What happens when a mother of a child with multiple food allergies gets frustrated by the lack of allergy-related kid-friendly products? She creates AllerMates® – a new line of bright, fun, whimsical character-driven wristbands, dog tags and lunch boxes!
Parents of children with allergies can now enjoy the safety and security of knowing their young ones are better protected against unwanted allergens when they wear or use AllerMates products away from home in places like school, daycare, parties, sleep-overs and summer camp. AllerMates arrive in time for Food Allergy Awareness Week, May 13-19 and for camp and summer travel.
AllerMates products are based on 14 fun, original characters that represent the most common allergies: peanut, nut, 
gluten/wheat, milk, egg, shellfish, penicillin, insect sting, latex, pollen, fish, soy, sesame and cat. The characters and product line was created by Iris Shamus, Founder and CEO of AllerMates, in part to help kids feel positive about their allergies.
“No matter how many forms I signed or how many times I spoke to the teacher the inevitable happened” states Iris Shamus, AllerMates Founder. “My son and another allergic classmate were offered food they weren’t supposed to have. It didn’t go well. So, I set out to create something more personalized so that a teacher or caregiver would always be aware of his allergies,” continues Shamus. “AllerMates wristbands gave me a sense of comfort and security I couldn’t have without them.
Even with posters like nut-free zone or dairy-free zone around a classroom, AllerMates is designed to present a more personalized, visual representation of specific allergies. When a child raises his or hand or carries an AllerMates lunch bag there is that distinctive visually appealing character as a constant reminder to be on alert.
AllerMates products are hypo-allergenic, nickel and latex free and have passed rigorous safety standards and testing. The wristbands are adjustable and fit most children. The AllerMates Gang characters are:
P. Nutty (Peanut Allergy)
Nutso (Nut Allergy)
Professor Wheatley (Gluten / Wheat Allergy)
Pint (Milk Allergy)
Eggie (Egg Allergy)
Crabby (Shellfish Allergy)
Super-Cillin (Penicillin Allergy)
Bizzy (Insect Sting Allergy)
Dr. Strangeglove (Latex Allergy)
Drift (Pollen Allergy)
Detective Fin (Fish Allergy)
Soy Cool (Soy Allergy)
Teeni Tahini (Sesame Allergy)
Nine (Cat Allergy)
The AllerMates website offers both parents and children easy to read and understand tips, facts and general information about allergies as well as lots of fun games and activities based on the line of AllerMates characters. The website also has a fully functional social community allowing its members free and easy interaction and sharing of the latest blogs, news, videos and information within the allergy community. You can meet the AllerMates Gang there and get the back story on each character as well as fun tips (did you know a peanut isn’t actually a nut … it’s a legume).
AllerMates products can be purchased at The AllerMates website , at Amazon.com and at independent retailers throughout the U.S. as well as stores in Canada, United Kingdom, Portugal and South America. Look for AllerMates products at national retailers this summer.
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