Resources Archives

Food Allergies Featured on Netflix

Food allergies are taking the spotlight this January in the Netflix documentary series, Rotten. Created by the team behind Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown, the six-part series devotes an entire episode to the surge of food allergies. We could not be more excited to share that two people featured in the series include Dr. Ruchi Gupta, Northwestern's world-renowned allergy and asthma researcher, and Spokin founder, Susie Hultquist.

Stay up to date on the latest food allergy news!

How to Prepare a Babysitter

The people we trust to take care of our food allergic children hold a special place in our heart, particularly babysitters. Whether you are hiring a sitter for the first time or it is already part of your regular routine, we all need to thoroughly prepare our sitters. Spokin's checklist and 60 second auto-injector videos make leaving easier – knowing you've covered all the bases. Save this resource in the Spokin app for easy access and sharing. Online babysitting services like Sittercity make it easier to find the perfect child care provider for families with specific food requirements. Sittercity pioneered tech-enabled child care in 2001, and connects millions of families with local babysitters and nannies every year. They're building a platform that radically simplifies the way parents and caregivers connect and manage their trusted relationships, and Sittercity's search functionality allows parents to narrow down potential candidates by their family's specific requirements. See Sittercity featured sitters from around the country who have experience preparing specific meals for families with special needs. We are grateful to Sittercity for the special offer of 50% off a 3-month membership for Spokin app users — redeem your coupon code in the Spokin app!

Interview Questions | Before Your Sitter Arrives Communicating Care | Reactions and Instructions | 1 Minute Auto-Injector Videos

Teal Pumpkin Product Guide

All the teals! Explore our Teal Pumpkin Product Guide, complete with links to purchase. You can decorate, accessorize, and trick or treat in allergy-friendly style. Candy Alternatives | Buy a Teal Pumpkin | Make a Teal Pumpkin

Oral Food Challenges

The topic of food challenges is very personal to me. My 13-year-old daughter, Natalie, has multiple life-threatening food allergies and has experienced seven food challenges. She's passed five and has an upcoming appointment to face pecans for the third time after trying twice before (she doesn't like to say "failed").

In light of the recent devastating loss of a 3-year-old boy, we felt compelled to cover the topic. While the "how" that we are all searching for remains unknown, we have collected answers to the most common food challenge questions to move away from fear and take a step toward knowledge.

Spokin's mission is to help people with food allergies live the fullest life possible. We want you to have that magic moment when you open our app and discover food allergy "wins" — wiping out the tremendous amount of time it takes to find safe food, restaurants, camps, etc.

Our mission drives us to build a resource that is committed to, quite simply, life. The recent tragedies drive us to double down our efforts. If you have ideas of what you wish the Spokin app could do to make your life easier, please email me at [email protected]. We are building Spokin for you and, near and dear to my heart, our kids.

Introducing Peanuts to Infants

For the past 20 years, the number of children diagnosed with severe food allergies has risen at an alarming rate with no clear explanation. Parents who once felt helpless to prevent this chronic condition now have hope, thanks to the latest study by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, released on January 5, 2017. Millions of expectant moms and new parents can take their infants’ health into their own hands by introducing peanuts early and often, the study concludes. The recommendations are broken down into three categories: high risk, moderate risk and low risk infants.

Ordering by Allergen

Flying With Food Allergies

Whether you’re heading out for spring break or to grandma’s for the weekend, air travel is a necessity for millions of people, including those living with food allergies.

Recent headlines have highlighted a key reason why traveling with food allergies is tricky. While food allergies are defined as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, airlines abide by a different set of rules defined by the Air Carrier Access Act. Under these guidelines, a pilot can prevent you from boarding or ask you to get off the plane if you make yourself or your child seem “medically fragile," according to his or her own discretion.

But don’t let the uncertainty surrounding air travel keep you grounded. With a little extra planning and the right resources, every family can have the adventures they deserve.

To clear the air and make flights smoother, we laid out the 16 tips for flying with food allergies, identified the top six “food allergy-friendly” airlines and found a mission-driven mom dedicated to making air travel easier for all of us.