Adults and children can develop strawberry allergies at any age, even if they have never had adverse reactions to strawberries or other foods. Extended periods of exposure from eating or handling fruits may bring about the first allergy symptoms, as patients exceed their bodies' thresholds for strawberry allergens. The allergenic proteins contained in these fruits cause allergic reactions when individual immune systems mistake them for invading bacteria. The resulting illness most commonly affects the skin, eyes and respiratory tract.
Symptoms
Allergy symptoms associated with eating strawberries may be limited to the mouth area or may include full-body effects. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), patients with oral allergy syndrome may experience itching or swelling of the lips, tongue and throat. In others, runny and stuffy noses may develop. Digestive symptoms most commonly associated with strawberry allergies include nausea, cramping, vomiting and diarrhea. Touching strawberries can produce itchy skin symptoms in contact areas. Rarely, severe allergic reactions involve the cardiovascular system.
Anaphylaxis
When extreme allergy symptoms arise, patients may suddenly lose consciousness and risk respiratory and heart failure. This condition, called anaphylaxis, can cause death, and initial signs of it should prompt a call to 9-1-1 for emergency paramedic services. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) report that an abnormal pulse, weakness, confusion and trouble breathing are warning signs of anaphylaxis.
Considerations
When strawberry allergies appear in young children, they may fade by age 5 if exposure to the fruit ceases, according to the UMMC. Older people who suffer allergic reactions from eating strawberries, however, will experience symptoms from that time forward. This means that adults with this food allergy will risk anaphylactic shock anytime they ingest strawberries.
Identification
Individuals can link their health symptoms to strawberry exposure by timing their onset. Oral, respiratory and anaphylactic symptoms can occur as soon as allergens enter the body. According to the NIH, digestive upset may begin within an hour or more after eating strawberries. Allergic skin symptoms may take longer to surface, depending upon the level of exposure. When patients suspect allergic reactions to strawberries, they can consult a physician for skin or blood testing to confirm this.
Prevention
Immunotherapy and other medications don't offer effective solutions to strawberry allergies. Only avoiding the fruit will prevent attacks of allergy symptoms. The UMMC suggests that diagnosed patients carry an emergency epinephrine injector, which may prevent anaphylaxis, at all times.
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