What have we learned from previous year’s Halloween celebration? It can be done safely and wisely with kids enjoying their special day (or night).  One of the most important things to do for this holiday (as well as anytime) is to be a LABEL DETECTIVE! That’s right as a parent you must read each and every label of packaged foods.  Many snack foods and candy may contain peanuts, nuts, egg and milk (among the most common food allergens in kids).   

Learn more about safe food allergen labeling and consumer information which will simplify whether a food contains one of the top 8 food allergens to protect consumers with food allergy @  http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/alrgqa.html. 

So here is a partial list of ways I have found to enjoy a safe Halloween.

·     The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology have a great check- list of things to do for a safe Halloween at:  http://www.aaaai.org/patients/elements/1008/08halloween_checklist.stm

·     Go shopping with your child and pre-purchase safe foods and snacks that do not contain suspect allergens before the “trick-or-treating” begins

·     Attend a Halloween party with your child to ensure that you can monitor to keep your child safe and resolve any food allergy concerns

·     Bake safe foods and treats at home and bring them with you to parties and during trick-or-treating on Halloween (if your child has gluten intolerance or celiac disease, this will be particularly important)

·     If your child is allergic to egg and egg products watch out for the appearance of “shiny” food products that may signal egg coating on bakery foods

·     Keep your child’s emergency medication on hand, such as an epinephrine auto injector, if they have prescribed for potential use if a food induced allergic reaction should occur

·     Consider non food items such as stickers, crayons,  in lieu of snacks, candy and food

Check out www.foodallergy.org (The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network) for more food allergy safety tips to keep it safe and an enjoyable holiday for your family 

Dr. Clifford W. Bassett is an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the Long Island College Hospital and on the faculty of NYU School of Medicine.  He is the current vice chair for public education committee of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.  No information in this blog is intended as medical advice to any reader or intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. 

With Halloween approaching, kids will soon be considering bright orange cupcakes and otherworldly candy. Though I am all for limiting artificial ingredients in favor of more natural dyes from carrots and beets, at the same time, it is difficult to prove that artificial colors are unsafe.
   
Many studies have been done which have NOT shown an association between food dyes and hyperactivity in children. The FDA has previously stated that these dyes are safe based on a 1980s report. A 2004 study from Schwab at Columbia reviewed available data and concluded that neurobehavioral changes may be due to artificial food colors. BUT a clever 2004 study in the American Family Physician showed that parents perceived a difference in behavior after kids tasted artificially flavored beverages, whereas independent observers did not. So it appears that the parents were either not trained to judge hyperactive behavior, or possibly biased.

A year ago the flood gates opened when the reputable British Journal Lancet published a study which looked at 153 3-year olds and 144 9-year olds and game them drinks containing either artificial colors or placebo.  They were then assessed by parents in terms of concentration, fidgeting, and restlessness. After this study came out, the UK Food Standards Agency asked manufacturers to pull the synthetic colors involved in the study. Here in the U.S., the Center for Science in the Public Interest is now petitioning the FDA to demand that 8 synthetic blues, yellows, greens, reds, and oranges be removed from the market. Yet the current evidence would still appear to be flimsy at best.

BOTTOM LINE: To draw a conclusion on this seemingly conflicting information, I turned to director of the NYU Child Study Center and world expert in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Dr. Harold Koplewicz. “There have been multiple studies,” he said. “There is no evidence that the artificial colors effect children.”

Dr. Marc Siegel is an internist and associate professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine. He is a FOX News Medical Contributor and writes a health column for LA Times, where he examines TV and movies for medical accuracy. Dr. Siegel is the author of “False Alarm: the Truth About the Epidemic of Fear” and “Bird Flu: Everything You Need to Know About the Next Pandemic”. Read more at www.doctorsiegel.com