My sister’s four children all have severe food allergies: nuts, seafood, eggs, soy beans, etc. This means all food ingredients must be checked carefully to ensure they will not cause allergic reactions that can range from mild hives to severe anaphylaxis.

Managing this can be difficult for my sister, especially when her kids are in the care of others who may not be familiar with the process of (1) avoiding the specific foods ingredients in question and (2) responding to allergic reactions in a way that ensures the safety of the child. As a result, I have always found babysitting for my niece and nephews very stressful because I often worry: “Will I really know what to do in an emergency?”

Many health sites provide parents with guides to create a "home-made" allergy kit. Why not produce and sell a "pre-packaged" allergy kit that would include all the necessary medical items, along with a few additional tools to help parents better prepare babysitters to care for kids with allergies. I will call this the “Dear Babysitter Kit” and it would include:

1. The usual medical items recommended to alleviate allergic reactions: epinephrine EpiPens, antihistamine tablets

2. A children’s book that the babysitter can read with the kids that begins with an area where parents can personalize a chart listing the specific food allergies each child may have, and then describes the process of screening for specific foods ingredients and responding to allergic reactions – in the style of a children’s story

3. A simple and visual emergency cheat-sheet on how and when to use the medical items. This can also be personalized with the parents' cell phone number and directions to the local emergency room

4. All items would be packaged in a little container that could easily fit in a baby bag or the glove compartment of a car

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