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Original poster

DS sudden extreme itchy/tingly mouth/lips from salmon

76 replies

Itchymouth23 · 13/04/2023 20:36

My 11 year old son’s favourite food is salmon. The last two times he has eaten it he has developed extreme itching and tingling in his mouth and on his lips. He said it feels like it is attacking his mouth in the same way pineapple does (I never knew pineapple did this until now!).

It’s not a new food, he usually eats salmon maybe once every week with no I’ll effects, apart from the last couple of times. I’ve given him an anti histamine and the itching has stopped.

Could it be a kind of allergic reaction? Or would he have had symptoms earlier If it was?

OP posts:
Redbone · 13/04/2023 22:12

Please avoid fish / salmon until you have seen a GP. As for now dose him up with Piriton . Personally I would take him to a hospital now. This is exactly how my fish allergy started and I was 35 !

feejee · 13/04/2023 22:15

Yes, avoid it for now. Theres a lot of toxicants in salmon though, potentially a reaction to that rather than fish itself.

I was 25 before someone looked at me odd when I said drinking milk coats my throat and makes it hard to breathe. Had no idea this wasn't normal. 35 before a chap at the allotment noticed me itching my hands after touching the tomato plants and said that wasn't normal. And 43 today when i discover mouth tingles isn't standard for pineapple. Which makes me think it's not going to be normal to experience the pineapple feelings when eating mature cheddar either is it?

FangedFrisbee · 13/04/2023 22:16

Redbone · 13/04/2023 22:12

Please avoid fish / salmon until you have seen a GP. As for now dose him up with Piriton . Personally I would take him to a hospital now. This is exactly how my fish allergy started and I was 35 !

You'd take him to a&e now on a Thursday night? Op doesn't say when he ate the salmon! It could have been a week ago!

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Original poster
Itchymouth23 · 13/04/2023 22:19

I can’t see an ingredient list in the spray I used to cook the fish and potatoes, but suspect that may be because there are no added ingredients? I’m not sure.

OP posts:
Original poster
Itchymouth23 · 13/04/2023 22:20

Tried to add a photo of the oil but couldn’t. It’s m&s olive oil spray anyway.

DS sudden extreme itchy/tingly mouth/lips from salmon
DS sudden extreme itchy/tingly mouth/lips from salmon
OP posts:
Original poster
Itchymouth23 · 13/04/2023 22:20

Oh it has added after all!

OP posts:
SinisterKnitter · 13/04/2023 22:25

Avoid all fish for now, as you don't know if it's salmon, a broader category of fish, anisakis parasite, or cross contact contamination.

fetchacloth · 13/04/2023 22:29

It's likely to be an allergy that's caused that reaction.
I have similar symptoms with mayonnaise and shellfish so I have to avoid those.

Original poster
Itchymouth23 · 13/04/2023 22:29

Redbone I would have take him to be seen by either out of hours gp or even a&e if nhs 111 thought it necessary. It’s just really difficult right now due to me having 2 broken ankles/feet and having steps leading up to my house. Not been able to leave the house for 7 weeks, it’s been awful.
I would definitely take him somewhere if necessary and physically possible this is me right now… 🙈

OP posts:
Redbone · 13/04/2023 22:30

@FangedFrisbee I was presuming that he had just recently eaten the salmon but yes, if the anti- histamine did not improve the situation, I would take him to A and E. I know from bitter experience!

Redbone · 13/04/2023 22:33

@Itchymouth23 Poor you ! But seriously, if he does go downhill call 999!

SinisterKnitter · 13/04/2023 22:33

Oh you poor thing Flowers

Definitely play it safe with food and don't take any risks right now.

Original poster
Itchymouth23 · 13/04/2023 22:35

FangedFrisbee he ate the salmon at 8pm and is ok now after antihistamines.

OP posts:
Zebra789 · 13/04/2023 22:45

My DS has a diagnosed salmon allergy, if you seek a referral to the allergy clinic they test for it. We were advised to avoid the other fish in the family (I think it’s trout?) but the others were okay for us. At least salmon is an easy allergen to avoid - sorry to hear it’s something he likes though!

mamabear715 · 13/04/2023 23:58

@Itchymouth23
My laddie suddenly was allergic to coconut. I gave him antihistamines too & he was fine. I did take him to the GP a couple of days after, & she said it was good that I knew what he'd reacted to so that they wouldn't have to test.
We just avoid coconut now, sadly he had to stop having his beloved korma, but that's all!

Notjustabrunette · 14/04/2023 00:03

Purplepepsi · 13/04/2023 20:50

My son developed oral allergy syndrome - to apples, peaches and plums weird as he had eaten them with no problems before!

I developed oral allergy syndrome to apples in my 20s. Lasted a few years and then stopped in my late 30s. It was only with fresh apples. Cooked was fine as was juice from a carton. Had a reaction to freshly squeezed juice. Really odd.

Pestispeeved · 14/04/2023 00:24

Unless salmon is some weird code name for a raw fruit or vegetable, he does not have oral allergy syndrome.

Pineapples contain a strange enzyme that slightly digests things it comes into contact with, so lots of people get the tingly thing.

It does sound like the beginning of an allergy. What antihistamines did you give him and when? Piriton wears off after about 4 hours, so check on him and give more if necessary. Cetirizine and Loratadine both last longer.

Book an appointment with the GP and avoid salmon. Fish allergies can escalate quickly, they can also be quite boring. Play it safe anaphylaxis is not enjoyable.

B1rd · 14/04/2023 01:02

I have this allergy with river or farmed fish. I don't have it with seafood or anything else that swims at sea. There's a chemical in river fish which is different to sea fish. I can't remember what it's called. Salmon has always made my lips itch (apart from smoked salmon). I still eat it and I'm 50.

Pestispeeved · 14/04/2023 19:31

@Itchymouth23 how is he today?

Is he unusually tired?

Original poster
Itchymouth23 · 14/04/2023 19:39

Pestispeeved I have him Clarityn and he was ok after that.

He has an appointment booked in with the GP on 11th may.

So tonight he had dinner (takeaway… chicken tikka and chips) and he got severe pain in upper abdomen/ chest area which felt better when leaning forwards (as in folding himself in two). He said it’s fine because it happens often 😕 first i knew about it. He did mention his chest was hurting last week but he brushed it off as minor. It’s probably unrelated but I’ve booked a call with a nurse from nhs 111 anyway. I can’t figure out what it is.

my cast has been removed today and I’m now partially weight bearing so if I need to go to the out of hours GP I can take him.

I don’t think the chest/abdomen pain is related to the itchy mouth, but who knows.

OP posts:
Original poster
Itchymouth23 · 14/04/2023 19:43

Pestispeeved No he isn’t unusually tired. He got up late but energy levels seem fine, no tiredness, Why?

OP posts:
Pestispeeved · 14/04/2023 20:04

Great news about the cast.

The after effects of allergic reactions can be extreme tiredness.

The chest pains don't sound wonderful, good call on 111. Has he had some sort of cold or illness recently? Or his oesophagus could be playing up a bit if it also reacted to the salmon.

Blinking teenagers are awful at communicating aren't they.

Original poster
Itchymouth23 · 14/04/2023 20:14

Pestispeeved no cold or illness recently. He’s very rarely unwell tbh. The last time he saw a doctor was over a year ago due yellowing around his eye which looked like a black eye and some yellow patches of skin on his scalp and ear which he was supposed to have blood tests for but he refused and the doctor said that it was fine as the yellowing had gone away and he seemed well. Other than that he’s never really needed to see a doctor.

OP posts:
Original poster
Itchymouth23 · 14/04/2023 20:14

And yes they are terrible at communicating! Especially mine, he acts like it’s the end of the world if he has to answer questions! Lol

OP posts:
Beamur · 14/04/2023 20:23

feejee · 13/04/2023 22:15

Yes, avoid it for now. Theres a lot of toxicants in salmon though, potentially a reaction to that rather than fish itself.

I was 25 before someone looked at me odd when I said drinking milk coats my throat and makes it hard to breathe. Had no idea this wasn't normal. 35 before a chap at the allotment noticed me itching my hands after touching the tomato plants and said that wasn't normal. And 43 today when i discover mouth tingles isn't standard for pineapple. Which makes me think it's not going to be normal to experience the pineapple feelings when eating mature cheddar either is it?

No. It isn't!
Anything else?