A survey conducted by the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) shows that there are about 165,000 children under 12 suffering from asthma nationwide, with dust mites being the main cause for the condition.
Nearly 6.7 percent of children in this age group say they have asthma, with boys and girls accounting for 7.8 and 5.4 percent respectively, the survey shows.
The survey collected 2,808 valid samples from the main caretakers of the children, which found that children under 12 mainly develop asthma from contact with dust mites, followed by sudden changes in temperature and viral strains.
Meanwhile, ahead of World Asthma Day on Tuesday, the Global Initiative for Asthma said that this year’s theme was: “You can control your asthma,” to improve people’s awareness that they can control the disease by staying away from sources of infection, seeing their doctors regularly and taking medication in accordance with doctors’ orders.
HPA Aging and Chronic Disease Control Division Director Chen Tzu-ling (陳姿伶) said it is recommended that parents of children with asthma wash their children’s pillow cases, blankets and sheets in 55?C water at least once every two weeks.
Drapes can be replaced by shutters or plastic boards, while stuffed toys and carpet are conducive to dust mite breeding sites and should therefore be avoided, she said.
To avoid abrupt temperature changes and viruses, children should stay warm at all times and wear surgical masks in outdoor environments whenever possible, she added.
Taiwan Association of Asthmatics director-general Chiang Chi-hui (江啟輝) said asthma patients should maintain a record of their condition to help them analyze what triggers their symptoms, adding that those suffering from the disease should not stop their medication without their doctors’ permission.
The Taipei Department of Health yesterday said it has launched a probe into a restaurant at Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store after a customer died of suspected food poisoning. A preliminary investigation on Sunday found missing employee health status reports and unsanitary kitchen utensils at Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in the department store’s basement food court, the department said. No direct relationship between the food poisoning death and the restaurant was established, as no food from the day of the incident was available for testing and no other customers had reported health complaints, it said, adding that the investigation is ongoing. Later
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