Mom's Viral PSA on Teal Pumpkins Makes Halloween Safer for Kids With Allergies

Halloween can be a nightmare for parents of kids with allergies. Your little one often can’t have many of the sweet treats neighbors are handing out, and you have to be the bad guy who rains on his parade.

Ella-Rose Ray, a mom who suffers from nut allergies herself, knows the Halloween struggle all too well. That’s why she took to Facebook to share an important message about teal pumpkins.

“Today, I was shopping at Target, and in the Halloween section I saw the teal pumpkins. Not everyone knows what the teal pumpkin is. The teal pumpkin lets [trick-or-treaters] with allergies know that you have stuff for them,” Ray explains.

The pumpkins are a game-changer for children who have food-related allergies, as well as huge relief for their parents. Ray’s post has already been shared more than 130,000 times, raising awareness on an important issue heading into the Halloween season.

The Teal Pumpkin Project was started by the Food Allergy Research Education to raise awareness on food allergies and promote inclusion of all trick-or-treaters throughout the Halloween season. The nationwide movement offers an alternative for kids with food allergies.

It’s easy to take part in the inclusive fun. Just place a teal pumpkin outside to indicate to others you have non-food treats available, like tiny toys and collectibles. You can even add your home to the Teal Pumpkin Project map, so families can easily navigate their way from door step to door step.

While some stores offer teal pumpkins for you to purchase, there are also downloadable signs you can easily print and place outside as a signal to others to head your way.

Halloween is a care-free day for kids to dress up and run from house to house. Help make it a fun day for all kids by adding a little teal into your déecor this year.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.