Authorities say an allergic reaction may be to blame for the death of a Kentucky boy who had eaten strawberries the night before.
The Madisonville Police Department said they responded to a home on Friday morning after getting a report of an unresponsive 8-year-old boy.
During their investigation, police said they learned the boy ate strawberries purchased from a school fundraiser the previous night. The boy's parents reportedly noticed signs of an allergic reaction and gave him Benadryl and soaked him in a bath before taking him to the emergency room.
After about three hours at the ER, the family decided to return home. It's unclear whether the boy was ever treated at the hospital.
The boy reportedly changed into his pajamas and went to bed.
"The family attempted to wake him up for school later that morning and discovered he was unresponsive," the Madisonville Police Department said in a statement.
Doctor dies at Disney World after staff assured food was allergen-free
The woman's husband is suing Disney and one of its restaurants after the couple was repeatedly assured that the food did not contain allergens.
The police department said staff members at the hospital reported that other patients had come in for treatment after consuming strawberries believed to be from the same fundraiser.
Upon news of the boy's death, the Hopkins County Health Department advised people to not eat the strawberries from the fundraiser. In its latest update, the health department said it's still advising people not to eat the strawberries, but said it appears the boy's death was from an "isolated allergic reaction."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that food allergies among children are growing, affecting about 8% of kids in the U.S. However, strawberries are not among the most common foods or good groups that cause serious allergic reactions. They are more common when consuming things like nuts, eggs, milk, fish, wheat and soy.
FDA expands use of asthma drug Xolair to treat severe food allergies
Xolair is the first medication approved to reduce allergic reactions caused by accidental exposure to food triggers.
