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'Don't exclude my child': Sign protests nuts, gluten, dairy in Halloween candy

"Attention parents: My son has severe allergies and comes home every year devastated that he can't eat any candy he's collected."
/ Source: TODAY

Bright orange signs that demand the distribution of Halloween treats without nuts, gluten or dairy are alarming some Connecticut homeowners who'd planned to give candy to trick-or-treating children.

"Attention parents: My son has severe allergies and comes home every year devastated that he can't eat any candy he's collected at your homes while trick-or-treating," reads the sign, which was posted this week on a number of telephone poles in New Britain, Connecticut. "Don't exclude my child or any other child from the fun."

The sign, which mostly uses capital letters, urges "responsible parenting" that forbids giving kids "candy containing nuts of any kind, gluten or dairy." Instead, it encourages "tasty and allergy-[conscious] suggestions" that include carrot sticks; Necco Wafers, Smarties, Life Savers and Brach's Lemon Drops candy; and raisins, "but stay away from [Raisinets]!"

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News of the sign went viral Thursday, when more than 1.8 million people on the photo-sharing website Imgur viewed a related picture titled, "So ... beggars can be choosers?"

As of early Thursday evening, the identity of the person who posted the sign hasn't been verified, thus it isn't clear if the source is serious or perhaps teasing parents of children with dietary restrictions.

In the meantime, New Britain residents offered mixed reactions to the sign's allergy-related request.

"I think it's a good idea," Jennifer Dreher told NBC News' Connecticut affiliate. "It's nice that whoever that family is that they're kind of making the neighborhood aware of their son's allergies."

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Other neighbors, like Dave Keating, didn't plan on changing his snack strategy. "I tend to think that children will not come to a house that is serving broccoli and celery," Keating said. "I think Halloween is an excuse to get away from that. So, I think they will favor those that have sugar."

Craig Johnson saw the benefit of some healthy snacks, but the drawback of others. "You can give out apples, fruit," he said. "Oranges would be fine. My wife would probably like to give out something wholesome and nutritious, but certainly not a vegetable."

Some neighbors worried that veggies might wind up scattered on lawns, according to NBC Connecticut's Jennifer Joas.

Regardless of snack type, parents are reminded to inspect all treats before their kids — or they themselves — dig in.

Follow TODAY.com writer Chris Serico on Twitter.