One of the things allergy parents learn quickly is that there are a host of tips and tricks other allergy parents have mastered through their journey that can help you, too. From stickers to backpacks, these parents will happily share the products and ideas that make their MVP list! Sounds great, right? Before you track down a group veteran allergy parents and curate a list from scratch, try these:
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Stickers – Some households opt to make their kitchens free of the things their allergic family member(s) can’t eat. Others don’t. Your family will need to make the choice about which scenario is best for your household. (Ask your allergist for input if you aren’t sure!) If you do keep some non-allergy friendly foods around, a set of simple colored circle stickers can be useful. Designate one color to indicate “safe” foods and apply a sticker to every item that the allergic person can safely eat. Ingredient labels should still be checked each time to confirm the item is safe, but that little sticker is a great starting point!
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Individual treat containers – Go out and socialize! You may want to bring along a few safe food alternatives, though. Having individual containers to hold cupcakes, portioned snacks, or whatever munchie makes you happy can make bringing along your own treat quick and easy.
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Insulated case – The epinephrine in your autoinjector is sensitive to extreme temperatures. On a hot, humid, summer day, keeping your autoinjectors in a small, insulated bag can be useful. Just be careful not to drop the temperature on them too low. You’ll find case options in the FARE Online Store. Side note: Do not leave your autoinjectors in the car!
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Hand wipes – Cleaning your hands before and after eating can help mitigate the risk of cross contamination. Sometimes, though, you’re sitting on the sidelines of your daughter’s soccer game and you just can’t leave the stands to wash your son’s hands in the bathroom. If you had a pack of hand wipes, however, you wouldn’t have a problem. They are an effective way to remove potential allergens.
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Custom Tees – There are few things that rattle an allergy mom’s nerves more than taking her allergic toddler or preschooler to a social gathering where food is going to be served. All mom can think about are the people that are going to try to scoop up her child to hug and cuddle her…and smear allergen all over her in the process. Then Mom’s mind wanders to worry over how many times she’ll have to remove a snack from the hand of her now cranky child because a well-meaning adult offered it without realizing the child was allergic. Sites like Etsy and CafePress sell cute allergy shirts others have designed. Of course, you can also use a custom t-shirt site to design and print your own!
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Ready pack – If you’ve ever tried to herd a few dozen cats into a bath tub, you have an idea of what it’s sometimes like to get a family with young children (or not so young children, for that matter) out the door. When you’re an allergy parent, rushing out and forgetting your autoinjectors can be a life-or-death problem. Leaving without your safe snacks or your wipes can be a big inconvenience. Some families find it helpful to place an old backpack loaded with allergy items near the door. Keep the bag loaded with some pre-packaged snacks, a set of autoinjectors, other medications, wipes, and whatever else you think you’ll need. When you head out, grab and go!
- Info cards – If there is an emergency, knowing what to do and who to call can easily get lost in the panic. Write down the most important info – your allergy action plan, your allergist phone number, the name/number of an emergency contact – on a note card. Remember those hard plastic card sleeves you used to store your collection of baseball cards (or maybe your Garbage Pail Kid cards) in? They are up to this task too! Tuck your info card in one of those sleeves to help keep it safe and legible.
This list represents just a few of the neat tips and tricks I’ve heard over the years. What about you? Do you have a product or other tip that’s made managing allergies a little bit easier? Stop by The Allergy Ninja Facebook group to join the conversation. I’d love to hear your ideas!