18 year study on babies and pets regarding allergies

Most of us probably know this,but maybe it's something that could come in handy for rescues to print out? I received this from my petfood store

http://www.thedogfiles.com/2011/06/15/18-year-study-finds-babys-first-pet-may-protect-against-allergies/

Trish

Yep, I read up on this when I was pregnant with Logan and have checked up on it from time to time, especially because so many people give up their dogs because their kids allegedly became allergic. As a general rule (although obviously some children are simply very sensitive) it helps reduce allergy sensitivity to raise your babies in the presence of animals. Actually, the study that I read found that multiple pet households (two or more animals in the same home) were ideal for reducing the potential for dog and cat allergies -- the more the merrier!

On an unrelated note, I don't know why, but it seems that raising kids in dirt seems to make them heartier. If that's the case, Logan could out live us all.

smoochieface wrote:Yep, I read up on this when I was pregnant with Logan and have checked up on it from time to time, especially because so many people give up their dogs because their kids allegedly became allergic. As a general rule (although obviously some children are simply very sensitive) it helps reduce allergy sensitivity to raise your babies in the presence of animals. Actually, the study that I read found that multiple pet households (two or more animals in the same home) were ideal for reducing the potential for dog and cat allergies -- the more the merrier!

On an unrelated note, I don't know why, but it seems that raising kids in dirt seems to make them heartier. If that's the case, Logan could out live us all.

It's about immune system building, Kendie. The child that lives in the sterile environment never develops any immunities cause they are never exposed to anything. It's why I think my dogs rarely get kennel cough--they are exposed to it all the time.

My family doctor in Vancouver must have been way ahead of the times. When I was 8 years old I seen a dermatologist for excema and other skin issues. He told my parents to let me have the cat I was begging for. They were skeptical, but I did get my first tabby cat - Morris - who lived until I was 23 years old. My skin issues got worse for a short period of time, then leveled out and within a year or so, disappeared. As for my kids, I don't know if it was the cats that we had or the 12+ months of breastfeeding each child (did I ever tell you that I have ZERO boobs left?) but my kids almost never got sick. The first time Shelby went to the doctor for a cold/flu, she was 13 years old. None of the kids have allergies. In this house, pet hair is a condiment!