You may start seeing teal colored pumpkins around your neighborhood and wonder what it's all about.
It's a project that's been around for a few years now to raise awareness about food allergies.
An effort to make sure children who have food allergies can trick or treat safely on Halloween.
If you see a teal pumpkin on a porch it means non food items are available for children.
One year old Jacob has a lot of energy.
He keeps his mother Kaitlyn Dudley busy.
His limited diet and severe allergies often keeps him home and away from other children.
"Jacob is a medical mystery.”
“It took awhile for us to figure out what was wrong with him."
Jacob has at least 15 different food and environmental allergies making his diet different from a lot of children.
"If he has any type of milk he can go into anaphylactic shock, and it's basically the immune system attacking your own body."
Since Jacob is allergic to so much, he can't eat candy, so Dudley is participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project this Halloween.
"I bought glow sticks, pencils, socks, books, bouncy balls."
She say's they'll paint pumpkins teal and keep this sign on their door, so kids with food allergies can also enjoy Halloween.
"The fun size candy doesn't always have all the info."
According to Food and Allergy Research and Education at least one in every 13 children has food allergies.
"I’ve seen Jacob almost die before multiple times because he had something with milk in it."
Dudley says hopefully this project will bring awareness about food allergies and the millions of other children affected by them.
"So, that everyone can participate in Halloween safely."
For more information click the link below.
https://www.foodallergy.org/education-awareness/teal-pumpkin-project
