Like a lot of other holidays, food often plays a big part in how people celebrate Halloween, but it can be a more complex to navigate if you have a food allergy - especially if you want to go to parties or take children trick or treating. How do people with allergies ensure they can take part in the fun and stay safe? And how can you help make sure that everyone is included in the celebrations?
Ciara, 15, is allergic to milk and eggs. "You have to make sure you read every packet of everything, and you couldn't eat anything until you got home so that you were safe and you were sure of what was happening," she said. When it comes to Halloween, she said people having more awareness would mean that everyone could be included in the fun.
She says that her friend group really help her by knowing about her allergies and what to do if she was to have a reaction. Whilst she said it "wasn't easy" or a "particularly enjoyable" thing to do, she taught her group what to do in an emergency situation. These are adrenaline injections that can help to save people's lives in a serious allergic reaction.
The 15-year-old explained that Halloween can be a bit more difficult to navigate. She described how a lot of people are helpful and understanding about allergies but sometimes, "there are other people that just don't seem to fully understand the consequences" of what would happen if she was exposed to what she's allergic to. Her mum, Claire McGuigan, said she is proud of how well Ciara deals with her allergy.
She explained that parents of children with allergies have all the usual worries but "first and foremost is your allergy". "As a parent, you carry all that worry and you just hope that they go out and they have a nice time and they come back safe, full of fun, and they can forget about their allergies as much as they can for that night". "I think having a good circle of friends who understands the allergies is important.
"Trying to prevent the harm rather than relying on the rescue medication is really, really important," she continued. Ciara's mum described the emotional burden on families and called for a national conversation about it. She said people who have children with allergies or have allergies themselves have to do their "best to navigate a whole world that wasn't designed for you".
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