Food Allergies

The Problem…

1 in 13 children in the United States, or roughly 2 in each classroom, are allergic to one or more food allergens. Seemingly harmless foods that the rest of us take for granted can symbolize life or death for these children. With food allergies on the rise and nearly 90% of reactions caused by the top 8 food allergens, we have seen a shift in society’s accommodations, with the prohibiting of sharing foods and/or the the banning of peanuts and tree nuts in various schools. There is no cure for food allergies, which makes living with this medical condition all the more serious. The physical symptoms of an allergy reaction are undoubtedly painful for the child to endure and for the parent to watch.

My Role

• Project Planning

• Participant Recruiting

• Designed and Moderated Research Activities

  • Activities: Literature Review, Competitive Analysis, Interviews, Participatory Design Activities, Prototype Testing and Diary Study

• Analyzed and Synthesized Data

• Reported and Presented findings

Research questions

1. How do food allergies affect interpersonal relationships in both the child’s and guardian’s lives?

2. How do children and parents, prevent, react to, and manage the food allergy?

The Solution and Result