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By Daniella Gray
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A Pennsylvania mom who wanted to capture her daughter’s excitement for her birthday accidentally caught something a lot more sinister.
Simmy Larkin (@lovethelarkins) posted a clip on TikTok of her 3-year-old crunching into an apple while chatting about her upcoming birthday. Moments later, Elle starts scratching her chin and neck, as well as hives also breaking out. Larkin realized her daughter was having an allergic reaction on camera.
The mom of two—Larkin also has a 5-year-old daughter with husband Bill—told Newsweek that Elle often itches her neck due to severe ezcema and other environmental allergies such as dust.
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That, combined with the fact that Elle had eaten apples many times before without a problem, meant that Simmy didn’t immediately recognize the reaction for what it was.
"We’ve given her apples, apple sauce and apple juice before," Simmy said. "The difference is that, prior to this incident, we had always peeled her apples. Not once did it ever cross my mind that she could have been allergic to the peel."
Once Simmy noticed her daughter asking to be picked up, she turned off the camera and inspected her neck and face. Following her allergist’s previous guidance, Simmy gave Elle a dose of Zyrtec, and the reaction subsided within minutes.
"I gave [an apple] to her a second time, still not knowing what was causing her to break out, but we got the same results," Simmy said. "That’s when I knew it had to have been the peel."
She later contacted her daughter’s doctor, asking if it were possible for Elle to have developed a new allergy.
The doctor replied that, while new food allergies can develop, it was unusual given her tolerance for apple sauce and juice, suggesting a possible contaminant or sensitivity specific to the peel.
For the Larkins, allergies are already a daily part of life. Elle is allergic to eggs, peanuts, shellfish, salmon, red meat, lentils, dust, and dogs, though she has outgrown sensitivities to wheat, dairy, soy and sesame.
"Dust is hard," Simmy said. "We got rid of all of our carpets downstairs and purchased multiple air purifiers, but her worse reactions happen at nighttime when she’s laying in bed."
The Larkins also have an Australian labradoodle who doesn’t shed, but if he licks Elle, then she will break out in hives.
Simmy’s clip has gone viral on TikTok, amassing over 2 million views. Hundreds of users shared in the comments that they too have similar allergies to Elle.
"I’m allergic to apples. Weirdest thing, I used to eat apples and peanut butter like crazy as a kid and now I’m deathly allergic to both," one user wrote.
"My brother was allergic to peach skin but could eat it without the skin without any reactions," another added.
Simmy said that the family is still figuring things out when it comes to Elle’s allergies.
"I think this post has brought a lot of awareness to this type of allergy," she added. "We have an allergy appointment next week and will be bringing a lot of these concerns up to the allergist."
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