What Is Oral Allergy Syndrome in Children?

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Have you ever noticed your child complaining about an itchy mouth or throat, sneezing, congestion, or gastrointestinal symptoms after eating certain fresh fruits or vegetables?  Some fresh produce contains similar compounds to those in pollen. These compounds are most often located under the skin of the produce. Therefore, there may be a cross reactivity that a child may experience if they have a pollen allergy.

Some children that experience Oral Allergy Syndrome may be able to eat problematic fruits or vegetables that have been peeled. In addition, some of these compounds may be degraded during cooking. So children that have difficulties tolerating certain fresh fruits or vegetables, may be able to tolerate the produce cooked.

Oral Allergy syndrome is somewhat different in that it rarely causes hives, throat swelling, or anaphylaxis. The syndrome usually starts out as a pollen allergy to birch trees, ragweed, or grass allergies. It is often more problematic during pollen season. Approximately 70% of individuals with birch allergies have symptoms of Oral Allergy syndrome.

✅Sublingual Immunotherapy can help address Oral Allergy Syndrome in pediatric patients to help train the immune system not to react to pollens or food allergies. Wellness 4 KIDS has the privilege of offering clinically researched Sublingual Immunotherapy in collaboration with ​AllergyChoices.

 👉Are you interested in exploring Sublingual Immunotherapy to treat your child’s allergy symptoms? Contact Wellness 4 KIDS for a FREE Pediatric Wellness Discovery Call.

Below is a list of foods (used with permission from Allergychoices) that may cross-react with pollens causing Oral Allergy Syndrome in sensitive individuals with allergies.

✅Allergen triggers and the related foods which may cause symptoms:
Birch Pollen

• Apple
• Carrot
• Celery
• Cherry
• Peach
• Apricot
• Pear
• Potato
• Hazelnut
• Peanut

Ragweed Pollen

• Cantaloupe and other melons
• Banana
• Zucchini
• Mango
• Milk
• Mint
• Lettuce
• Cucumber

Grass Pollen

• Grains
• Legumes (peas, green beans, soybeans, all beans such as kidney, navy, garbanzo, etc.)
• Apple
• Carrot
• Celery
• Orange
• Tomato
• White potato
• Zucchini

Cedar Pollen

• Apple
• Cherry
• Bell peppers
• Kiwi
• Paprika
• Tomato

Mugwort Pollen

• Broccoli
• Cantaloupe
• Carrot
• Celery
• Mustard
• Peanut
• Sage
• Rosemary
• Garlic
• Onion

References:
https://www.allergychoices.com/blog/cooking-to-outsmart-oral-allergy-syndrome/