SUNDAY, Oct. 17, 2010 (HealthDay News) -- For most kids, Halloween parties and trick-or-treating can be a mixture of fun and frightening, but for children with a nut allergy, the day can actually be dangerous, warns a doctor.
This type of allergy "can be a life-or-death situation. Just because a child only had a rash the first time exposed doesn't mean it won't be more serious the next time," Dr. Sean Cahill, an associate professor of pediatrics at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, said in a Loyola news release.
"Though having a nut allergy is serious, kids should still be able to have fun. The key is education. Make sure your child knows what he or she can eat," Cahill added.
He offered the following suggestions for keeping children safe at Halloween parties:
Cahill also offered trick-or-treat safety tips:
"A peanut allergy is not limited to peanuts. Some people with a peanut allergy are allergic to numerous types of nuts and seeds, and nut allergies are often seen in kids with other food allergies, like eggs, or in kids with asthma and eczema," Cahill added.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has more about food allergies.