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TUESDAY, Oct. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News)<\/p>\n
This Halloween may be especially challenging for parents of children with asthma<\/a> and allergies<\/a>, as they also have to guard against COVID-19<\/a>.<\/p>\n “Every year we send out tips on how to keep your kids with allergies<\/a> and asthma<\/a> symptom-free as they celebrate one of their favorite holidays,” said allergist Dr. J. Allen Meadows, president of the American College of Allergy<\/a>, Asthma<\/a> and Immunology (ACAAI).<\/p>\n “This year, along with our usual guidance, we want to point people to the [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>] and their recommendations for avoiding COVID-19<\/a>,” Meadows said in a college news release.<\/p>\n As you plan for the holiday, consider these tips from the ACAAI:<\/p>\n If kids are attending events, outdoor activities are always best. Children must wear a mask and maintain social distance. There are Halloween-themed cloth masks that help protect against COVID-19<\/a>, so kids should be encouraged to choose a costume that works with a protective mask.<\/p>\n An ordinary costume mask is not a substitute for a mask meant to protect against the coronavirus. The CDC says a costume mask should not be worn over a cloth mask if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe.<\/p>\n Try to have Halloween activities around your home, where you can control the environment and the allergens. For example, you can make sure all treats are allergen<\/a>-free if your child suffers from a food allergy<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ideas for at-home fun include pumpkin carving, having a costume parade over Zoom, or a scavenger hunt in the house or yard with family members.<\/p>\n If your child does go trick-or-treating, the CDC recommends a one-way approach where individual goodie bags<\/a> are lined up for families to grab at the end of a driveway or edge of a yard.<\/p>\n If you’re preparing goodie bags<\/a>, make sure to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after preparing the bags. If your child goes trick-or-treating, check their bag for any candy that might contain food allergens.<\/p>\n If your child with allergies<\/a> or asthma<\/a> is attending a Halloween event or going one-way trick or treating, make sure they have their supplies with them.<\/p>\n Children with asthma<\/a> should carry their inhaler because kicking up moldy leaves can cause asthma symptoms<\/a>. If a child has a food allergy<\/a>, they shouldn’t leave home without their epinephrine auto injector, in case they sneak a treat that contains a possible allergen<\/a>.<\/p>\n — Robert Preidt<\/p>\n ![\"MedicalNews\"](\"https:\/\/images.medicinenet.com\/images\/HealthDay\/healthday.png\")
Copyright \u00a9 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n
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