Philippines on top of Asia’s list
ALLERGIES can be painful and fatal–and allergy cases are rising over the years, touching off an $18-billion industry in remedy and relief medications to succor over 150 million people worldwide.
A 2006 study published in the Medical Journal Thorax cites a 400- percent increase in food-allergy-caused hospitalizations since 1990 while admissions for anaphylaxis upped by 600 percent.
In the United States, food allergies have doubled in the last 15 years and now hound four percent of adults and eight percent of children two years old
RP on top of pollution-triggered allergy list
In the last several years, the onset of global warming has worsened air pollution, causing airborne allergens to go amok and respiratory problems to turn haywire. In similar vein, experts point to several studies showing higher incidence of allergic rhinitis and asthma in areas where there are marked increases in temperature, continuous air pollution, and high levels of nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide. As more and more Philippine urban centers turn dark from seemingly nonstop blasts from sooty exhaust fumes and swirls
DISCOVER YOUR CHILD’S ALLERGY RISK BEFORE HE’S EVEN BORN
The number of children with allergies has increased in most Asian countries over the last decade. While doctors don’t know exactly why this has been happening, they do know that some children have a higher risk than others.
How do you know if your child is at risk?
It isn’t always easy to predict which child will develop allergy and which child won’t. Research shows, however, that if a parent or close relative of a child has allergies, there’s a greater risk the child will also develop allergy. There’s an even greater risk if both parents have a history of allergy.
In the following table, you can see your child’s approximate risk of allergy according to your family’s allergy history. If you or other members of your family have allergy, it is a good idea to ask your doctor whether your child will have an increased risk.
Prevention is better than a cure
Around 60 -70 % of all allergies develop during the first year of life, and once a child has allergy, there’s a real chance he’ll continue to be affected by allergies for most of his life. So if your child has an increased risk, the earlier you take action, the better. The good news is that there are things you can do to help reduce the risk. Your doctor will be able to give you the best advice.
One of the things your doctor will recommend if you have a baby, or are about to have one, is to breastfeed. Breast milk is considered ‘hypoallergenic’ — in other words, it is unlikely to cause or trigger an allergy — and breastfeeding is probably the best way to protect your baby against allergies.
Other things you can do
If breastfeeding is not possible, or if you stop breastfeeding after your baby reaches six or more months of age, hypoallergenic formulas are available that may also help reduce the risk of developing allergy.
Because there are several different types of hypoallergenic formulas available, expert groups such as The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend using one that has been proven in clinical trials to reduce the risk of allergies.
Some hypoallergenic formulas also contain probiotics. Probiotics are ‘good’ bacteria that help fight against harmful bacteria, including certain substances that might trigger allergies, and they have been shown to help reduce the risk of allergy.
