House Dogs, Siblings, Help To Cut Allergies

[Salukifan]

From the Canberra Times this morning.

Having siblings and a pet dog that comes inside the home can protect infants from developing egg allergies by age 1, new research has shown.

In a study of 5000 Victorian infants, researchers from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute found 10.2 per cent of those without a pet dog had egg allergies, compared to only 5.9 per cent of those who did.

Siblings also had a significant effect, with the incidence of egg allergies in infants decreasing with the number of brothers and sisters they had.

A total of 10.8 per cent of infants with no siblings had egg allergies, which affected just 3.7 per cent of infants with three or more siblings.

Egg allergy was the most common food allergy, affecting one in 10 children in the study. Children with an egg allergy usually outgrow it but are at increased risk of other allergic diseases including asthma.

Lead researcher Jennifer Koplin said young siblings and dogs might have a protective effect by exposing infants to infections and germs, which were thought to be important in training their immune systems to respond appropriately to threats.

''If the immune system doesn't get this exposure, we think it responds inappropriately to things that are completely harmless, in this case foods,'' she said.

She said the study, published in the journal Allergy, provided support for the theory that food allergies were more prevalent than in the past due to increasing hygiene, in combination with genetic factors.

While the study found attending childcare did not have any impact on the rate of egg allergies, Dr Koplin said it was possible siblings had a protective effect because infants were exposed to them far earlier.

''It may be due to the timing of exposure - either mum was exposed to the other children while pregnant or it was very early in the [infant's] first few months of life,'' she said. ''Most of the children in our study didn't start childcare until six months or later.''

The study also found that having parents born in east Asia was the strongest risk factor for egg allergy, which was consistent with overseas findings of higher rates of allergic disease in people who had migrated to a new country.

''They may have been exposed to viruses in their home country that train their immune system not to respond to harmless things like foods … but when they grow up in Australia they no longer get that protective effect,'' Dr Koplin said.

Among the participants in the study was Zane Slater, 4, who is allergic to egg white, sesame and peanuts. His sister Jaya, 7, has allergies to egg, sesame and nuts

Mum Suba Slater said Zane attended a ''nut-free'' kindergarten and knew he could not eat certain foods.

''At birthday parties I always go along to make sure he doesn't eat any nuts, and especially birthday cakes that would have eggs in. We've found we're able to manage it quite well, and we obviously check food labels for everything.''

Read more: http://www.canberrat...l#ixzz26Cl6uB38

Edited September 11, 2012 by Haredown Whippets

[sandgrubber]

There have been many such studies, with similar findings.

I think the briefest summary is being too anal and too uptight about exposure weakens the immune system.

Justifies both keeping dogs, and being lax on the housekeeping :)

[Christina]

These so called findings annoy me so much.

I had 4 cats, a dog & one child when my 2nd child was born.

Allergic to the world & eggs, & other foods, almost kill him.

Having an allergic family is more to do with with our chemical pollution of the world & our food IMO. We are the problem.

However that will never be admitted because it will lose businesses & countries money & can't be fixed. We cannot go backwards. Our immune systems & DNA have been altered & its basically survival of the fittest or who has access to medication best. I hate these stupid studies.

[melzawelza]

. I hate these stupid studies.

Why, because they don't say what you want them to say?

This is a scientific study. There are no 'so called' findings. They are actual findings.

The study does not say that it the kid has animals they won't be allergic, simply that it is less likely. Which is true. Because science (the study) backs it up.