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Skipping the Cupcakes

Are Kids with Food Allergies Safe at Birthday Parties?

By Alexandria Powell

And this isn't always as simple as it sounds, especially when groups of kids get together. "It's not just ice cream and cake that parents of children with food allergies have to worry about; it's the entire party atmosphere," Munoz-Furlong says. "Kids are running around everywhere covered in food, so the risk for a reaction could be large."

Non-food activities can be an issue as well, adds Munoz-Furlong. "You have to think about the entire environment," she says. "For example, are they taking the children to a museum with a hands-on exhibit that might have allergens in it? Or will they have pony rides at the party, and will the food for the ponies have allergens in it?"

Parents of food-allergic children may worry about parties in the context of keeping their kids safe. But for the kids, the worry often takes on a very different aspect – they worry that they might not be invited at all.

"The biggest problem is when the child does not receive an invitation," says Peggy Harris, leader and founder of the St. Louis Food Allergy Support Group in St. Louis, Mo. "[Host parents] may be afraid of the responsibility – they don't want the child to suffer an allergic reaction because of something they did; so it is simply easier not to invite the child."

Inevitably, Harris says, the child with food allergies overhears talk about the party or event among his friends, and it becomes very clear that he is the only child who wasn't invited. "The child then tries to put up a brave front at home by saying, 'Jim isn't really my friend' or 'I really didn't want to go to that party anyway,'" Harris says. "It tears a hole in your heart to see your child so hurt."

Want to see more?

• Check out our Article Library.
• A Year Without Milk Products: Breastfeeding the Child with Cow's Milk Allergies
• Coping with Food Allergies: Helpful Hints from Specialists at Texas Children's Hospital
• Don't Pass the Peanuts: Peanut Allergies and Breastfeeding
• Talk about it!

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