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Skipping the Cupcakes

Are Kids with Food Allergies Safe at Birthday Parties?

By Alexandria Powell

Beth Gorab, a mother of two from New Jersey, hates birthday parties. OK, she doesn't really. But parties can be a major source of stress. Gorab's young daughter, Casey, has multiple food allergies to milk and meat from any animal that produces milk. Casey's reaction to milk is anaphylactic, and an exposure to pork landed her in the hospital last spring.

"Casey is allergic to pretty much everything usually served at a party," Gorab says. Common kid staples – pizza, ice cream, cupcakes, hamburgers, chicken nuggets – could all be extremely dangerous to Casey.

"I come armed with lots of wipes, her medicine just in case and food that she can eat," Gorab says. "Pizza parties are the hardest for us because it's tricky to get each kid to wipe well after eating a slice of greasy pizza. If they're not wiped and they hold hands with Casey, we could have a big problem on our hands."

The slightest contact with one of Casey's allergens could cause a potentially fatal reaction. "I've never declined a party before because of her allergies," Gorab says. Casey and her mom, like so many food-allergic children and their parents, have learned to cope.

Although it can be stressful, children with food allergies can participate safely in parties, says Anne Munoz-Furlong, founder and CEO of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). It just takes a little advance planning.

According to FAAN, approximately 12 million Americans suffer from one or more food allergies, including 2.2 million school-aged children.

Food allergy has no cure, and reactions can be very serious. Allergic reactions to food result in over 30,000 emergency room visits every year. And for an estimated 150 to 200 people annually, these reactions are fatal. The only way to prevent a reaction is to strictly avoid the allergy-causing food.

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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