Children with allergic diseases, asthma, or rheumatologic diseases usually require long-term care. The physical and psychological stress of the children, the impact on school performance, and the worry of parents – it is impossible to calculate the costs of these damaging factors. As physicians, our task is not just attempting to temporarily solve patients’problems, but to understand the pathogenetic mechanism of each disease and to provide disease treatment guidelines to the general public.

Therefore, we have established the“Pediatric Allergy and Asthma Center”, the “Pediatric Rheumatology Center”, the“Primary Immunodeficiency Care and Research (PICAR) Institute”, and the“Atopic Dermatitis Center”. These centers are run by professional physicians who have been trained overseas. We not only provide quality medical services and educational information to the general public, but also train newly recruited doctors. Furthermore, we conduct a full range of basic and clinical medical research.

In 2002, we first published a large-scale epidemiology report for allergic diseases in Taipei. Another multifaceted project in the Keelung area is ongoing. Professor Jing-long Huang has considerable experience with regards to the treatment of pediatric patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. In recent years, he has focused on the study of “the complication of infections stemming from systemic lupus erythematosus” and the“long-term follow-up of patients with pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus with atherosclerosis”. Assistant professor Tsung-Chieh Yao obtained outstanding results in studies in the field of the pathogenesis and genetics of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Under the leadership of Professor Huang, we have provided hope to more than 400 children with rheumatologic diseases. Associate Professors Wen-I Lee and Syh-Jae Lin worked together in their shared field of immunodeficiency. They co-operated with the Department of Hematology/Oncology and successfully treated patients through bone marrow transplantation, relieving them from the suffering caused by their debilitating diseases. Their illuminating research results were published in many well-known international periodicals.

Recently, we have established the world’s first all-in-one health care system, integrating “medical services”, “allergy and immunology examination”, “asthma health education”, “scientific research”, “asthma education training”, and “environmental management” based on the insights of Assistant Professor Kuo-Wei Yeh. Fortnightly, we also produce the only“asthma center newsletter”, an e-paper answering questions from the general public and clinicians. Our effort was rewarded with the “National Quality Certification”in 2008.

Even with all these exceptional accomplishments, we are ever-watchful and ready to adapt. In recent years, pediatric practitioners have become relatively small in number. Nevertheless, we maintain optimism for the future. We believe that taking care of the health of children is mandatory, necessary, and urgent. For this reason, we are prepared to deal with any challenge.

We are implementing a long-term follow-up project to study children with allergic diseases in the Keelung area. We will focus on the impact of immigrant brides, as well as the effect of various factors on allergic disease for children in Taiwan, in order to steer the“Pediatric Allergy and Asthma Center”closer to the ideal for a treatment facility. We are also committed to applying new treatment strategies – such as “target therapy for rheumatologic diseases –thereby conducting invaluable clinical and basic research. Through the“Primary Immunodeficiency Care and Research (PICAR) Institute”, we will develop state-of-the-art treatment and diagnostic techniques to help those children who have rare diseases, as well as supply a consultation resource for both the families of sufferers and physicians.

With the establishment of the“Pediatric Allergy and Asthma Center”, we are confident that our efforts can significantly improve the health of children by providing them and their parents with reliable support. The Department of Pediatric Allergy, Asthma, and Rheumatology boasts a remarkable history, presently maintains a steady pace forward, and possesses limitless potential for the future. We welcome your visit and look forward to your suggestions and encouragement. Let us all dedicate ourselves to creating a better health care environment for all children.