About this time next week many of you will be making those final tweaks to your costumes, filling your candy bowls and making sure you have plenty of batteries for your flashlight. That’s right…another Halloween night is upon us! While Halloween is all about fun and candy, there are still many important things you need to consider before heading out into the night, especially if your child has a food allergy.

We all know the basic Halloween safety tips but have you ever thought about the extra precautions the parent of a child with a food allergy must consider?

Here is a short list of tips from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) that is sure to help parents protect their children with food allergies during Halloween:

• Be sure your child carries emergency medication, such as an epinephrine auto-injector.
• Before Halloween, distribute safe snacks to neighbors and request that they be handed out to your child.
• Accompany younger children as they trick-or-treat, or be sure they are supervised by a responsible adult who knows how to handle an emergency allergic reaction.
• Remember that small candy bars passed out to trick-or-treaters may have different ingredients than their regular-size counterparts. Even if a certain candy is safe for your child, the ‘fun size’ version might not be.

You can even download a full version of these tips from the AAAAI site by clicking here: http://is.gd/4xRfX

At American Medical ID we know the importance of identifying those with a food allergy so we would also recommend that your child wear a medical ID bracelet or necklace, engraved with the foods your child should avoid, while trick-or-treating. To view some of our products, CLICK HERE.

For even more information about trick-or-treating and keeping your child safe during Halloween, here are a couple of sites we found helpful:

• CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/family/halloween/
• FAAN: http://www.foodallergy.org/media/press_releases/halloween09.html

Carthy Picton

Marketing

American Medical ID

It’s that time of year! Our kids are heading back to school and there is so much to do! I am sure many of you are scrambling to get your last minute supplies and new clothes before that first day.

We know it’s easy to get wrapped up in the simple things but there are many important things you can’t overlook before you send your child off. When searching for relevant and interesting information to include in our weekly Health Briefs, we couldn’t help but notice all of the awesome tips we have come across to help us prepare and most importantly, to keep our children safe when they start school.

Here is a quick list of some of the best advice we have found:

- About 3% of kids have food allergies so you should do the following:

· Make a plan and get a letter from your child’s doctor that outlines the allergies

· Meet with the school nurse to develop an Individualized Health Plan (IHP)

- Have your child’s vision screened annually

- Make sure your child’s immunizations are up-to-date

- If your child receives medication on a regular basis for diabetes, asthma or any other chronic condition, make sure your child’s teachers and nurse are aware of your child’s needs

This list goes on and on and we encourage you to take a quick look at the two articles listed below for a more comprehensive list of these important notes:

- The Ultimate Back-to-School Health Checklist by New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital: http://is.gd/2qEkl

- Food Allergies go Back to School Too, by HealthyHouston Kids http://is.gd/2qEle

Please remember that if your child has any allergies or a chronic disorder such as asthma or diabetes, a medical ID will help communicate their needs in an emergency situation while away at school.

Carthy Picton

American Medical ID

Marketing