Our Allergy Bag Essentials
Why We’ll Never Leave Home Without Our Bag
When we first became parents, we became accustomed to carrying a diaper bag that contained a change of clothes, diapers and 1 million other we may have needed while we were away from home. As our babies aged, the bag got smaller. We started dreaming about the day we could leave it behind, jump in the car and have some joyful family fun. Well, that day never came and if you are an allergy parent, you probably already know why.
As a mom navigating food allergies, leaving the house is never just a grab-and-go situation. Our bag is a literal lifeline filled with tools that bring me peace of mind, and more importantly, safety for our daughter. Inside, you’ll find the essentials:
- Two Epinephrine Auto-injectors (we use Auvi-q)
- Epi always travels with my daughter. This is a separate set of auto injectors from the ones we send to school each year. You can read more about how we prepare for back to school, here.
- Asthma Rescue Inhaler
- We leave one in the nurses office and one travels with my daughter at all times. Our prescription is ProAir HFA and it would be used in the event of an asthmatic (bronchial) episode. So far, we’ve only had to use our once and it was during a really bad pollen season.
- Cetirizine (we use children’s liquid Zyrtec)
- our allergist recommends this as our primary antihistamine in case of an allergic reaction.
- Allergy-Safe Snacks
- Our kids love snacking, especially while we are on the go. Snacks are a means of survival (ha!) but also it ocme sin handy if we encounter a situation where my oldest daughter needs a safe option (play dates, parks, carnivals, etc).
- Baby Wipes
- This still feels like a necessity. We use them to wipe hands, faces, and surfaces in public.
Since our children are still young, we also keep a few band aids and some Neosporin on hand as well. We always have to be ready to tend to a boo boo.
Whether we’re headed to an extracurricular activity, playdate or just the grocery store, preparation gives us peace of mind and helps ease the worry that comes with being an allergy parent. If you’re new to this, know that your allergy bag will evolve with your child’s needs. No matter what’s inside, you are doing a great job.
What’s one thing you never leave out of your allergy bag?