dr hive....is this an allergic reaction?

[kfeusse]

My daughter claims that when she eats clementines, pineapple and bananas, she gets bumps inside her lower lip that bother her and itch.  They last for a little while and go away.  

 

Does that sound like an allergic reaction?

[The Girls' Mom]

It sounds like it could be a type of oral allergy syndrome.  My dd gets an itchy mouth and throat when she eats certain fruits, and some of them really irritate her mouth.  (melons, mango, pineapple, bananas, anything remotely related to cucumber)

 

ETA: not life threatening, but very uncomfortable.

Edited December 4, 2016 by The Girls' Mom

[lexi]

I vote oral allergy syndrome.

 

My daughter is highly allergic to bananas and pineapple. Pineapple put her in ER with a severe reaction.

 

I would avoid those fruits.

[kbutton]

Yes.

 

I would consider allergy testing, but it is likely to be oral allergy syndrome. 

[Spryte]

Probably Oral Allergy Sydtome but I would want testing to verify. If it's actually an IGe mediated allergy, future reactions can't be predicted based on past reactions. That means it could move to anaphylaxis and you'd want to be prepared with an epipen and an action plan.

 

I need to note, too, that though it's uncommon, OAS can be life threatening. My mother almost died multiple times, including her wedding day.

 

My kid's got OAS to most raw foods, but he's anaphylactic to bananas.

[gardenmom5]

yes.

 

[The Girls' Mom]

Probably Oral Allergy Sydtome but I would want testing to verify. If it's actually an IGe mediated allergy, future reactions can't be predicted based on past reactions. That means it could move to anaphylaxis and you'd want to be prepared with an epipen and an action plan.

 

I need to note, too, that though it's uncommon, OAS can be life threatening. My mother almost died multiple times, including her wedding day.

 

My kid's got OAS to most raw foods, but he's anaphylactic to bananas.

I didn't know that!  (makes me kind of want to strangle dd's allergy doc who assured us that it wouldn't ever be a major problem because her blood and skin tests didn't show a fruit allergy, in spite of her physical symptoms)  She still avoids those fruits like the plague, though.

[Spryte]

I didn't know that! (makes me kind of want to strangle dd's allergy doc who assured us that it wouldn't ever be a major problem because her blood and skin tests didn't show a fruit allergy, in spite of her physical symptoms) She still avoids those fruits like the plague, though.

Just avoid! Do you have an epi, just in case?

 

My mom was allergic to all raw fruits and veggies till her 50s. She ended up in the hospital just from cooking once - potato juice (she was peeling) in her eye. Horrible! She hated cooking after that.

 

She outgrew most allergies in her 50s, and can eat almost anything now.

[The Girls' Mom]

Just avoid! Do you have an epi, just in case?

 

My mom was allergic to all raw fruits and veggies till her 50s. She ended up in the hospital just from cooking once - potato juice (she was peeling) in her eye. Horrible! She hated cooking after that.

 

She outgrew most allergies in her 50s, and can eat almost anything now.

 

She doesn't eat them.  She's 20, and has had to avoid certain fruits since she was small, so she's used to it.  Her list has grown over the years, instead of getting better.  It started with melons, but has expanded to pretty much everything except oranges and berries.  We do have epi-pens, because she's also allergic to nuts.  

[kfeusse]

you have to get an prescription for an epi pen, yes?  and how long do they last before they expire?  do most insurance plans cover them?

[Spryte]

you have to get an prescription for an epi pen, yes? and how long do they last before they expire? do most insurance plans cover them?

Yes, it's a prescription. They last one year, according to the manufacturer. Our insurance covers in full, but we are lucky. Once in a while they give a generic but usually we get brand name, which is easier to use. Sadly, the manufacturer is unethical, thus the high cost in the news, but when it's life or death, we do what we have to do.

 

FWIW, my mom never carried an epi for OAS - she was born in the 40s. She just avoided and had ambulance rides when necessary. She was lucky.

[zoobie]

Probably oral allergy, but especially with banana, I'd want allergy testing. Banana allergies frequently overlap with latex, which can be scary. In the meantime, I'd avoid contact with them. Pineapple and banana can be hidden in things. I have one kid with an oral allergy to pineapple and one with a banana intolerance. Pineapple is hidden in fruit punch and some teriyaki marinades. Banana pops up in baked goods and some mixed fruit things like strawberry applesauce.

[summerreading]

I would get allergy testing. Does she have pollen allergies too? Oral allergy is a cross reaction from other allergies. I'm allergic to birch pollen and cannot eat apples and stone fruits without cooking them first. You should carry Benadryl too for mild reactions. 

[kbutton]

Because enough people are saying that they have family member "allergic to everything," I am going to throw out the possibility of mast cell activation syndrome for some of you, but probably not the OP's child. It's related to but not the same as mastocytosis. I thought I had oral allergy syndrome, and it's looking like mast cells may be the culprit because it's so much more variable than "eat this thing, have this reaction." 

[Ellesmere]

Here is some info on oral allergy syndrome:
https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/allergy-library/outdoor-allergies-and-food-allergies-can-be-relate

http://allergicliving.com/2010/08/19/fruit-vegetable-about/

https://www.allergyuk.org/oral-allergy-syndrome/oral-allergy-syndrome

And since you mentioned banana:

http://www.aaaai.org/ask-the-expert/heat-labile-heat-stable-allergens

 

Allergies are complex so I would see a reputable allergist who does thorough testing. I see mine regularly. 

I don't think my case is the norm at all but just to give an example -- I started out with just OAS with raw fruits and veggies. Looking back, I had symptoms of what might be EoE (getting a scope at some point to confirm) and other weird immune system issues going on in my childhood but I only was diagnosed with OAS and thought nothing of it in my 20s. Then after having terrible reactions, I found out I developed anaphylactic allergies. Again I don't think that is the usual thing. But of all my allergies, go figure, my peanut allergy is related to my severe birch pollen allergy (which is the culprit for a lot of my OAS symptoms) and is far more likely to cause only local (and not severe) reactions. So it is confusing to be allergic to peanut (the food that most people seem to be aware of) that is not likely to cause me to need my Epi.

My point is not the details of my story -- it is that allergies are worth seeking help for because hopefully it is just mild OAS but you need to find out. Start keeping a record of her symptoms. Maybe it's just me or because I have two allergic people in the family, but I cannot keep it all in my head!