2017年3月15日 星期三

戒口過甚 幼童變孱

子女有濕疹過敏,不少家長會過分緊張、樣樣要子女戒口,長遠可導致營養不良。有私人執業家庭醫生指,曾遇實際年齡已四歲、體形竟像兩歲半的女童因濕疹求醫,詳細查問才知家長誤信「老人言」,樣樣戒食,導致女童營養不良。他說,有七成濕疹因敏感所致,若及早做致敏原測試,可檢出並避免接觸,減低敏感性濕疹的病發風險。本港新引入的抽血測試技術,可辨別廿種常見致敏原,較傳統方法抽取更少血液,一天便可測出致敏元兇。

家庭醫生陳凱旭指出,免疫系統可製造免疫球蛋白抗體,抵禦病菌入侵,但患濕疹等過敏性疾病的患者,免疫系統太活躍,連帶對食物或環境裏的致敏原亦發出攻擊訊號,釋放發炎因子,造成痕癢、氣管收窄等過敏反應。

有本地數據統計,約四成兒童患過敏症,當中食物過敏及濕疹各佔百分之五,更有三成濕疹BB同時有食物過敏,例如對花生、牛奶敏感。

及早辨別致敏原可免戒口

陳亦留意到,不少家長誤信坊間傳言或長輩說話,不讓子女食牛肉、雞蛋等被指「毒」的食物。曾有四歲女童因濕疹求醫,但其體形猶如兩歲半般矮小,追問後才發現母親聽從長輩指示,禁止女兒食牛肉、雞蛋、海鮮等,唯獨沒有戒牛奶。經致敏原測試後發現,女童其實是對牛奶敏感,故只需戒牛奶,其他食物可照樣進食,體重亦逐漸回升。

陳凱旭認為,盡早辨別致敏原可減少兒童受不必要的戒口之苦,過往透過皮膚點刺測試及傳統血液測試可找出致敏原,近年本港從德國引入新的血液測試,抽取○點一至一毫升血液,可測出廿種常見致敏原,包括塵蟎、牛奶、動物毛髮等,抽血量較傳統的五至十毫升少,亦可避免點刺測試的刺痛感。他說,找出致敏原後有各種預防方法,如避免進食致敏食物,或多清潔家居防止塵蟎積聚等。



 





資料來源: 東方日報
以上所提供的資訊僅作為教育及參考用途,如果你有任何醫療問題,
應向自己的醫生查詢,而不應單倚賴以上提供的資料。

2017年3月8日 星期三

Teenagers with asthma have increased risk of anaphylaxis, study finds

Teenagers with food allergy are four times more likely to report having asthma than those without, according to new data from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute.
The link between asthma and anaphylaxis was made from the results of a study of 10,000 adolescents (aged 10-14) in metropolitan Melbourne.

It found people with multiple food allergies report 10 times the incidence of asthma.


Health experts are warning people of the risks of delaying administration of an adrenaline auto injector if anaphylaxis ...
Health experts are warning people of the risks of delaying administration of an adrenaline auto injector if anaphylaxis is mistaken for an asthma attack. increasing the risk of fatal attacks. Photo: Eddie Jim

The link has prompted concerns among health professionals, that a teenager's anaphylactic reaction could be mistaken for an asthma attack, leading to a delay in the administration of a life-saving adrenaline auto injector.

"If a person is coughing, wheezing or experiencing breathing difficulties, sometimes it can be hard to work out if they are having an asthma attack or having anaphylaxis," said lead researcher Professor Katie Allen, from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute.


Up to two per cent of Australian adolescents aged 10-14 have a nut allergy.
Up to two per cent of Australian adolescents aged 10-14 have a nut allergy. Photo: William Meppem
 
"Instead of immediately administering valuable time can be wasted administering the asthma inhaler."

The findings come at the launch of Food Allergy Week 2016, which runs from May 15 to 21, and aims to raise awareness about food allergies.

Every year there are around 30,000 new cases of food allergy in Australia. Experts estimate that, at the current rate, there will be 7.7 million Australians with allergy by 2050.
Maria Said, President of Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia, said the rate of allergy incidence in Australia was growing at "an alarming rate."


Experts estimate there will be 7.7 million Australians with allergy by 2050.
Experts estimate there will be 7.7 million Australians with allergy by 2050. Photo: Patrick Sison
 
 
"Australia has one of the highest rates of food allergy in the world … With such a rapid increase in food allergy over the last 10 to 15 years, our current generation of teenagers is one of the fastest-growing demographics for allergy management."

She pointed to the story of 15-year-old Jack Irvine, who tragically died in 2012 after mistakenly eating biscuit containing macadamia nuts.

Suffering from both nut allergies and asthma, Jack's symptoms initially presented as asthma-related, however his reaction was later identified as anaphylaxis.

Ms Said said Jack's story proved the importance of allergy education within the community.
In Australia up to two per cent of children and adolescents aged between 10 and 14 suffer from a nut allergy, while five per cent suffer from food allergy.

Professor Allen said the results of the Institute's study allowed researchers to look at the full spectrum of food allergic disease, including patients who were seeing doctors about their allergies and those who were not.

"A study of this type and size has never been undertaken anywhere in the world," she said.

"There have unfortunately been some deaths from anaphylaxis in recent years where children with food allergy and asthma have not been seeing an allergist for their problems and we wonder whether they have been poorly educated about the signs and symptoms and that's been a factor in their death."

If a person believes they may have eaten a food they are allergic to and they experience breathing difficulties, even if they have asthma, "anaphylaxis should be top consideration," Professor Allen said.

"And it's certainly not going to hurt to give the adrenaline anyway."




Reference information:  http://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/teenagers-with-asthma-have-increased-risk-of-anaphylaxis-study-finds-20160515-govmnj.html
It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.