Question 1

Do I need an app? Does it work on any phone?

Accepted Answer

No app is needed. Tapping the band with an NFC-enabled iPhone or Android opens the profile in the phone’s web browser. iPhone XS and newer read it straight from the lock screen, and most Android phones read it when NFC is on. The phone needs an internet connection to load the profile.

Question 2

Wristband or necklace: which is better for kids?

Accepted Answer

For young children, wristbands usually win on wearability. A TapCare band is waterproof, so it stays on through play, swimming, bath time and sleepovers, and there’s nothing swinging near the face. Necklaces suit some older kids, but chains can catch or be taken off for sport. The best medical ID is the one your child will keep wearing. A TapCare band adds photos, contacts and step-by-step guidance that no engraved ID can carry.

Question 3

Does it need charging?

Accepted Answer

No. The band has no battery. The phone that taps it provides the power for that moment, so there’s nothing to charge, replace or switch on.

Question 4

Is the online medical profile free? Is there a subscription?

Accepted Answer

The profile is free with every band, for the life of the band, and there’s no subscription, ever. Every feature is included: Allergy Response, email alerts, the activity log, expiry reminders and a profile for each child. Some digital medical IDs charge a monthly fee; we think safety gear shouldn’t come with a monthly bill.

Question 5

How is TapCare different from other medical ID bands?

Accepted Answer

Most medical IDs show information: an allergy, a name, a phone number. TapCare also shows a helper what to do about it. Allergy Response walks them through anaphylaxis first aid step by step, using your child’s own devices and contacts. Behind the band, we email you when their profile is opened or a reaction is reported, keep a log of every tap and what the helper did, remind you before medication expires, and let you switch off a lost band instantly.

Question 6

What if the band is lost or broken?

Accepted Answer

Mark it as lost in your dashboard and it stops opening the profile straight away. If you find it, reactivate it. The profile isn’t tied to any single band, so a replacement or spare can be attached to the same profile from your dashboard, with no codes to type.

Question 7

Is my child’s information private?

Accepted Answer

A profile opens only when someone taps the band, on the phone they tapped with, for a limited time. A forwarded link or a screenshot of the address opens nothing, and profiles are never listed in search engines. You choose whether their photo, school and notes are shown, and their surname and date of birth never are.

Question 8

Will I know if my child’s band is tapped?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We email you when their profile is opened, when a helper reports symptoms in Allergy Response, and when someone taps a band you’ve marked lost, with the time and a rough location. Your Activity log shows every tap and what the helper did, such as calling 000, calling you or giving adrenaline. Alerts go to your account email; TapCare doesn’t send SMS or push notifications.

Question 9

Does TapCare track my child?

Accepted Answer

No. The band has no GPS or battery. When someone taps it, and their phone allows it, you’ll see roughly where that tap happened. That location comes from the helper’s phone, at that moment only.

Question 10

What is an ASCIA Action Plan?

Accepted Answer

It’s a personalised first-aid plan written and signed by your child’s doctor, using templates from ASCIA (the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy). It lists your child’s allergies, the signs of a severe reaction and the exact steps for their care. Only a doctor can create or change one, which is why TapCare shows the plan you upload exactly as signed, and never generates or edits it.

Question 11

Does TapCare give step-by-step anaphylaxis instructions?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Allergy Response is built into every profile. It helps a helper check the symptoms, then walks them through each step in the order of the ASCIA First Aid Plan for Anaphylaxis: positioning your child, finding their adrenaline with a photo of where it’s kept, using that exact device, calling 000 with what to say, contacting you, and timing a second dose. It’s general first-aid guidance and sits alongside your child’s own action plan, never in place of it.

Question 12

What should we do in the first minutes of a suspected reaction?

Accepted Answer

Follow your child’s ASCIA Action Plan. If a severe reaction (anaphylaxis) is possible: lay them flat, or let them sit with legs outstretched if breathing is hard; give their adrenaline injector without delay; call 000 and say “anaphylaxis”; and don’t let them stand or walk. Allergy Response puts these steps on screen in that order so a bystander doesn’t have to remember them. It’s general guidance, not a replacement for your doctor’s plan or emergency services.

Question 13

Where should my child keep their EpiPen?

Accepted Answer

Somewhere an adult can find in seconds and your child can point to, such as a bright pouch in the front pocket of their school bag, or a fixed spot at home that everyone knows. Photograph it and add it to the TapCare profile: the photo answers “where is it?” instantly, even for a stranger. Keep injectors at room temperature, not in the car or the fridge.

Question 14

How do I keep track of EpiPen expiry dates?

Accepted Answer

Add the expiry month printed on each device to your child’s TapCare profile. We email you 4 weeks, 2 weeks and 1 day before it expires, and again the day after if it hasn’t been replaced, and your dashboard flags any device that expires within 30 days. When you get the new one, update the expiry month and the reminders start again.

Question 15

My child’s school has its own allergy plan. Does this replace it?

Accepted Answer

No. Follow your school’s processes and keep them informed; most Australian schools have an anaphylaxis management policy alongside your child’s ASCIA plan. A TapCare band supports those plans everywhere else: excursions, weekends, parties, holidays and the years between schools.

Question 16

How much does a TapCare band cost, and what’s included?

Accepted Answer

Each band is a one-off purchase with no subscription. It comes with a free online profile for the life of the band, with every feature included: Allergy Response, email alerts, the activity log and expiry reminders. Shipping is free and tracked anywhere in Australia, and you have 30 days to return unworn bands if you change your mind.

Question 17

What age is it for?

Accepted Answer

Each band fits wrists from 10 cm to 15.5 cm, which generally suits children from infancy to around 8–10 years old. Every child is different, so if they’re near either end of that range, measure their wrist first. The adjustable snap and sizing holes let the band grow with them.

Question 18

Is it waterproof?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The band is waterproof, so it can stay on for swimming, bath time and the beach. There’s no battery inside, so there’s nothing to keep dry or charge. Rinse it in fresh water after the pool or the sea, and let their wrist dry underneath.

Question 19

Is the silicone latex-free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The band is soft, flexible silicone that’s latex-free and hypoallergenic, so it’s comfortable for everyday wear. Check the fit as they grow: you should be able to slide a finger under the band. If their skin becomes irritated, take the band off and talk to your doctor.

Question 20

Can my child wear it at school, kinder or childcare?

Accepted Answer

Check with the school, kinder or childcare service first, as some have rules about jewellery or wearables. A TapCare band supports the service’s anaphylaxis management plan and your child’s ASCIA Action Plan, and never replaces either. It helps to show staff how to tap the band, and you can add the service’s details to the profile if you’d like helpers to see them.

Question 21

Is TapCare only for food allergies?

Accepted Answer

No. A profile can hold food, insect-sting and other allergies, plus medical conditions such as asthma, epilepsy or type 1 diabetes, medications and blood group, so a helper sees the full picture. Allergy Response is different: it’s built for allergic reactions and anaphylaxis only. For anything else, a helper has your notes, their action plan and a button to call 000.

Question 22

Is TapCare endorsed by ASCIA?

Accepted Answer

No. TapCare is not endorsed by ASCIA, the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy. Allergy Response follows the order of the ASCIA First Aid Plan for Anaphylaxis, and your child’s own ASCIA Action Plan is shown exactly as their doctor signed it. TapCare is not a medical device or an emergency service.

Question 23

Which adrenaline devices does Allergy Response cover?

Accepted Answer

Allergy Response has device-specific steps for EpiPen, EpiPen Jr, Anapen, Jext, Jext Jr, neffy 1 mg and neffy 2 mg. neffy is an adrenaline nasal spray; the others are auto-injectors. Add your child’s devices to their profile with a photo of where each one is kept, and a helper sees the steps for the device in their hand.

Question 24

What happens to my child’s data if I stop using TapCare?

Accepted Answer

It stays yours. You can delete a child’s profile, or your whole account, at any time. Deleting a profile removes its content from our live systems, and any band linked to it stops opening it. We keep order and payment records only for as long as the law requires.

Questions parents ask us.

The band

Privacy

Allergies and emergencies

Buying and everyday use