Strawberry allergy vs. cranberry???

[speechie]

Nick had a reaction to something the past 2 nights. His hands/knuckles swelled, were red w/hives and he kept saying "ow ow". We had strawberries 2 nights ago, and cranberry sauce. Swelled up.
Yesterday, he had a sip of my cranberry juice, and he swelled up. DH was cutting strawberries for us only.... Hmmm. Cranberry allergy is really rare. SO if your kid has a strawberry allergy, would he react to just being touched by someone who chopped them?
I plan to eliminate both totally for 2 weeks. Then give small amount of cranberry and watch closely for a day. Then small amount of strawberry and watch closely. I don't want to make things worse, and I feel like I really need to find out what caused this reaction so we can avoid it!!
Any insight is appreciated.

[clh]

{{hugs}} hun.  Poor you & nick.  Y'all have gone thru the ringer lately. 

I think it could just be from contact with dh, if the allergen portion of the berry got transmitted.  I think that's similar to the warnings that manufacturers have to put on pkgs of things that don't contain nuts but use the same machinery.

Did he show any digestive or respiratory reactions?  Or was it just skin?

[speechie]

Thanks for the hugs, don't know if I should laugh or cry sometimes! SO I choose to laugh...
No digestive/breathing effects. I do think maybe strawberries have given a slight diaper rash in the past, but I've never really connected them in the past.
I'm just sighing now as our yard is COVERED in wild strawberries (teensy tiny ones) all over the front/side yard. YIKES. Plus, blueberries which are related to cranberries!
Not a great thing to be allergic to in New England....ugh.
Maybe he'll outgrow it?
Now what is left on his hands looks like an eczema outbreak.

[clh]

I had some moderate food allergies when I was a kid that I've pretty much grown out of.  (I don't refrain from any food b/c of allergy.)  Mine are all respiratory now. 

Meant to say I think you have a good plan in place... And I've heard that you can have a skin allergy without having a digestive one, etc (i.e. it may only affect skin & not the others). 

[speechie]

Thanks Candice! That is reassuring!
I'll be really curious to see what is causing his reaction. Neither DH nor I have bad allergies. I am allergic to mango, but I heard it is related to poison ivy and it is called a "hot" fruit in India...

[Mashi]

Hi Cathie!  Told you I was popping in here now and again!

Cranberries and blueberries are related, and neither are "true" berries.  Not sure what they really "are" but I did some research on that one when I gave DS blueberries early on and then panicked that I wasn't supposed to give him berries and I had totally forgotten!   Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc are all a different food family.   As you said, cranberries and blueberries are VERY uncommon as an allergen, BUT that said, you CAN be allergic to anything

OOO my friend is here 20 minutes early - will come back to this later this eve!

[Spectra]

It sounds like you have a great plan!  Let us know how it goes. 

[speechie]

thanks for your info! WEll, Nick accidentally got part of a strawberry fruit bar this PM and he had a little redness on his hands and cheeks. Not nearly what it was w/straight plain strawberries. I'm going to definitely test this next week.
Wild strawberries are actually naturalized into our lawn. ugh.

[Spectra]

Sure sounds like the culprit!  Let us know how it goes