help me decide: alert bracelet

[shevacc]

Lately we've been in a bunch of situations where people besides us have been offering G food. Often snacks that very frequently contain peanuts (trail mix, granola bars, mixed nuts, even animal crackers). We're going to get her a traditional medic alert bracelet but we were also thinking about getting her something more obvious, maybe like this with the peanut and tree nut allergy buttons:

I've started talking a lot with G about what foods she's allergic to and having her say it often, but we thought maybe having her show other adults her bracelet might be easier for now. We're also working on teaching her to never accept food from anyone without checking with us or her daycare teachers first, but haven't gotten there yet.

Non-allergy moms, would this stand out to you? Any thoughts or suggestions on getting other (well-meaning but unaware) parents' attention?

Allergy moms, any suggestions for the time between when your child is slightly more independent and when they can reliably communicate their allergies?

[rjamz]

Jul 25, 2014 16:34:53 GMT -5 @therealmc said:

Honestly, for me, only the medical button would stand out to me. I would otherwise just think its a cute little bracelet.

Agree. But I think as many things as possible to alert people can't hurt

[playswithsquirrels]

Jul 25, 2014 16:34:53 GMT -5 @therealmc said:

Honestly, for me, only the medical button would stand out to me. I would otherwise just think its a cute little bracelet.

Ditto.

[rjamz]

Jul 25, 2014 16:35:58 GMT -5 Loco Coco said:

I'm a non allergy mom, it might stand out to me. As long as it's not covered by clothes. I think it's a good idea and can't hurt! I'm sorry you have to be worried about that. Who just gives kids food that they don't know?!

Also this. If a kid on the playground wants a snack Jamie is having, I'm happy to share, but I always ask their caregiver first.

[oso]

I love it! Can you send a link? I would do the medical alert and add all the allergies. Maybe we need to be a culture that people ask parents first before just giving kids food.

[muppetinma]

If you can teach her to show it to anybody who offers food, it'd help. Otherwise, it's just a pretty bracelet to me. Sorry.

[Deleted]

Non allergy mom here. I think the orange would stand out more than a traditional bracelet. It couldn't hurt, right?

[shevacc]

oso, it's from here: zoobearsmedicalid.com/store/WsDefault.asp?One=928

It's not been strangers offering her food, but casual acquaintances. The moms I see at the park who I recognize from her daycare or some community event we've participated in. Their kids are getting a snack so they go to offer her some too. I quickly tell them no thanks while trying to not make them feel bad.

Would you think to check a traditional medic alert bracelet? I would assume probably not before offering a snack...

[shevacc]

Jul 25, 2014 16:52:11 GMT -5 @vsalt31 said:

Non allergy mom here. I think the orange would stand out more than a traditional bracelet. It couldn't hurt, right?

That's where I'm at. It can't hurt and does have the medic alert symbol on it. We'll work on teaching her to show it to adults but she's not exactly dependable at this age.

[jg183]

I've looked into these too.
Unfortunately, I think your audience (those offering snacks to her currently) wouldn't notice it. The parents who would notice it are already the ones who don't give snacks without checking first.

It's so tough. We try to talk about it a lot that he can not have any food without asking first and we make him repeat "no eggs for luke" a ton but most people think that his allergies are only to scrambled eggs and peanut butter. They don't get how many things have eggs or nuts or cross contamination.

For now, I use the mabels labels allergy stickers and make sure they are on all his stuff. When he's a little more independent I'm not sure what I'll do

[oso]

Jul 25, 2014 16:55:45 GMT -5 shevacc said:

oso, it's from here: zoobearsmedicalid.com/store/WsDefault.asp?One=928

It's not been strangers offering her food, but casual acquaintances. The moms I see at the park who I recognize from her daycare or some community event we've participated in. Their kids are getting a snack so they go to offer her some too. I quickly tell them no thanks while trying to not make them feel bad.

Would you think to check a traditional medic alert bracelet? I would assume probably not before offering a snack...

I like the brightly colored bracelets with the tags.  They stand out.  I might think that someone might assume that a traditional one is for epilepsy or something else. Then again some people just don't pay attention at all.

[jg183]

here are other similar options too
www.hopepaige.com/products#/?departments=kids&p=2

[oso]

I saw this company on Zulily, but forgot to order from them. Maybe this will help more. www.allergyapparel.com/

Sadly it may come down to telling people please don't give my child food without asking me first. I haven't encountered too many issues so far because Pilar almost always with me and is super shy. When people talk to her she runs to me or my husband and that includes most of our relatives.

[jg183]

this company seems to have the same one you posted too.
www.allerbling.com/shop.htm

[jg183]

shevacc now that i'm thinking about it this might be a good idea for birthday parties, etc. Maybe ill look into getting him one!

[jg183]

these are pretty clear
www.allergyapparel.com/peanut-allergy-wristband-set/

[lolaburns]

My honest opinion....


People aren't going to look at a bracelet before they offer my child something. People don;t normally think about children having allergies to food because they are still so rare. This is why we have been very vocal about his peanut and possible tree nut allergy in all outings and gatherings we have been to in the last month.

[nilex0102]

I think I would notice and better one moe thing thane none at all to alert people

[tuck]

I think a traditional medic alert bracelet would be the most obvious, but, honestly, I think playground moms aren't going to notice anything less obvious than a T-shirt with PEANUT ALLERGY printed in neon letters.

[mala]

I love it. It certainly can't hurt. Teach her to show it to anyone giving her food and saying "I have allergies!" Or something similar.

[Deleted]

Not an allergy mom, but as a teacher I think that bracelet is great. I have had a few students with allergies and I'm always so nervous about what they can have or be around and such. A bracelet like that would help ease my mind. Last year I had a student who was allergic to a number of things. Fortunately, being in first grade he knew exactly what he should and shouldn't have but I still got nervous sometimes. I would definitely notice a bracelet like that.

[livinreality]

I have taught R to ask me before he eats anything from some one else, he is really good about it. We were at The inlaws and they offered him a cupcake and he brought it to me and asked if it had R milk. I would work on her not taking food from others and asking you first.

Since DS1 can have milk he has heard that x has milk in it not for R, yuck or this is safe no milk for over a year. We talk about it with R all the time for awareness.

I would not look for a bracelet but I would not feed a kid without a parent.

[Na]

I am not an allergy mom and obviously have a boy. I have not seen any toddler girls with bracelets so I think I would notice it. It surely can't hurt while you work with her to be more vocal.

[jamaga2583]

We have this one for J. When he doesn't take it off and shove it in his backpack, it's pretty effective. I definitely think the orange stands out better than the traditional medic alert bracelets would.

[jg183]

When I google imaged them and saw it on real kids it looks huge. Would she wear it? I don't think Luke would! Too awkwardly big

[creamsiclechica]

My sister has one for my nephew. She puts it on him when he is going to be in large groups or with people who don't know he has allergies, etc. he's older and more aware of what he can't have, what to ask/say, but still. I think it's a good tool that you can use to show people, but also to help teach G easier to notify people of her allergies. Like "show everyone your bracelet! Tell them what it means, it means no peanuts or nuts, right?" Even just getting her in the habit of showing it off might bring attention to it and people might be more mindful of it then. I'm sure you're not relying on it solely to prevent, but I think it's a great way to introduce it to her and to others.

I hope the allergies moms don't hate when I weigh in because my experience is secondhand. But if you do, don't be afraid to say so, lol.

[rxbeth]

It's so hard at this age. Madison will see my peanut butter and say 'mama peanut butter' and knows she can't have it but just a few days ago tried to grab a handful of peanuts from a dish at a relatives house (right after that, they put the bowl somewhere should couldn't reach).

I agree that the parents just giving food are not going to look for a bracelet.

It's probably because of my healthcare background, but I never offer a child snacks without knowing about allergies. Even before Madison, I always labelled the baked goods I brought into work if they had nuts in them. It's a hard world growing up with allergies and I think we just need to work on educating more parents and children.

Rant - I'm so sick of hearing people's theories on why there are so many more allergies these days. "When we were growing up, kids didn't have peanut allergies." You know what, asshole, my kid does and it's nothing I did or did not do so STFU and keep your ignorant uneducated opinion to yourself. /Rant

[jg183]

Jul 25, 2014 21:54:24 GMT -5 rxbeth said:

It's so hard at this age. Madison will see my peanut butter and say 'mama peanut butter' and knows she can't have it but just a few days ago tried to grab a handful of peanuts from a dish at a relatives house (right after that, they put the bowl somewhere should couldn't reach).

I agree that the parents just giving food are not going to look for a bracelet.

It's probably because of my healthcare background, but I never offer a child snacks without knowing about allergies. Even before Madison, I always labelled the baked goods I brought into work if they had nuts in them. It's a hard world growing up with allergies and I think we just need to work on educating more parents and children.

Rant - I'm so sick of hearing people's theories on why there are so many more allergies these days. "When we were growing up, kids didn't have peanut allergies." You know what, asshole, my kid does and it's nothing I did or did not do so STFU and keep your ignorant uneducated opinion to yourself. /Rant

i can relate! when people hear about luke's they always ask how he got them if we dont have food allergies in our family or why. I dont know dumbshit but the point is he has them. take them seriously. ugh

[lolaburns]

I asked my allergist her opinion on why there seems to be such an uptick. She did state they don't 100% know why but she also didn't want me to refrain from giving him things because I have this new fear. She wants us to keep exposing him to stuff. She wants me to expose E to stuff -even peanut butter next summer. She said with the 50% false positive rate of the skin prick tests she only tests for things that have brought on an actual reaction. Many people are walking around thinking they are allergic to something that they likely are not allergic to because of the skin prick tests.

The hygiene hypothesis makes sense to me but obviously is just a hypothesis.

[rxbeth]

Another theory I've heard is the GMO content of some of these allergenic foods.