A mom in Canada is warning parents about eating and drinking outside after a scary incident with her baby girl. Reanna Bendzak and her family were at an outdoor barbecue in March when she gave her seven-month-old daughter a piece of celery to chew on. The baby was teething and using the veggie stalk to soothe her gums on the sunny afternoon and Reanna and her husband didn’t know anything was wrong until the next morning.
That’s when the baby girl woke up with a rash around her mouth that turned into blisters later in the day. She was ultimately diagnosed with phytophotodermatitis, a skin reaction that can happen after touching certain plants out in the sun. Celery is one of those plants, the parents later learned.
The condition is often called “margarita burn” because limes and other citrus fruits can cause it. The baby is doing great now, months later, but she did have those blisters for about 10 days. Reanna says their daughter was only in direct sunlight for about 20 minutes that day, but it was enough to cause the damage. The way to protect yourself from the rash is to wash the skin with soap and water if you’re handling food and drinks out in the sun.
- In addition to celery and citrus, carrots, peppers, dill, fennel, mustard, parsley, and parsnip can also cause phytophotodermatitis.
Source: Good Morning America
Photo: Getty Images