subject: Children who are Allergic to Dogs Receive Benefits in Dog Ownership [print this page] Children who are Allergic to Dogs Receive Benefits in Dog Ownership
It seems nearly every child wants a puppy at some point. The begging and pleading begins: "I promise I'll feed it/ walk it/ change its puppy pads". Many parents are fond of dogs and quickly agree that housetraining a puppy is exactly what the kids need to teach them responsibility. Still others are less enthusiastic about the idea of trekking out in the middle of the night in the rain or snow to let a puppy wee. For those people, housebreaking puppy pads are a life saver.
A recent study shows that living with a dog can be a life saver for children with allergies to canine dander. Children who have eczema are more likely to have food allergies and asthma as well. However, it seems that children who live with dogs and are allergic to dogs are less likely to develop eczema than those children who are allergic to dogs and do not live with canine companions.
It seems like a simple case of exposure causing immunity. However, the same study, soon to be published in the Journal of Pediatrics', indicates that the opposite is true of cats. Children who are allergic to cats appear to be more likely to develop eczema when they live with a feline companion. The difference is likely in the dander.
Though they both have fur, cats and dogs have distinctly different dander. Many people are highly allergic to one but not the other. It seems that allergies to cats are more common than allergies to dogs. Many people with mild allergies to both animals frequently complain that their reaction to cat dander is worse than their reaction to dog dander.
Some restrictions do seem to apply. The study was performed by Dr. Tolly Epstein and other staffers at the University of Cincinnati in conjunction with the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. What it found was that children with dog allergies, under the age of 4 years old were less likely to develop eczema if they lived with a dog before their first birthdays. It seems that the magic doesn't work once the child is one year old.
For pregnant couples who thought they would have to get rid of their beloved four legged child before bringing a human baby into the home, this is still great news. Instead of getting rid of the dog to avoid the child having allergies, keeping the pooch around actually helps minimize some allergies. Plus, having a dog that is already puppy potty trained is much easier than expecting the kids to do it.
