Allergy to strawberries

[fifibobandmore]

I tried my DS#2 on a small piece of strawberry yesterday just to see if he liked them or not as I like to introduce something new into his diet every week. So this week I decided to try him on strawberries. Gave him a small piece monday on got a small red pacthey rash on the back of his nech and back a bit like nappy rash. Phoned my HV and spoke to her and she told me once the rash has gone re-try him on the same amount again and if he has the same reaction then we can safely say he is allergic to strawberries. Well the rash has gone so I tried him again on a small piece of strawberry and again the same rash has applied on his neck and back. I have never heard of a strawberry allergy but that must be the what is causing the reash as everything else has stayed the same. Has anybopdy else heard of a stawberry allergy or got a LO with a stawberry allergy. If so how does your LO's react to stawberries and what food products do you avoid because of this allergy I will be avoid all strawberry products from now for my DS#2 or should I avoid strawberries full stop just incase he gets him hands on his brothers or sisters strawberries as we have told them that as long as he is taking things of the sharing plate then they do not take it off him as I have started to include him in sharing fruit of the sharing plate at snack time so he sees the older 2 sharing

[Lolly]

I think reactions to strawberries are fairly common with LOs and some places advise not to introduce them until 1. Having said that, as the UK doesn't seem to advise that I tried my LO on strawberries at about 7 months and he reacted to them.

It was the second time he tried them that he had a reaction, he got a rash on his face where the strawberries had touched him. It went away within 20 mins and he had no other symptoms. He has no issues with cooked strawberries, he eats them in yogurt/fromage frais and jam. I think this also is quite common, an intolerance to fresh berries, but cooked are ok. My LO also reacts like this to tomatoes, cooked are fine but fresh give him an instant skin reaction. I think now he is over 1 he has outgrown the strawberry intolerance as he had some in nursery recently (forgot to tell them about it ) and they didn't see and rash.

Personally I would try other products like yogurts if you give these to see if he reacts (obviously please check with your HV or Dr first) then you will know.

Laura

[daybyday]

I think reactions to strawberries are fairly common with LOs and some places advise not to introduce them until 1. Having said that, as the UK doesn't seem to advise that I tried my LO on strawberries at about 7 months and he reacted to them.

It was the second time he tried them that he had a reaction, he got a rash on his face where the strawberries had touched him. It went away within 20 mins and he had no other symptoms. He has no issues with cooked strawberries, he eats them in yogurt/fromage frais and jam. I think this also is quite common, an intolerance to fresh berries, but cooked are ok. My LO also reacts like this to tomatoes, cooked are fine but fresh give him an instant skin reaction. I think now he is over 1 he has outgrown the strawberry intolerance as he had some in nursery recently (forgot to tell them about it ) and they didn't see and rash.

Personally I would try other products like yogurts if you give these to see if he reacts (obviously please check with your HV or Dr first) then you will know.

Laura

My dd as well, pretty much the exact same post....She now reacts to fresh on a "contact" level only *sometimes*, but otherwise she LOVES them...the rash fades very quickly and I would consider her grown out of them.

[fifibobandmore]

Thank you both for the replies. I will try him on strawberry yoghurt as soon as this rash has gone fully as I am not ready just yet to give him jam as I do avoid giving him sweet food but I will most definately try cooked strawberry products. He is fine with rasberry products and he loves his tomatoes as long as they do not have the pips in them . I cannot see the difference but he is so picky with his finger foods

[Maffoos mummy]

My ds also had strawberry allergy that became apparent at around 18months. He would get a pimply rash in his nappy area that would bleed,it was horrid. My HV recommended we steer completely clear of all strawberry products (even strawberry yoghurts would set him off,and lets face it,they don't have a lot of real fruit in them do they?!) for a year and hope he outgrows the allergy. We avoided all strawberry products for closer to 18months,and he can now have them with no reaction at all.

[aidliz]

Here in the US it is also advised to wait untill 1 to introduce strawberries. My grandmother and cousin are allergic to them, so he may or may not grow out of it.

[fifibobandmore]

Well the rash has gone today so will try him on strawberry yoghurt and if he gets a reaction to that as I make my own yoghurt for him by cooking the fruit so it is stewed which I have just done and leave to stand as a puree until cold and add natural yoghurt to it as he is always sick after any other yoghurt unless made this way which my Ped told me to try him on. If he reacts today then I will tae strawberries out of his diet until he is almost 2 just to be on the safe side as he is 1 in 5 weeks so I don't think 5 weeks is long enough for the year advice which you seems to be given everywhere else other than the UK. That is so strange I will be asking my HV why this is and that maybe we should be adviced the same in the UK

[Mydreamcametrue]

Just wanted to offer the same advice as the others did. 

Personally if it was me though, I would just leave strawberries alone until after the age of 1 since he had the reaction.

I know with my DS2, I tried a baby food that had strawberries in it.  It was a stage 2 food so for age 6 months (+), within 15 minutes he had the worse diaherra.  I want try them again until after 1.

You may be fine though with cooking them.  Cooking strawberries actually lowers the risk of an allergy, as some of the strawberry protein is destroyed during cooking.  However, my son still reactted to it though.

Keep us posted and good luck. Wendy

[fifibobandmore]

Well no reaction to cooked strawberries so it must just been fresh. I am only going to give him strawberry yoghurt once a week though because of it being made with fresh strawberries. It is so wierd how he can eat them cooked but not un-cooked. I will have to also report this finding to my HV. Thank you all again for your advice and reasurance that it does happen I will keep you posted on he goes as he might have a delayed reaction today as it is not quite 24 hours since he had the yoghurt

[Mydreamcametrue]

Glad to hear it and glad you are looking for a delayed reaction. 

keep us posted with your results, Wendy

[fifibobandmore]

Well 24 hours is up now and still no reaction to cooked strawberries. I am still going to look out for a delayed reaction for the next 24 hours just to be on the safe-side

[Maffoos mummy]

How strange it's only fresh and not cooked,never heard of that before!!