According to a new study, children that are exposed to pet allergens present fewer asthma risks.
You shouldn’t be worried about letting your kid play with pets since they might actually be good for them. A recent study revealed the advantages of children’s exposure to allergens coming from pets and pests, and it seems the little ones are less likely to develop asthma if they spend time playing with their furry friends.
If you have pets and keep them indoors with you, there is no reason to worry they might affect your child’s health. A recent study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology reveals pet and pest allergens are good for children during infancy since they reduce their risks of developing asthma before the age of seven.
Over eight percent of American children suffer from asthma, which significantly reduces their quality of life, and sometimes might lead to other problems. Over time, researchers have looked for many ways to prevent the development of this disease and, now, they identified some factors which might reduce its risks.
Letting your children play with pets can reduce their asthma risk
After analyzing 442 children, they discovered those who contracted allergens from cats, cockroaches, or mice before the age of 3 were less likely to develop asthma before they turn 7. When it came to dogs, the results were almost the same. However, the sample was not so big to be accounted for from a statistical point of view.
Therefore, exposing children to allergens from early ages is not a bad thing. In fact, the more allergens there are, the better. Now, researchers are seeking to find other ways to prevent the development of asthma in children.
So far, they managed to find out the disease is usually triggered by the rich bacterial environment from house dust, as well as early exposure to smoke from tobacco, or high levels of stress felt by the mother during pregnancy. Researchers are now looking for other causes and possible ways of treatment.
“We are learning more and more about how the early-life environment can influence the development of certain health conditions.”
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