The iPhone Mom

This app was designed for all the hypochondriacs and worrying mothers in the world. And yes, I place myself in both categories. It takes the "Symptom Checker" feature from the Web MD website and puts it on your iPhone. Touch the "symptoms" button on the bottom of the screen and you get a graphic of a body. I personally think this is even creepier blown up on the phone then it is on the web. Do I really need to be touching those areas?? Couldn’t I just type in groin and be done with it? But no, you touch the area on the body where you’re having "issues" and the app pulls up a whole list of potential trouble. Select one and you’re lead through a series of questions to get to the possible causes of your symptoms. Click on the one you like and it gives you an overview of the illness, a list of symptoms or Web MD articles with more information.

This alone could keep you busy for hours as you search for the cause behind that mysterious rash on your child’s neck. But there’s more. From the main page you can do a search on the Web MD site. Type something in and it’ll take you directly to a Web MD search results page. For more fun try the "Drugs & Treatments" button. This feature lets you read up on all the goodies in your medicine cabinet. Your hubby has a cold and you can’t remember if that stray pill is a Midol or Tylenol Cold? With the app you can look the pills up by name or by shape and color. I found searching this way a bit too subjective. It’d be nice to have actual pictures of the pills. Typing in the name of the medication was faster, but that won’t help you with the Midol/husband issue. Once you find your drug of choice you can read up on all the warnings, uses, side effects,  precautions, interactions and overdose information for the medication. Everything they warn you about during those tv ads.

Last but not least is the First Aid part of the app. This gives you a list of possible emergencies. Everything from allergic reactions to vomiting. Click on the emergency that you’re having and you get First Aid information for treating your crisis. I don’t think I’d be whipping out the iPhone if I found myself in a true emergency but given how my kids freak out about bees (and yes flies) I like knowing that I’ve got the information to assist a little person with a nasty bite or sting.

Seller: Web MD, LLC

Price when Reviewed: Free

Click here to see the app at the iTunes store