I have to admit, I love shopping for back-to-school supplies. The anticipation of a new year is summed up in choosing a new lunchbox or backpack, and who doesn't love the smell of a brand-new box of crayons?
When shopping for your child with food allergies this year, check out these great new food allergy safety products. Retailers are starting to figure out that kids want managing their food allergies to be hip, fun, and stylish. You no longer have to settle for that basic black fanny pack to carry your autoinjector.
Books
Picture books are a great way to teach your child about her food allergies and are also a wonderful resource to share with your child's classroom. If you have the budget for just one book about food allergies this year, I recommend Everyday Cool with Food Allergies, a fun nonfiction guide to living with food allergies from the authors of the No Biggie Bunch series.
Lunch Boxes
Allergy Apparel carries a line of fun, colorful lunchboxes with food allergy warnings printed on the outside. They even have eco-friendly bento box-style lunchboxes so you can go green and be safe.
Medical Alert Jewelry
Your daughter may be more willing to wear her medical alert bracelet if it reflects her personal style. Your toddler may not be able to keep on a bracelet, but a tag attached to his shoe laces goes wherever he goes. There is a huge variety of medical alert jewelry available, from classic stainless steel dog tags to sports bands, beaded jewelry, and pendants shaped like your child's favorite animal.
- Lauren's Hope - Lauren's Hope has everything from pendants with colorful robots and dinosaurs to glow-in-the-dark beaded bracelets.
- Medic Alert - Medic Alert is a subscription service which allows you to create an online medical record that emergency personnel can access by calling a hotline. They offer a special deal for children.
- Medicharms - Medicharms offers medical alert charms shaped like everything from teddy bears to penguins.
Epi-Pen Carrying Cases
Banish that old black waist pack and choose a new, colorful carrying case for your child's auto-injector.
- Allergy Haven - Allergy Haven produces autoinjector cases in stylish prints. Some are designed to attach to the strap of a messenger bag or backpack.
- Kozy Epi - Kozy Epi makes hip autoinjector cases and inhaler pouches in patterns from camouflage to "Epiprincess."
