Parents often feel puzzled when their child complains of an itchy mouth after eating fresh strawberries. This common phenomenon occurs when the body mistakes harmless fruit proteins for threatening pollen proteins. While concerning at first glance, these reactions are typically brief and limited to the mouth area.
Children’s developing immune systems are particularly prone to these mix-ups, which doctors call pollen-food syndrome. The good news? The reaction usually stops at tingling and doesn’t progress to dangerous swelling or breathing problems. Plus, processed strawberry products often don’t trigger the same response because cooking alters the problematic proteins.
Teaching kids to recognize these sensations empowers them to communicate discomfort. While mild cases may just require avoiding raw strawberries, persistent or worsening symptoms warrant an allergy specialist’s evaluation to rule out more serious conditions.
