PHOTO | A baby suffered second-degree "burns" after chewing celery in the sun

Photo: Printscreen/Facebook/Reanna Bendzak

A mum has revealed the painful 'burns' her seven-month-old daughter got after biting into celery to soothe sore gums.

A seven-month-old baby received rash with blisters after chewing celery in the sun. Rina Benjak  gave her daughter a stick of celery to soothe her teething gums. The family spent the day outdoors and had no idea what was waiting for them. The girl was enjoying the sun in Canada while nibbling on celery.

Reana Benjak she said that her daughter chewed celery in the sun for no more than 10 minutes, but it was enough for her to experience a burn-like reaction.

Speaking of "CBC" the mother said: "She held it for five to 10 minutes, we were out for the rest of the afternoon, and the next morning we woke up, there was a little rash around the mouth… later that day, blisters."

The girl woke up the next morning with a rash around her mouth that looked like a burn. This, in fact, was the beginning of a not so well known reaction called phytophotodermatitis, which appears when celery, citrus fruits, figs, carrots, wild dill, parsley and parsnips touch the sun.

"I had no idea this could happen," the mother said.

"It was second degree burns around her mouth - there was also severe swelling, which of course made it difficult for her to eat or suckle."

Doctors later told her that the child had been miscarried phytophotodermatitis, which is also known as "margarita burns".

Two months have passed since this unpleasant incident. The girl had blisters for 10 days, then they developed into hyperpigmentation and finally disappeared after six weeks. Just a few minutes in the sun was enough for a reaction to occur.

What do the experts say?

Phytophotodermatitis is a condition caused by exposure to furocoumarins (a chemical found on the surface of plants). This chemical can be activated by UVA rays coming from the sun. If your skin comes into contact with the chemical and it is activated, an allergic reaction may occur. Note that not everyone will experience phytophotodermatitis after exposure to furocoumarins.

Experts warn that a child may be at greater risk if there is a family history of contact dermatitis with other substances such as metals or some cleaning products. "Healthline" (Healthline).

Experts advise that there are certain ways to prevent this condition, such as washing hands and other exposed parts of the skin immediately after going outdoors, wearing gloves when working in the garden, wearing trousers and long sleeves in forested areas and applying sunscreen before going out.

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