Over 40% of Chinese kids have an allergy, experts say

Over 40 percent of children in China suffer from an allergy, medical experts said during World Allergy Day that fell on Thursday. For example, 16 percent of children suffer from allergic rhinitis and 13 percent suffer from the skin ailment dermatitis.

"The incidence of allergies in children is higher than adults and seriously influences a child's health, so parents should be aware," said Dr Xu Zhengmin from the Children's Hospital of Fudan University.

Xu warned that allergic rhinitis can also develop into asthma. So parents should take their children to a hospital for diagnosis, he said, if they are displaying typical symptoms, such as itchy or running nose, sneezing and nasal obstruction.

Dr Wang Ying from Changhai Hospital said children's skin allergy is related to a variety of factors, including genetics, environment, diet and their physical condition. "Frequent and repeated occurrences of a rash are typical symptoms," she said.

Experts said proper prevention and scientific medication are important measures to prevent and control allergies among children.