Allergens such as dust mites and mold become more active as humidity levels increase and can easily trigger allergic reactions in children, so continuous sneezing or coughing for more than two weeks may be signs of allergies, rather than a cold, a pediatrician said.
Wu Ping-sheng (吳秉昇), an attending pediatrician at Taipei Tzu Chi General Hospital, cited as an example a three-year-old boy who was diagnosed with a cold at a clinic because of a persistent cough. When his condition did not improve after two weeks of medication, he was taken to the hospital where he was diagnosed to be suffering from an allergy.
Wu said allergies in children may be hereditary or caused by environmental factors, such as cold air, dust mites, mold, air pollutants and cold viruses.
The most common type of allergy in Taiwan is caused by dust mites, whose numbers tend to increase in spring because of unstable weather and higher humidity levels, he said.
Pollen allergy is also common during this season as plants start to grow or bloom, releasing pollen into the atmosphere, the doctor said.
Wu said symptoms of allergies in children include sneezing, stuffy nose, runny nose, coughing, itchy eyes and skin rashes, with some symptoms occurring at the same time, making it difficult for parents to tell whether the child has an allergy or a cold.
However, coughing caused by dust mite allergy often occurs early in the morning or late at night, and when the child is in an indoor environment with higher concentrations of the allergen, because the air is often colder during those times and dust mites may be in the bed sheets, he said.
He added that cold symptoms usually improve within a week, but symptoms from allergies can continue for more than two weeks if the child remains in an environment with allergens.
The pediatrician suggested that people wear facial masks when going outdoors to prevent cold air from irritating their respiratory tracts; keep their indoor environment clean by regularly cleaning carpets, curtains and stuffed toys; and avoid going to enclosed and crowded public spaces at the turn of the season when many people catch a cold.
He also advised keeping humidity levels under 60 percent at home, and exposing pillows and blankets to sunlight on sunny days for at least two hours to get rid of dust mites.
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