All the Apps and Websites You Need If You Have a Child With Food Allergies
Food allergies are on the rise and today it affects several children in the class, including my daughter. According to thelatest data from the CDC , food allergy patients visit the ambulance every three minutes . Even more worrisome, from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, childhood hospitalizations tripled, and childhood allergies increased by fifty percent. While experts still haven’t identified the cause of these horrible, chronic conditions, and haven’t found a definitive cure, there is one reliable tool that, as a parent, I’ve found to help keep the allergic person safer and allow kids like me to thrive: technologies.
Here’s a rundown of my visited websites and apps for managing all aspects of life with food allergies at any age:
When you need help navigating a grocery store
With the new diagnosis of food allergy, the simple process of eating suddenly becomes a serious daunting problem, several times a day. If you need help buying groceries, use the free ShopWell app , a food scanner that reads labels and indicates ingredients to avoid. This app also makes recommendations based on your preferences about healthy foods you might like that are available right from the store you are standing in. Healthy Pantry is another food scanning app that identifies allergens and color codes for fast, clear results. , green, yellow and red.
When you want to prepare your favorite meals without certain allergens
Want to cook your favorite food but don’t know how to do it without including allergens? Cooking sites with different versions of any recipe, such as Food.com or AllRecipes.com , and the handy Apple Substitutions app can really save you. They provide information on how to make everything you love, from vegan cakes to gluten-free and nut-free holiday toppings, with whatever ingredients you have and are safe to use. Website Kids with Food Allergies includes (a small but useful) Buyer’s Guide, suffering from food allergies, and has a base recipe data with the ability to search, where you will find information on how to cook your favorite foods without allergens, you mentioned in the list.
When you are dining out and need to know what to order
Tired of cooking? Check out the apps and sites that publish information about food ingredients and allergens in restaurants, for example AllergyEats.com, and IEatOut.com and ICanEat.com with GlutenFreePassport.com . But before you dine in a restaurant, be sure to read the important yet simple safety tips from FARE !
When your child has allergic reactions and you want to determine the cause
Apple Foody’s free allergy detection app helps you track symptoms and keep a personal food diary. Foody even helps you analyze your diet and find patterns in your symptoms to share with your doctor.
When you travel
Technology is also opening doors to travel opportunities that would otherwise be banned due to dietary restrictions. Sites such as VRBO and Airbnb allow anyone who needs to prepare their own meals to access the kitchen anywhere, and a quick Google or Yelp search makes it easy to find nearby markets, emergency assistance, and other essential amenities. To further simplify the journey, free apps and websites to be translated, such as Google translate and iTranslate, make the trip to the world and leave with allergies safer and more exciting, especially when you need to talk about food or medical treatment abroad.
When you need general information about allergens, symptoms, and medical news
For the most accurate and up-to-date information on food allergy and its associated symptoms, and the latest medical advances in this area, visit foodallergy.org , the official FARE website (which stands for Food Allergy Research and Education). This site provides many resources, including information on camp, college, school management and other life changes, and offers to sign up for immediate food recall alerts for unannounced allergens that can lead to a serious reaction. At FARE, you can also join a support group , which is an invaluable tool in helping to reduce anxiety, simplify the daily problems of living with allergies, and provide general support.
Allergicliving.com , the digital home of the magazine of the same name, offers updated medical news, links to delicious recipes for allergy sufferers and food sellers catering to those with disabilities, as well as expert answers and lots of great tips.
When you need information about emergencies
In the event of an emergency, the American Red Cross website and app now provide expert first aid advice with step-by-step instructions and videos for a variety of scenarios, including anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. And while a smartphone can help save lives by immediately connecting a person in a crisis to 911, the nearest hospital, family, friends, or healthcare provider at the click of a button, on sites like the WebMD Physician Directory for reviews and the Physician Finder in the US news can also help you narrow your search for continuous long-term care.
Whatever your food allergies, remember that technology at your fingertips can help make life easier, safer and tastier anytime.