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Eczema is a type of skin condition that causes itchy, red, raised areas on human skin. The condition most often affects children, but adults can also get it. No one knows what causes eczema, and there is no cure. While it is not life-threatening, eczema can severely affect the quality of life for both those who have it and their families.
Ava Segur developed eczema shortly after she was born. She is now a teenager. Segur says she used to wear long-sleeved shirts to hide the bumps and rashes. Her mother, Stephanie Segur remembers what it was like when Ava developed the condition.
“We were trying to get that under control, and then all of a sudden, she got these food allergies at the same time, around 18 months old.”
Doctor Donald Leung says there is a link between Ava’s eczema and food allergies.
“Probably a third of patients with eczema develop a food allergy.”
Leung is an allergist and immunologist at National Jewish Health, a research hospital in Denver, Colorado. He says the link is known as atopic march. It is a series of allergic diseases beginning with eczema that progress to allergies and asthma.
Leung says that eczema patients have dry, cracked skin. If children have microscopic amounts of food on their fingers, the particles can enter the body through the skin instead of through the digestive tract. Other environmental allergens such as pollen can enter through the skin as well.
“What we need to do is rebuild the skin barrier.”
Leung says patients with eczema should see a skin specialist to get control of the eczema quickly and to prevent the progression of atopic march. Research shows that a warm, 20-minute bath, followed by use of an ointment, a thick medicinal substance, can help rebuild the skin barrier. The ointment keeps a film of water on the skin and prevents it from evaporating. Doctors call this method the “soak and seal.”
Covering a baby’s hands can prevent them from scratching affected areas. A head cover can further protect the skin.
Eczema is a troublesome skin condition. It can become so itchy that it can interrupt the sleep of both the child and the parents. The disease can affect the entire family, especially if it interferes with a parent or caregiver's ability to work. In addition, there is the emotional effect of not being able to comfort a baby.
Kristen Kline’s infant son has eczema. She says she "can’t even explain the relief that we’ve really gotten from (treatment).”
“He had the cracks in the back of his legs, in his elbows. Those are almost completely healed, and we’ve been doing this treatment for a week.”
Researchers are developing a way to test the skin to identify what weakens its natural barrier. They hope to find a way to repair such weakness before children develop what could become lifelong issues.
I’m Jonathan Evans.
Carol Pearson reported this story for VOA News. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.
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Words in This Story
allergy – n. a medical condition that causes someone to become sick after eating, touching, or breathing something that is harmless to most people
bump – n. a swelling of tissue
immunologist – n. a science that deals with the ways in which the body protects itself from diseases and infections
rash – n. an eruption on the body
relief – n. removal or lightening of something oppressive, painful, or distressing
soak – v. to put something in a liquid for a period of time
seal – v. to close tightly or completely to prevent anyone or anything from moving in or out(2019/08/20 07:03)
Afghanistan has promised to intensify the fight against the Islamic State, or IS, after the group claimed responsibility for a deadly weekend attack.
President Ashraf Ghani declared Monday that his government would seek to destroy all safe havens used by IS.
His comments followed a bombing of a wedding party Saturday in Kabul that killed at least 63 people, including children. Nearly 200 others were injured. IS claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Ghani was giving a nationwide address to mark the 100th anniversary of the country’s independence. He said the government would attempt to destroy the militant group’s “nests.”
“We will take revenge for every civilian drop of blood,” Ghani declared. “Our struggle will continue against (IS), we will take revenge and will root them out.” He urged the international community to join those efforts.
More attacks happened on Monday. A series of bombings hit the eastern city of Jalalabad, several news agencies reported. An Afghan official said at least 66 people were wounded in those attacks. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Both IS and Taliban militants operate in the area.
In his speech, Ghani said the Taliban must share the blame for the wedding bombing. This is because the Taliban's own deadly attacks over the years on schools, mosques, and other public places had "created the platform for other terrorists" to operate, he said.
The Afghan president did not speak about ongoing negotiations between the United States and Taliban representatives. His government has been critical of the process because Afghan officials have not been included in the talks. The Taliban has refused to hold direct negotiations with the U.S.-supported Afghan government.
The goal is to negotiate a peace deal to end nearly 18 years of fighting. A pullout of U.S. troops has been a long-standing Taliban demand. The U.S. military has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan. About 8,000 troops from 38 other countries have also deployed there.
A major U.S. demand has been a guarantee that Afghanistan will not be used as a base for militant groups to launch terror attacks on American targets.
The U.S. envoy leading talks with the Taliban, Zalmay Khalilzad, said on Sunday that the peace process should be intensified to help Afghanistan defeat the Islamic State.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the weekend wedding bombing “an attack against humanity.” U.S. President Donald Trump also condemned the attack. He told reporters Sunday that he does not want Afghanistan to become a “laboratory for terror.”
Trump said he had received information on the latest U.S.-Taliban talks and described the negotiations as “good.”
The United Nations said earlier this year that more than 32,000 civilians had been killed in Afghanistan over the past 10 years. It also said 927 children in Afghanistan were killed last year.
I’m Bryan Lynn.
Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse and VOA News. Ashley Thompson was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.
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Words in This Story
haven – n. a place where you are protected from danger, trouble, etc.
revenge – n. the act of doing something to hurt someone because that person did something that hurt you
platform – n. something that permits someone to tell a large number of people about an idea (2019/08/20 06:58)
It is estimated that 30 percent of Americans have one or more tattoos—permanent words or pictures on their skin.
Nearly one in four of them want their tattoos removed, one doctor says.
Doctor Paul Freidman is a spokesman for the American Society for Dermatological Surgery. He also is director of the Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center in Houston and New York. The business provides laser operations to remove tattoos.
Friedman told the Associated Press that people of all age groups are seeking to remove their tattoos. He has noted an increase in millennials: people who have entered adulthood since 2000.
Friedman’s group estimates its members performed 85,000 tattoo removal operations in 2017. That is the most recent year for which numbers are available.
Dermatologists say the latest equipment can remove most tattoos without permanently damaging the skin. But the process can be long and costly. And health insurance generally does not pay for the removals.
There are three ways to remove the permanent ink writing of a tattoo. One method uses lasers -- devices that produce an intense beam of light. The laser sends light of different wavelengths for each color used in the tattoo. The short but powerful light beam damages skin cells causing the ink inside to break apart into small pieces. The body’s own immune system then gets rid of the remains of the ink. An anesthetic drug is used to limit pain.
Laser removal requires several treatments; the exact number depends on the size of the tattoo. And the cost can be high -- from $450 to $1,000 for each treatment.
Another way to remove a tattoo is called dermabrasion. That means the top layer of skin is removed by rubbing a tool against it. Dr. Eric Bernstein of the Mainline Center for Laser Surgery in the state of Pennsylvania says this method can leave big scars, or marks on the skin.
It also is possible to remove the skin by cutting away the top layers of skin in a medical operation. This can be done for small tattoos or to remove tattoos quickly because a person has had an allergic reaction to the ink.
Bernstein is president of the American Society of Laser Medicine & Surgery. He advises people seeking to remove tattoos to wait until they are ready to do it in the right way. He warns that low-cost methods can leave permanent scars.
Ryan Tucker is a 39-year-old firefighter from Texas. He spent $6,000 on 10 laser treatments to remove the tattooed name of his former wife.
“I was young and stupid and thought it was a good way to show affection, which it’s not,” Tucker said. He added that the treatment was much less painful than the process of getting the tattoo.
Bernstein also advises people to find a dermatologist who is experienced and certified in laser medical operations.
He says to make sure that the doctor has the most recent lasers for tattoo removal. And, he says people should ask to see pictures that show the results of treatment on people with a similar skin color.
He also advises people to follow all instructions in caring for your skin after each treatment.
Finally, do not try to finish the process too quickly. Waiting a few months between treatments can reduce the number needed and can reduce costs.
I’m Mario Ritter Jr.
Linda Johnson reported this story for the Associated Press. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.
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Words in This Story
ink –n. a liquid used in pens for writing or printing
beam –n. a line of light come from a source
allergic –adj. related to a bad reaction to a substance or condition
certified –adj. having the official requirements needed to do a certain kind of work
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.(2019/08/20 06:58)
Frank Lloyd Wright is one of America’s best-known architects.
He designed private houses, religious buildings, museums and other public structures throughout America during the 1900s.
His buildings were created to be a part of their natural surroundings, what he called “organic architecture.” Years later, his work still appears strikingly modern.
Recently, “The 20th Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright” was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. UNESCO says the list contains places that are considered to have ‘outstanding universal value to humanity.” However, it is unusual for the work of a single architect to be placed on the list.
“I think Wright's work was unique because he was unique,” said architectural historian William Richards.
Eight buildings designed by Wright are some of the only 20th century pieces of architecture in the world to receive the UNESCO honor. They include The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, a church and a few private homes.
“They're all fairly modest,” Richards said, “but they had an absolute outsized influence on generations of architects who thought about how we live in our homes, how we worship...”
UNESCO points to the “organic architecture” developed by Wright. His buildings are open structures that seemed to invite nature inside, while using industrial materials such as steel and concrete. There were few traditional walls and large windows; both design ideas that have become popular more recently.
While many of his designs are nearly 100 years old, they still look modern. One of the structures listed by UNESCO is the Robie House in Chicago. The house was constructed in 1910. Its design places great importance on horizontal lines and is said to be influenced by the flat American plains of the area. All of the buildings on the UNESCO list were built between 1906 and 1969.
“I’m always struck when I see the Robie House in Chicago,” architect Susan Piedmont-Palladino said. She is the director of Virginia Tech's Washington Alexandria Architectural Center. “When you go visit, it looks more modern than many of the buildings around it and it's 110 years old...It wouldn't look odd with a Tesla in front of it.”
Then there is the Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan, an architectural icon. It was completed in 1959, and still amazes visitors with its circular design. It is considered by many to be Wright’s masterpiece.
In addition to the Guggenheim, UNESCO has listed the Frederick C. Robie House in Chicago; Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois; Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin; Hollyhock House in Los Angeles, California; Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania; the Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House in Madison, Wisconsin; and Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Richards said Wright changed the direction of architecture in America. “What he gave American architecture, I think, is a series of designs that are very clearly borne out of deep thinking, a concern for the landscape…something that could be defined as ‘American,’” Richards said.
“I think that's probably his biggest statement about architecture, which is that American architecture can't possibly (be about) …some other country's heritage. It's got to be expressly its own,” he added.
In 70 years of working, Wright designed 1,114 architectural works, 532 of which were built by the time he died in 1959. The American Institute of Architects considers Wright the “greatest American architect of all time.”
“Not because he gave architects something that they could repeat over and over again,” Richards said. “He gave them a kind of an invitation to be themselves.”
The other U.S. architectural works on the list of World Heritage Sites are Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home in Charlottesville, Virginia.
I’m Susan Shand.
VOA’s Dora Mekouar reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor.
Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
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Words in This Story
architect – n. a person who designs buildings
unique – adj. unlike anything or anyone
modest – adj. not very large in size or showing costly decoration
worship – v. to show honor and respect for God, religious services
horizontal –adj. positioned from side to side rather than up and down
icon – n. a person who is very successful and admired
landscape – n. land that has a particular quality or appearance
heritage – n. traditions, and beliefs that are part of the history of a group or nation (2019/08/20 06:56)
Scientists working on a mission to the ocean moon of Europa can proceed with the final design and construction of the spacecraft, Nasa has said.(2019/08/20 20:50)
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It's thought Okjokull is the country's first glacier to be lost as a result of climate change, following the hottest July ever recorded.(2019/08/20 17:38)
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