Oral Allergy Syndrome

Food Allergy Basics

Although we usually think of children with food allergies as getting hives, a common food allergy symptom, there are some children who have oral allergy syndrome.

Symptoms of Oral Allergy Syndrome

Instead of hives, these children immediately develop itching and swelling of their lips, tongue, throat, and palate, after eating certain fresh fruits and vegetables, including:

• watermelon
• cantaloupe
• honeydew
• bananas
• tomato

Another characteristic of oral allergy syndrome is that these children are also allergic to ragweed pollen, because of a cross reaction between the proteins in the pollens and the foods that trigger the allergic reaction. And in addition to the foods listed above, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology reports that children with ragweed allergies may have a cross reaction to echinacea, chamomile tea, sunflower seeds, zucchini, and cucumbers.

Other children who are allergic to birch pollen develop a similar reaction after eating raw potatoes, carrots, celery, apples, or hazelnuts. If your child is allergic to grass, then he might have a cross reaction after eating a tomato or kiwi.

When a child is allergic to both a pollen and an associated food, instead of oral allergy syndrome, it might be more appropriate to describe the child as having pollen-food allergy syndrome.

Treatment of Oral Allergy Syndrome

If your child has oral allergy syndrome, some things you can do include:

• avoid the foods that trigger your child's reaction
• ask your Pediatrician about allergy medicines to help prevent symptoms
• cook foods that might cause a reaction, as this seems to prevent allergy symptoms from being triggered, but isn't really practical for most fruits
• consider allergy testing to see what your child is really allergic to

A Pediatric Allergist might also be helpful to manage your child's allergies.

References:
¹Food allergy in children. Scurlock AM - Immunol Allergy Clin North Am - 01-MAY-2005; 25(2): 369-88, vii-viii
²Adverse reactions to foods. Nowak-Wegrzyn A - Med Clin North Am - 01-JAN-2006; 90(1): 97-127