Dad creates app for children with food allergies

Christopher Miquel has two kids with allergies. "I have two kids with allergies. My son Antonio has a dairy allergy and my daughter Victoria has a nut allergy," said Miquel. "Over the years, it has been a struggle to deal with. What they can eat or what they can't."

"The biggest issue is when they go out to a friends house or a family members house to make sure they know what they can and can't eat," added Miquel. "That has been the biggest issue when they are away from us."

That is when he decided to create an app called AllerCheck. It is a customisable app which allows the user to scan food products and automatically know if it contains a particular allergen.

First the user creates a profile, where it is possible to select the allergens he or she is sensitive to. It is possible to add more than one profile, for example, a parent can include the profile for each of their children. Then, to use the app, the user either scans a product, or selects one of the food products from the app's list.

If that snack or food includes any of the allergens mentioned by the user in their profile, the app gives a warning in red, to warn the user that that snack is not safe for them. "It highlights the allergen and the person allergic to it," explained Miquel. This is possible because the app includes the official ingredients for each food. So, when the user checks a particular snack, the app is able to compare the ingredient list of that snack with the allergen list from the user profile, and see if there is any match. If there is, then a warning is given to alert the user.

It is also possible to attach the child's favorite food to their profile. Also, if the child is going on vacation with a family member or a friend, their full allergen profile can be sent to the responsible adult, through the app.

It is also possible for parents to share with others their child’s allergy profiles and approved grocery lists. "I like the idea of being able to share all of that information with our friends or family or anyone else that needs that information.", said Miquel.

The app is not yet available in the App Store, as it is still being tested (in beta testing).

Adapted from: http://bit.ly/2L9wUfp

More info: http://allercheckapp.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzErehVc0Ns