Mum’s allergic to strawberries, so I’m nervous to try them

QDo food allergies run in families? My mother is very allergic to strawberries so as kids we never had them in the house and I’ve never dared try them. I know it’s not the end of the world if I never eat a strawberry, but am I avoiding them unnecessarily?

The tendency to suffer from allergies such as hay fever, asthma or eczema, a condition known as atopy, can run in families. It’s reckoned that if a parent is atopic, there’s a 20 per cent chance of their children also being atopic and, if both parents are affected, the chance of the children being affected rises far higher to 60 per cent.

However, the genetics of allergy are complex, which means that children don’t tend to inherit an allergy to a specific substance or even the tendency to the same type of allergic disorder. That means that a child of someone with asthma may have eczema, not asthma, or vice versa.

So although you are at a slightly increased risk of a reaction, the chance of being allergic to strawberries like your mother is slim.

I suggest you try a small morsel to begin with though, not a bowlful, and have some antihistamine tablets to hand in case you start to react.

AQMy 15-year-old daughter has skin that is very sensitive to pressure and if she presses on her arm with a fingernail then a red weal appears, like hives. Her party trick is to produce a weal in the shape of her name, but is this harmful?

A

In up to 50 per cent of people, a firm stroke of the skin first produces a white, then a red line, then slight swelling down the line of the stroke, with a very mild red flare of the surrounding skin. But in 5 per cent of the population this response is exaggerated enough to produce a very distinct raised line in the skin, a condition called dermographism.

It often starts in the teenage years and, in most people, becomes less obvious after a few years, though in some it persists throughout life.

The exact cause isn’t known but it is thought that the pressure triggers the release of histamine in the skin, along with other chemicals, which cause inflammation.

The onset is usually gradual, but in some it develops over a few days and it may be aggravated by hot conditions, for example after a hot shower.

In some cases, stress appears to play a role.

Although your daughter may regard it as a fun party trick – and it won’t be doing her any harm – for others the condition can be a real nuisance as the weals can be not only unsightly but also incredibly itchy.

Taking antihistamines can be helpful and for those with persistent weals it may be necessary to take these every day for several months, along with wearing loose clothes that do not apply pressure to the skin.

QI have had several bouts of dizziness in the last year, together with noises in my ear. My doctor says I have Meniere’s disease and has given me tablets, but is there anything else that can be done? Should I have a referral to a specialist? Is there anything I can do to prevent the attacks?

AMeniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear, which causes unpredictable attacks of dizziness often with nausea and vomiting. There may also be tinnitus (ringing in the ears) hearing loss and a feeling of fullness in the affected ear.

Attacks can last from a few minutes to 24 hours and the intervals between attacks can vary from days or months to, in some cases, years.

As it progresses the dizziness may be less severe, but the tinnitus may become more noticeable and hearing loss can also develop. Usually only one ear is affected, though some develop the condition in both ears.

The symptoms are thought to be due to a build-up of fluid in the inner ear, but why this happens isn’t known, though having a close family member with the condition can very slightly increase the risk.

It can occur at any age, but tends to start in middle age, between 40 and 60. The diagnosis is usually suspected when a patient presents with these symptoms but it will need to be confirmed by a specialist, who can do hearing and balance tests.

Often an MRI of the head is done to rule out other disorders that could cause similar symptoms.

Seeing ENT specialists hasn’t been possible in most places in the last year, but hospital services are opening up again, so it would certainly be worthwhile asking your GP for a referral – just expect a long wait for your appointment.

Sadly there is no cure as yet for Meniere’s disease, but medications used for travel sickness, such as prochlorperazine or cinnarizine, can ease dizziness and vomiting.

Many people have a warning feeling before an attack begins and taking the medicine early, at this stage, can sometimes prevent them suffering an attack.

Treatments taken all the time that can help prevent attacks include betahistine and sometimes water tablets or beta blockers (all available on prescription from your GP).

For those with very severe, frequent attacks, surgery to the inner ear may be helpful.

There is some evidence that eating a low-salt diet may help to prevent fluid build-up in the ear, so this is an option worth trying, along with regular exercise, which can help to combat stress.

In some people, certain foods can trigger attacks, so it is also worth keeping a diary to see if anything you have eaten may be responsible, such as chocolate or caffeine.

You can get more information from the Meniere’s Society (01306 876883; menieres.org.uk).

● If you have a health question for Dr Leonard, email her in confidence at yourhealth@express.co.uk. Dr Leonard regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence or reply to everyone.