Allergy to pumpkin in adults and children: symptoms + photo

Allergy to pumpkin is so rare that this culture is considered hypoallergenic. This, as well as the rich vitamin composition of pumpkin, contributes to the fact that they try to include the vegetable in the diet of newborns as early as possible. Its fruits contain vitamins such as K and T, which are quite rare, as well as easily digestible sugar, which is important to consider when organizing nutrition for infants. In addition, pumpkin is rich in various minerals, fats and proteins, however, even such a healthy vegetable can in rare cases cause a protective reaction in the body.

Can you be allergic to pumpkin?

Pumpkin most often provokes allergies in humans with individual intolerance to the vegetable, however, such rejection is extremely rare. That is why for a long time it was believed that the pumpkin is not allergenic, which is fundamentally wrong.

Among the most dangerous are varieties with a bright color of the peel and pulp, while pale pumpkins are practically harmless. Fruits with a rich orange color are dangerous for allergy sufferers to the same extent as citrus fruits or tomatoes.

If a child developed an allergic reaction to pumpkin in infancy or early childhood, it is possible that as they grow older, the body will stop rejecting this culture.

Can pumpkin cause allergies in a child

Adults, due to a developed immune system, rarely experience an allergic reaction to vegetable components. This cannot be said about children, especially infants. Their immunity and digestive system are not yet fully formed, so they are simply not able to absorb some of the components contained in the fruits. At some point, rejection of varying degrees inevitably occurs, usually 2-4 hours after eating the vegetable.

Why pumpkin can cause allergies

Pumpkin can cause an allergy in a person for one of the following reasons:

• individual intolerance of the elements contained in this culture;
• the presence in the pumpkin of specific proteins that can be rejected by the human body (the proportion of these proteins in pumpkin seeds is especially high);
• beta-carotene, which is found in large quantities in bright fruits – it is this substance that gives the fruits a rich orange color;
• chemicals (pesticides, fungicides, etc.), which are sometimes abused by unscrupulous gardeners;
• natural proteins, in particular the f225 protein, are the main allergens in pumpkin, along with beta-carotene.

Before including a pumpkin in a child’s diet, you should make sure that his parents are not allergic to the vegetable.

Is pumpkin an allergen after heat treatment

In adults, an allergy to pumpkin manifests itself mainly when eating a raw vegetable. After heat treatment, a fully formed organism in most cases ceases to reject pumpkin dishes – we can say that the product becomes hypoallergenic, albeit only for adults.

This does not apply to children. Despite the fact that the vegetable is recommended to be included in the child’s diet only after heat treatment (cooking, parks, stewing, etc.), it does not guarantee the absence of an allergic reaction. Most of the allergens contained in the vegetable are destroyed by high temperatures, however, a significant percentage still remains.

Can you be allergic to pumpkin seeds?

If a person is allergic to the pulp of a vegetable, most likely it also applies to pumpkin seeds, as they contain a large amount of indigestible proteins. In addition, an allergic reaction can be provoked by eating other gourds:

• melons;
• watermelon;
• cucumber;
• vegetable marrow;
• squash.

Pumpkin Allergy Symptoms

The main symptoms of pumpkin allergy, which occur in both adults and children, include the following body reactions:

• rash of varying degrees of intensity;
• itching of the skin;
• severe swelling in the pharynx;
• causeless incessant cough, which is in no way associated with a cold, and a runny nose;
• disruption of the digestive system (change in stool);
• pain in the abdomen;
• numerous eczemas on the body;
• nausea, vomiting;
• profuse tearing for no apparent reason.

In infants

Most often, an allergy to pumpkin occurs in infants. Despite the fact that they are not yet able to eat pumpkin products on their own, the allergens contained in it can enter the baby’s body along with breast milk.

The following reactions indicate that a child is allergic to pumpkin:

• the appearance of red spots on the skin, small rashes (the main places of concentration of the rash are the cheeks, elbows and knees of the baby);
• itching in the area covered with a rash and redness;
• hives;
• violation of the stool (diarrhea, constipation);
• vomiting;
• swelling of the face;
• cough.

Symptoms of a pumpkin allergy can manifest themselves in different ways. Most often, an allergic reaction occurs in infants within 30-40 minutes after allergenic components enter the body, but sometimes it takes 2-3 days. In the second case, it is difficult to understand what exactly caused the allergy in the child, therefore, at the first signs of an allergic reaction, it is recommended to consult a specialist.

Children

An allergy to pumpkin in a teenage child is in many ways similar to allergic reactions in infants. The only significant difference is a greater predisposition to Quincke’s edema – in adolescents it is much more common than in infants.

Pumpkin sensitivity peaks at puberty, when children have a strong hormonal imbalance. Over time, the allergy to pumpkin can weaken, or even completely disappear. It often happens that a food allergy to pumpkin manifests itself in children in the form of diathesis.

At the first sign of an allergy, it is recommended to exclude the vegetable from the child’s diet and consult a doctor. After a while, you can try to reintroduce the pumpkin into the diet, but gradually, carefully watching how the child reacts to the product.

In adults

In an adult, an allergy to pumpkin is practically not found. If the body still rejects the components that make up the pumpkin, the manifestations of an allergic reaction are most often quite weak. The area of ​​redness and rash is relatively small, itching is moderate. A severe form of manifestation is a violation of the gastrointestinal tract, eczema, Quincke’s edema, anaphylactic shock.

The degree of manifestation of the reaction

The following degrees of an allergic reaction to pumpkin can be distinguished:

1. Redness of the skin.
2. Small rash, itching.
3. Runny nose, cough, conjunctivitis.
4. Nausea, vomiting.
5. If nothing is done, the rash can turn into hives – flat dark pink blisters that can cover various parts of the body in large quantities.
6. Acute pain in the abdomen, indigestion, flatulence. Painful sensations can cause Quincke’s edema in the intestinal area. Prolonged vomiting and stool disorders are considered especially dangerous for allergies, since in this case a person begins to lose a large amount of fluid and nutrients.
7. Swelling of the mucous membranes of the larynx.
8. Atopic dermatitis, severe itching, eczema – redness of the skin, accompanied by its thickening, profuse exfoliation.
9. Quincke’s edema is one of the most dangerous manifestations of pumpkin allergy. The most likely areas of swelling include the mucous membranes, skin, larynx, and intestines. Swelling of the mucous membrane is dangerous because the allergy in this case causes suffocation. Without timely medical attention, Quincke’s edema can be fatal.

Separately, it is worth noting the most dangerous manifestation of an allergy to pumpkin – anaphylactic shock, which can develop within seconds after the onset of an allergic reaction. Signs of anaphylactic shock:

• dyspnea;
• cold sweat;
• violation of urination;
• fainting;
• swelling;
• redness;
• a sharp drop in blood pressure;
• sharp pain in the abdomen.

Is it possible to eat pumpkin with allergies

There is an erroneous opinion on the net that pumpkin can be eaten by allergy sufferers. This is only partly true – pumpkin does not cause an allergic reaction in adults after heat treatment, becoming completely hypoallergenic for them. Children with an allergy to pumpkin should not eat the vegetable in any form, even after boiling or frying. Despite the fact that the degree of rejection of the fetus becomes less, the pumpkin remains allergic to children even after exposure to high temperatures on allergens.

What measures to take at the first sign

At the first sign of a pumpkin allergy, the following measures should be taken:

1. Pumpkin is completely excluded from the diet before an accurate diagnosis is made. Subsequently, it will be possible to try to introduce a vegetable into the diet, in small quantities. Sometimes allergies go away as you get older.
2. With minor manifestations of allergies, it is recommended to use antihistamines: Eden, Loratadin, Zirtek.
3. Against itching and rash, as well as mild swelling, Lokoid and Sinaflan ointments are suitable.
4. Inflammatory processes on the skin can be cured with lotions based on chamomile infusion. For this, 4 tsp. dry chamomile pour 0,5 liters of boiling water.
5. Rosehip infusion helps to restore the digestive tract and relieve swelling. It is prepared according to the following scheme: 100 g of berries are poured into 1 liter of boiling water and infused for several hours. Infusion is taken orally for ½ tbsp. l. half an hour before meals.

When to see a doctor urgently

Despite the fact that some of the symptoms of allergies can be removed on their own, there are cases when the help of a specialist is urgently needed – these are anaphylactic shock and Quincke’s edema, which can be fatal if proper measures are not taken in time. In addition, a doctor’s consultation is necessary even with relatively harmless symptoms: itching, rash, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, etc.

The fact is that the symptoms of pumpkin allergy can partially overlap with the clinical picture of other diseases, which complicates self-diagnosis of the problem. A single symptom does not necessarily mean an allergic reaction – for example, nausea and vomiting after eating a pumpkin dish can be caused by stale foods that make up its composition, and not at all possible allergens.

An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a specialist who prescribes a series of tests for this. In particular, whether there is an allergic reaction to pumpkin or not is often determined by small cuts on the skin. A small amount of a possible allergen is applied to them. If a person is allergic to pumpkin, after 2-3 hours there is a corresponding reaction of the body to the test: rash, itching, nausea, etc. In addition, a diagnosis can be made quickly enough based on the results of a blood test.

You can learn more about the features of first aid at the first sign of an allergy from the video below:

Conclusion

Allergy to pumpkin is extremely rare, which is why there is an erroneous opinion that the vegetable does not contain any allergens. Despite the fact that the body of adults practically does not reject the components contained in the pumpkin, children, especially infants, react quite sharply to the product. In such cases, the consumption of culture should be sharply limited or completely excluded from the child’s diet. It is possible to reduce the likelihood of an allergic reaction in a child by heat treatment of the pulp of the fetus, however, this does not always guarantee a positive outcome.