The Taiwan Academy of Allergy Asthma and Clinical Immunology yesterday urged parents to be aware of allergy symptoms in young children, as they could lead to complications if left untreated.
Academy chairman Yang Kuen-der (楊崑德), a physician at Mackay Memorial Hospital’s division of pediatric allergy, immunology and rheumatology, said that a survey on parent behaviors suggests that one in two parents are aware of allergic reactions in their young children, but very few of them take preventive measures.
“Many parents think only having mild allergy symptoms would not do much harm or the allergic reactions would improve when the child grows up,” he said, adding that the survey suggests about 70 percent of parents neglect signs of allergic reactions.
Photo courtesy of the TAAACI
The academy asked Pan Wen-harn (潘文涵), a distinguished research fellow at Academia Sinica’s Institute of Biomedical Science, to share her expertise in a video clip to raise awareness in parents about helping their children prevent allergies.
Pan said that when she took her son to see a doctor for a common cold, she noticed that her son had been suffering from an allergic reaction, with symptoms including skin irritation, rashes, a stuffy nose and sleeping with his mouth open.
The symptoms caused him to lose focus and become hyperactive, and he was eventually diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome, she said.
Allergies, low serotonin levels and an improper diet might increase the risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Pan said, adding that many children with ADHD also experience allergic reactions.
Allergic reactions often occur on the skin, in the eyes, and respiratory and digestive systems, Yang said, adding that the symptoms might include rashes, blisters, itching and swelling of the skin; itchy or watery eyes; abdominal cramps, nausea, bloating and diarrhea; trouble breathing or wheezing, sneezing, and a runny or stuffy nose.
If left untreated, the symptoms might have long-term negative effects on a child’s health, including poor sleep quality, poor immune system development, and impaired growth and mental development, he said.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
RSS