Halloween reinforces need for food-allergy literacy

Depending on where you live, Halloween may look different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For families of the more than 500,000 children living with a potentially life-threatening food allergy, however, Halloween can always be a time of heightened anxiety. With new evidence shedding light on the reasons for this, advocates and allergists are renewing our call for the federal government to adopt affordable, evidencebased measures to keep Canadians living with this condition safe.

A new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that among young children, peanut-triggered anaphylactic reactions increased by 85 per cent during Halloween, compared with the rest of the year. A spike was also recorded at Easter. The study noted such spikes were connected to events focused on food and where a child’s interaction was beyond their family and friends.

Being outside of a controlled context is much riskier for a child with food allergy. While not a startling revelation, the point underscores the importance of shared responsibility and community awareness.

Food-allergy literacy remains low. Nearly 30 per cent of Canadians were unaware that a person with food allergy cannot consume any of their allergen, according to a Maru/Matchbox 2018 poll. Less than 40 per cent knew there was no cure.

Acomprehensive approach to addressing these inconsistencies in public understanding is critical. Given that approximately every 10 minutes there is an emergency department visit for food allergy during non-pandemic times, this should be a priority.

Canada can also do more to prevent food allergy from developing. Recent evidence suggests the early introduction of allergens can reduce the prevalence of food allergy, representing a shift in the conversation on prevention. Introducing peanut early has shown a reduction in peanut allergy in high-risk infants by 80 per cent. Yet this guidance is not well understood nor consistently communicated.

Last year, Food Allergy Canada and the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology launched the National Food Allergy Action Plan. The plan provides a framework to guide future investment and policy decisions with a focus on prevention, management, treatment, and broad-based community and food system support. It is informed by research and best practices in Australia, the U.K., the U.S. and elsewhere. This comprehensive approach can reduce reactions and save lives, improve quality of life for affected families and lower public health costs.

The recommendations in the plan are grounded in the same approach policymakers have taken with the COVID-19 pandemic: focusing on prevention and evidence to keep Canadians safe and reduce healthcare system impacts.

In this context, acting on food allergy literacy is a policy win for everyone.