Children with dogs or
farm pets at a young age are less likely to have asthma by the age of six.
Exposure to animals, particularly pets, may prevent asthma (Time, November 2, 2015).
In a new Swedish study
published in the JAMA Pediatrics journal, researchers at the Uppsala
University, the Karolinska Institute, the Karolinska University Hospital, the
Orebro University Hospital, Orebro University, and the Swedish University of
Agricultural Sciences, studied over 376,000 preschool students and over 276,200
school-aged students.
The researcher studied
children in families of registered dog owners or exposed to farm animals during
the first year of life.
The results showed
that children exposed to dogs in the first year of life was linked to a 13%
lower risk of asthma when they were of school age. Children exposed to farm
animals in the first year of life had a 52% lower risk of asthma.
Their research
suggested tht the lack of exposure to germs and microbes during childhood could
lead to more allergies, and that exposure to germs through dogs and farm pet
could strengthen a child’s immune system. Living with pets and livestock seems
to alter the bacterial composition of house dust. Other research showed that
mice exposed to this dust have alterations in their gut composition as well as
fewer allergic reactions.
Whereas some people
think exposure to animals may cause their children to contract diseases, it
seems that is not the case – the germs exposed to early in life seem to build a
healthier and stronger immune system.
The top photo is from thesciencedog.wordpress.com
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