droolicious : allergies

SafetyTat Temporary Tattoos Are More Than Just For Show

Chris Ford — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:57:00 GMT

A lot of kid-related email rolls into my inbox each day, and a lot of it isn't worth reading. But sometimes you see something that you have to check out not because you've heard of it before, but because you're not sure if you're reading it correctly. A promotional pitch from SafetyTat temporary tattoos for kids was one of those emails. As it turned out, it was an email about a product that's a pretty cool idea.

SafetyTat temporary tattoos are basically labels you can put on young children that contain contact information, medical information or anything else you might want an adult to know if you and your child were separated for some reason. For instance, you and the family are going to a theme park and you're worried your over-excited son might get lost. With your cell phone number on the tattoo, your child (in theory) would be reunited with you much more quickly.

There are two different kinds of products, one with pre-determined contact info you provide when you purchase the tattoos (these work more like traditional temporary tattoos). And another that's kind of an adhesive "stick-on" tattoo that you can write any information on and are designed to be more portable. They even have products for children with allergies, medical alerts or for children with special needs (autism, autism non-verbal etc.).

It's a pretty cool idea I think, and for the right family it's probably a pretty great idea. Check them out at SafetyTat.com.

Therapure Fights Back-to-School Cooties

editors — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:05:00 GMT

Perhaps you’re like us and have lived through previous winters of germy discontent and want to get ahead of the curve this cold and flu season. While pulling your entire family out of school (and the office) is the perfect solution, back in the real world you’re going to be rubbing elbows with every spore, virus and microbe in your area. One way to limit the numbers of microorganisms floating around your family’s air space is to invest in an air purifier, like say, the Therapure Ionic Pro. With it’s Hepa Type filter that never needs replacing, you’ll get the animal dander, pet hair, mold spores, bacteria and toxic fumes sucked right out of the air you breathe with very little effort on your part. This cute little guy seems harmless enough, but it's actually a cold-blooded killer of bad smells, bad vibes and bad allergens with the flip of a switch. Still not convinced enough to shell out between $50 - $168 for a shot at fewer sick days? You see that pre-schooler with green snot coming out of his nose? He's eyeballing your daughter. - April Peveteaux

Get the Ionic Pro Therapure 100 Compact at Amazon for $59.99.

Two New T-Shirts from Small Paul

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:16:00 GMT

I've always been a fan of funny t-shirts on kids, and there are some new designs from Small Paul worth checking out. The fake tuxedo on a t-shirt is a classic that never goes out of style (pictured), but the t-shirt that made me drop my hard-earned $20 is after the jump.

This "I'm Allergic To Peanuts" absolutely rules me, mostly because my kids are allergic to peanuts. But also because peanut allergies are one of those things that no one really wants to talk about, and putting it proudly on a t-shirt makes me smile.

The Small Paul "Filbert" T-Shirt is available in pink and brown, $20 from BlackWagon.com

Pure Plushy is the Perfect Gift for World Asthma Day

Chris Ford — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:05:00 GMT

First, let me be the first to remind you that today is World Asthma Day. In case you were wondering, 22 million Americans, including 6.5 million children, suffer from asthma. And in light of this, I'm sure you're probably thinking to yourself, what kind of cute stuffed animal is appropriate for the little asthma sufferer in your life? For that I present to you Pure Plushy, the "first ever and only Antimicrobial Plush Toy."

I'm not going to be the guy on the local evening news that tries to scare you about all of the mold, dust and other microscopic nasties that can get into your kid's stuffed animals, but suffice to say it happens. Pure Plushy animals are made of "specially-treated Super Soft Memory Foam," which apparently resists the aforementioned nasties.

I'm not sure that my kids have ever gotten sick from any of their stuffed animals, but if your child is prone to allergies or suffers from asthma, Pure Plushy is something you might want to check out.

Check out all of the animals (including Cody the Cow pictured) for $29.99 at PurePlushy.com

Toy Fair '08: The Goldberger Baby

editors — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:05:00 GMT

No, it’s not a celebrity abduction; it’s the softest baby doll on the market from a family company that’s been in the baby-making business for over 90 years. This fall, the Goldbergers are introducing two new babies to the market, one for fussy sleepers and one for sensitive asthma sufferers. The Sensitive Baby (shown above) is ready to be thrown in the freezer and regularly washed and dried to keep the dust mites away while your wheezy kid cuddles him/her. The Lavender Dreams baby, seen here -

is for your non-sensitive but also non-sleepy baby. This doll has an easy-to-pull nightcap that plays a lullaby and a light lavender scent to calm and relax that fuss-budget. Here's hoping next year the Goldbergers roll out a Vegetable Baby that infuses the child with vitamins and minerals when she has suddenly decided nothing shall enter her body if it is not rice or yogurt. - April Peveteaux

Umydo Humidifier Combats Stuffy Noses Through Good Design

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:03:00 GMT

The more late-night dry throats and stuffy noses you combat as a parent, the more you start to become obsessed with humidifiers -- which one works best; which one looks best; which one can you neglect for a few days without it turning into a stagnant pool. And while I thought I'd hit the motherlode with a Swiss warm-mister that looks like a Star Wars droid, this Umydo humidifier ($82 at Allmodern) from Blomus has officially knocked it out for the first-place spot.

Granted, you wouldn't want to put it within easy access of a toddler -- the stainless-steel, electricity-free Umydo works best when placed near a heat source -- but no matter where you set it, this humidifier will add style points to the room's decor.

Swiss Hot-Steam Humidifier Saves Space, Looks Out of This World

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:03:00 GMT

Here's one for the space-age nursery: Looking like it fell out of the Jawas' Sandcrawler in Star Wars, this compact Swiss humidifier ($100) cooks water to a bacteria-killing level before releasing its healing steam into your room. You can adjust steam (up to two gallons per day) as well as power output (150 to 300 watts), and the handy LED reminder light lets you know when it's time to refill. (If only the cheapo brand in my son's room did the same; turns out the thing's been running on empty since yesterday.) Also available in silver, it measures 10.25" high by 14.25" in diameter to fit nicely atop a nightstand or dresser.

Whirlpool Scores Consumer Reports 'A' for Best Air Purifier

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:02:00 GMT

Between keeping windows closed, sniffing pollen from Christmas trees, and recirculating germs brought home from daycare, winter is prime time for bad indoor air. And while there are prettier and pricier air cleaners on the market, Consumer Reports recently gave some of its highest marks to the $230 Whirlpool Whipsure 450 (pictured).

Unlike some higher-end models, the true HEPA-filter Whipsure emits no ozone, and in Consumer Reports' tests, it wiped the floor with Oreck's and Sharper Image's $700 and $500 models, respectively. Of course, there are also some no-cost steps you can take to clean the air before forking over for a purifier, and Consumer Reports lists some of those, too.

How are you keeping the air clean in your home this winter? Let us know in the comments.

Halo UV Vacuum Kills Allergens Dead

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:02:00 GMT

It's fitting that the Halo 3290 UV-ST Ultraviolet Vacuum ($500) shares a name with everyone's favorite space-age shoot-'em-up videogame: Employing UV-C technology -- the source of that hypnotizing blue glow at its business end -- the Halo kills dust mites, flea eggs, bacteria, viruses and other creepy-crawlies as it sucks the dirt out of your carpet. It also packs a HEPA filter to trap pollen and dust mites, as well as a 13-foot hose with tools for cleaning even the most neglected corners of your kids' rooms.