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For children who have food allergies, ghosts and goblins aren't the scariest part of trick-or-treating -- the treats are. We want to find a cure and there is great hope. With new research on the forefront, doctors and scientists are working on tools to better diagnose, treat and cure life threatening food allergies like those of my five-year-old daughter, Ellie.
Ellie has a severe life-threatening peanut allergy along with asthma which puts her in an extra high risk group. She is such an active, smart, wonderful girl and has really taken her allergy in stride - even though that means among other things never eating the birthday cake at her friends parties, rarely going to a restaurant, sitting at a different table at school, and always having her parents with her. Halloween and the start of the holiday season are an especially stressful and worry filled time for us. Food is everywhere and for me it is like there is cleverly disguised deadly poison all around my sweet daughter that could stop her from breathing in an instant.
So, this Halloween, we are going to be proactive and try to raise both awareness about food allergies and donations for FAAN (the food allergy anaphylactic network) to support research for food allergies. There is so much hope and I am extremely anxious for a cure to be found. Researchers are currently working on improved diagnosing tools, a new oral form of the epi-pen (wonderful for my shot phobic child), and a cure which could be as close as 5 years away if the funding will support it. Imagine how this would change Ellie's life. Can you imagine worrying at every meal and snack whether or not your food would hurt you or even kill you?FAAN's Trick-or-Treat for Food Allergies lets kids join in the Halloween fun while increasing food allergy awareness and collecting donations to help find a cure. Please join us in our efforts to help find a cure which some say could be as close as 5 years away if enough funding can be raised. I can't tell you how grateful and truly life changing it would be for our daughter if a cure is discovered. To participate, simply visit www.foodallergy. org to make an online donation. Or you can call1-800-929- 4040 to request a free FAAN can to collect donations while your child is trick or treating.
If you would like to have treats for children with food allergies at your house, consider having small toys, coloring books, pencils, play Halloween jewelry, small Halloween erasers and other non-edible treats.
From: Being Savvy Atlanta
