Soft fruit causing lip swelling

If you have or suspect you have a food allergy, whether it's an allergy to dairy, wheat, fish, shellfish, nuts or something else, ask our medical experts all your questions here.

Moderator: talkhealth

Locked
3 posts
ClareAll
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2016 12:10 pm
Quote

by ClareAll on Mon Feb 03, 2020 2:24 pm

Soft fruit causing lip swelling

Hello
A few years ago my daughter started suffering a hayfever reaction just for the month of April. It mainly manifests as severely itchy and watery eyes and a blocked up nose. The usual antihistamines are not very effective but she takes what the GP recommends.
About a year after her first hayfever bout she started to get occasional reactions when eating fresh fruit. Her lips swell and she says her mouth and sometimes her throat feel inflamed. Liquid piriton relieves the symptoms quickly. She is currently waiting for an appointment to discuss this with the local allergy clinic.
In the meantime I am sad that she is now wary about eating fresh fruit and I never offer her fruit if we are out without medication available.
The main fruit that have caused the reaction are pears, cherries, apples and apricots (once even to dried apricot cereal, though she regularly eats it without problems). She has never had a reaction to peeled fruit or 'exotic' fruit like mango and pineapple. Grapes, blueberries and raspberries are always fine too.
I am wondering whether the reaction is likely to be to the fruit itself, or to something perhaps sprayed on the fruit.
Any suggestions would be really great to hear. She is otherwise a healthy sporty 10 year old.
Thank you.

User avatar
Leanne Goh
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2020 1:11 pm
Quote

by Leanne Goh on Tue Feb 04, 2020 9:02 am

Re: Soft fruit causing lip swelling

Thank you for your post, your daughter’s symptoms are likely to be due to a condition called pollen-food syndrome (or oral allergy syndrome). It maybe helpful to bring small pieces of the actual fresh fruit implicated to her clinic appointment. Here is some information http://www.s188618569.websitehome.co.uk ... 1$245D.pdf
Leanne Goh
Paediatric Allergist - MB BCh BAO, MRCPCH, MSc (Allergy)

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... ne_goh.php

ClareAll
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2016 12:10 pm
Quote

by ClareAll on Thu Feb 06, 2020 3:41 pm

Re: Soft fruit causing lip swelling

Thank you so much, that sounds exactly like her. Do you have any suggestions for treatment, and is it something children grow out of?

Locked
3 posts