Sharing a sweet treat on your birthday is great fun, but in an early childhood setting it can be more complicated than simply working out how many pieces you need to cut the cake into.

If your centre or home-based service has children who have food allergies or intolerances, what seems like some harmless baking could be a potential health risk.

Common allergies in children include gluten, egg and nuts.

While the most severe allergic reactions can have major implications such as anaphylactic shock, even mild allergies can cause problems.

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