Six tips for throwing a (food allergy-friendly) kids’ party

As food allergies become more and more common—researchers estimate that up to 15 million Americans now have food allergies—there’s a good chance that you’ll soon find yourself hosting a birthday party where one or more of the guests has some type of allergy or dietary restriction. For parents of children without an allergy, it can be an intimidating prospect. How do I keep track of all the things he’s allergic too? What do I do if she has a reaction? Will I have to administer an EpiPen? Will it hurt her if I do it wrong? And while a bit of nervousness is natural, there’s no reason to panic: Hosting an allergy-friendly party takes a little extra planning and coordination, but for the most part it’s easy. To help, here are six tips on throwing an allergy-friendly kids’ party from the experts at Boston Children’s Food Allergy Program. Get to know your guests early. As host, you’re in charge of the party’s venue, menu and all other logistics. To make sure your eventual plans are safe and fun for all guests, you’ll need to do a little information gathering beforehand. On the invitations (or in an accompanying email), ask parents if their child has any allergies or special requirements you should know about. If you already have menu ideas in mind, let the parents know early. This way, if any complications do arrive, you’ll have plenty of time to reconsider or make a few adjustments as needed. Keeping kids safe...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: All posts empowering your child with food allergy Food Allergy Program Source Type: news