Teal Pumpkin Project giving families peace of mind

By: News Staff

Email: news@abc6.com

Twitter: @abc6

Reporting by: Melissa Randall

WARWICK, R.I.  (WLNE-TV) — Alicia Warren’s son is excited about going out on Halloween night. They’re sure to come across a few ghosts sand monsters as they trick or treat, but it’s the candy the 8 year old will bring home that really has the Warwick mom frightened.

“He might get a lot of candy, but there’s a lot of it he cannot eat,” said Warren.

Jeremy has a food allergy. His pediatrician, Dr. Laura Dawson of Coastal Medical Toll Gate Pediatrics, advises the family to carefully check ingredients for each piece.

“A lot of the treats that are commonly distributed during Halloween have some of the most common allergens in them. So things like nuts, milk, soy, wheat, eggs,” she explained.

Any of those could trigger a reaction ranging from a mild rash or itching to very severe symptoms including difficulty breathing. To avoid a scary situation, Warren says her family will be keeping an eye out for homes participating in the ‘Teal Pumpkin Project.’

“He knows that when he goes to a house and see’s the teal pumpkin that he tells them has a peanut allergy,” said Warren.

The uniquely colored pumpkins are a signal that that house provides an alternative to candy.

Usually it’s a coloring book or small toy. The project seeks to draw more attention to the seriousness of food allergies.

“It’s giving the opportunity for more families to get involved, whether you have children or adults with food allergies or no, just to be able to be more inclusive during the season of Halloween,” said Dr.Carolina Cerezo, a pediatric gastroenterologist with Hasbro Children’s Hospital.

Participants can register with the project online that way families can easily find those homes.

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