirt 'cause it helps keep
avoid certain foods. The challenge of readily identifyingme safe!
food-allergic children and raising awareness about food