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.
WANG RELEASED: A police investigation showed that an organized crime group allegedly taught their clients how to pretend to be sick during medical exams Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) and 11 others were released on bail yesterday, after being questioned for allegedly dodging compulsory military service or forging documents to help others avoid serving. Wang, 33, was catapulted into stardom for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代). Lately, he has been focusing on developing his entertainment career in China. The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office last month began investigating an organized crime group that is allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified documents. Police in New Taipei City Yonghe Precinct at the end of last month arrested the main suspect,
A cat named Mikan (蜜柑) has brought in revenue of more than NT$10 million (US$305,390) for the Kaohsiung MRT last year. Mikan, born on April 4, 2020, was a stray cat before being adopted by personnel of Kaohsiung MRT’s Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station. Mikan was named after a Japanese term for mandarin orange due to his color and because he looks like an orange when curled up. He was named “station master” of Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station in September 2020, and has since become famous. With Kaohsiung MRT’s branding, along with the release of a set of cultural and creative products, station master Mikan
RISING TOURISM: A survey showed that tourist visits increased by 35 percent last year, while newly created attractions contributed almost half of the growth Changhua County’s Lukang Old Street (鹿港老街) and its surrounding historical area clinched first place among Taiwan’s most successful tourist attractions last year, while no location in eastern Taiwan achieved a spot in the top 20 list, the Tourism Administration said. The listing was created by the Tourism Administration’s Forward-looking Tourism Policy Research office. Last year, the Lukang Old Street and its surrounding area had 17.3 million visitors, more than the 16 million visitors for the Wenhua Road Night Market (文化路夜市) in Chiayi City and 14.5 million visitors at Tainan’s Anping (安平) historical area, it said. The Taipei 101 skyscraper and its environs —
Taiwan on Friday said a New Zealand hamburger restaurant has apologized for a racist remark to a Taiwanese customer after reports that it had first apologized to China sparked outrage in Taiwan. An image posted on Threads by a Taiwanese who ate at Fergburger in Queenstown showed that their receipt dated Sunday last week included the words “Ching Chang,” a racial slur. The Chinese Consulate-General in Christchurch in a statement on Thursday said it had received and accepted an apology from the restaurant over the incident. The comment triggered an online furor among Taiwanese who saw it as an insult to the
RSS