Looking for specialized apparel and accessories for a child with special needs? These parents took up the challenge to come up with their own solutions. They've taken what worked for them and marketed it to help other parents. Could you follow in their footsteps?
Allergy Apparel
Photo by blue in the stream photography
Proprietor/Parent: Theresa Marie Green
Business Description: "In addition to offering hip clothing and other products for children with food allergies, Allergy Apparel offers moms resources such as links that offer support and advice, an event calendar, other products that may enrich their lives, a blog, and more," Green reports. "My products also give parents of children without allergies an opportunity to ask questions and to better understand food allergies." ... Read more
ALLERGYONBOARD.COM
Photo courtesy of Carey Shoemaker
Proprietor/Parent: Carey Shoemaker
Business Description: The mission of ALLERGYONBOARD.COM is "to promote the empowerment and positive self-esteem of children with food allergies. We offer books and apparel that are informative and effective, and do so in a creative, engaging way. We focus our products on helping children learn the self-management skills they will need to master a variety of challenging situations." ... Read more
Awearables
Photo courtesy of Awearables
Proprietor/Parent: Iris Shamus
Business Description: Awearables offers "kid friendly allergy awareness accessories" featuring characters called AllerMates -- P. Nutty (peanut allergy), Nutso (tree nut allergy), Detective Fin (fish allergy), Soy Cool (soy allergy), Eggy (egg allergy), Pint (dairy allergy), Professor Wheatley (wheat gluten allergy), and Crabby (shellfish allergy). The characters appear on wristbands and dog tags to help kids make their food allergies known in a fun and upbeat way. ... Read more
Check My Tag
Photo courtesy of Check My Tag
Business Description: "Check My Tag offers food allergy management resources to parents of young children with food allergies," says Sharon. The company's main product is shirts and dresses with a tag on the inside back that can be filled out with the child's name, allergies, and other precautions. A "Check My Tag" label on one sleeve alerts helpers. ... Read more
Fiddledee IDs
Photo courtesy of Fiddledee IDs
Proprietor/Parent: Christina Henry
Business Description: "We hand-make medical ID bracelets, necklaces, charms, and dog tags," Henry says of her business. "Each piece of jewelry is engraved to alert others to the wearer's medical condition. We also sell medical temporary tattoos, bag tags, and bike-helmet tags." ... Read more
KeepingPace
Photo courtesy of KeepingPace
Business Description: KeepingPace has been called the "new generation of orthopedic footwear designers," Watson reports with pride. "Our company regards themselves as a catalyst for change by innovatively designing and providing specialty footwear solutions for children wearing braces/AFOs." ... Read more
Level Living
Photo courtesy of Nicole Braidwood
Business Description: "Level Living is an on-line retail business specializing in reliable medical ID jewelry and diabetes accessories," says Braidwood. "The product range is reliable and reasonably priced, and consists of badges, dog tags, leather and waterproof ID, and even watches. Level Living does its engraving in-house to cater to personal medical needs." ... Read more
My Button Buddies
Photo by Kori Gedris Photography
Proprietor/Parent: Sophie Szilagyi
Business Description: According to the My Button Buddies site, "ButtonBuddies are cloth pads designed to be worn around the gastric feeding tube (G-Tube) also called a 'button.' They are used in place of medical gauze for anyone who uses a gastrostomy feeding tube (Enteral feeding tube). Each cloth pad is about 2 - 2.5 inches across (diameter)." In addition to being absorbent and re-usable, they're also more fun for kids than medical gauze. "ButtonBuddies look less like a bandage or a 'boo-boo.' With ButtonBuddies, children with G-tubes can have something special for themselves in a happy and positive way." ... Read more
Pump Wear
Photo courtesy of Pump Wear
Business Description: Pump Wear offers stylish and cool ways for kids to transport their insulin pumps, including waist-wrapping Pump Paks and bright patch pockets on shirts. DeFruscio describes the business as "a place where children and adults can go to have fun and be fashionable!" ... Read more
QCHARM LLC
Photo courtesy of QCHARM LLC
Business Description: "QCHARM, LLC provides a Portable Visual Cueing System to people who have special needs and to those who care for people with special needs," says Meissner. "The system involves presentation of symbols/icons on a charm that attaches to a wristband. Initial examples of icons are used to improve skill development related to: task preparation/performance/transition; schedules; changes in schedule; receptive and expressive communication; sensory modulation; socially appropriate behavior; safety education/reminders; and emotion identification/empathy." ... Read more
Ross Daniel Adaptive Apparel
Photo courtesy of Susan Kleiman
Business Description: "Ross Daniel Adaptive Apparel's slogan is 'Fashionable Solutions for Special Needs.' Though the product line right now is limited to socks, Kleiman plans to expand into a variety of 'easy to put on, stylish clothing for special-needs kids and teens.'" ... Read more
Star Allergy Alerts
Photo courtesy of Star Allergy Alerts
Business Description: Star Allergy Alerts is "an online home-based business selling allergy awareness T-shirts, badges and stickers," says Rendell. Since she works at home, "it's my morning and night-time job -- before Stella wakes, after she goes to Kindy and after she goes to bed!" ... Read more
