Strawberry allergy is a common food allergy in young children. What signs of strawberry allergy are present in young children? Details in the following article.
When a child with strawberry allergy is exposed to strawberries, whether by touching, eating, or even smelling them, the immune system is stimulated against it, producing antibodies and stimulating mast cells to produce a substance called histamine, which causes many symptoms. There are numerous details about strawberry allergy in infants in the article that follows:
What are the signs of strawberry allergy in infants?
Baby strawberry allergy symptoms can be broken down into two categories:
1. Mild to moderate signs
If any of these signs appear, consult a doctor to confirm that eating strawberries is what is causing the allergy:
- Itching and rash.
- Eczema .
- Angioedema-related facial, eye, or mouth swelling.
- throat tingling or numbness, especially around the mouth.
- dry cough
- Congestion, runny nose and sneezing.
- Vomiting and colic.
- Loose stools .
- The baby's mood swings include unceasing crying.
- if the child is already speaking, slurred speech.
- The child pulled his ears.
- The youngster made an unusual gesture by covering his mouth with his hand and pulling his tongue.
2. Severe signs
Anaphylactic shock, which poses a threat to the life of the infant and therefore requires urgent medical intervention. These are some of the signs and symptoms of this condition:
- fast heartbeat
- Breathing difficulty.
- Throat and tongue enlargement.
- When the baby breathes, you can hear wheezing coming from the airways.
- dizziness or fainting
- Reduction of Blood pressure.
How does strawberry allergy occur in infants?
When a baby who is allergic to strawberries is exposed to it through eating, touching, or smelling it, it can cause strawberry allergy. The immune system activates antibodies such as immunoglobulins against foreign bodies it believes have entered the body. It also releases histamine from mast cells, and the previously mentioned symptoms appear.
Risk factors that increase the chance of strawberry allergy in infants
The risk groups for strawberry allergies are as follows:
- Asthma patients .
- People with eczema.
- children with a similar medical history in their family, such as a loved one who is allergic to strawberries.
- those who have pollen allergies.
Recommendations when introducing strawberries to babies
Since research from 2015 supported the idea that exposing a child to food early may significantly lower the chance that they will develop an allergy later, experts advise exposing infants to foods most likely to cause allergies before they turn one.
Here are suggestions to make sure serving strawberries to infants goes smoothly:
- Rub a very small amount of strawberry on the child's lips to notice any signs of allergy and wait a few hours. If no symptoms appear, add a small amount equivalent to a quarter of a mashed spoon, for example, to the child's regular food, mix it well and offer it to the child, then monitor any changes. If nothing happens, the quantity can be increased gradually. Follow up on any changes that may occur with the child.
- Do not expose the child's skin to strawberries, as it does not help at all in determining whether the child has an allergy or not, but rather it may be a catalyst for the occurrence of strawberry allergy with the infant later.
- If a family member has a history of strawberry allergy, please consult a specialized pediatrician, who will often recommend exposing the child to strawberries for the first time under medical supervision.
How do I act if my child has a strawberry allergy?
Unfortunately, there is currently no medication that can be administered to a child to permanently treat allergies or stop them from developing in the first place.
Therefore, the best course of action to handle a strawberry allergy is to avoid eating it or exposing the infant to it in any way. The doctor may also advise giving the child an antihistamine for a specific amount of time.