Allergies in Children
Exposure to Animals Early in Life Decreases Allergy
Risk
A new study published in Aug. 28, 2002 issue
of the Journal of the American Medical Association says
children in their first year of life who live with two or
more cats or dogs have less chance of having common allergies
later in life.
Kids raised with pets were only 31 percent
as likely as children without pets to show common allergic
responses by the time they were ages 6 to 7.
Read
more commentary on this article
This seems consistent with another study
published in the American
Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2000 (May); 161
(5): 1563-1566 showing that children raised in
rural, farm like setting with daily exposure to animals were
less likely to suffer from allergies and asthma. It also
showed, early exposure to bacteria, fungi, dust and animal
dander may help to explain lower rates of asthma and allergy
among children It also showed that adolescents who lived
on farms were less likely to suffer from asthma and allergic
symptoms such as wheezing and narrowing of the airway than
teens raised in rural but non-farm settings.
Perhaps our sterile,
septic enviornment and the precautions we take are a bit
excessive and causing greater problems.