Cleanliness is next to sickliness when it comes to kids and pets
By Dr. Marty Becker
February 9, 2010
That’s my 13-week-old granddaughter, Reagan, in the photo, with her Pug “brothers” Bruce, left, and Willy (kind of hard to see Willy, but he’s really there). The sight of two dogs so close to a baby makes a lot of parents (and grandparents) shudder, I know.
But while it’s true that pet-child interactions need to be supervised, it’s not usually immediate physical danger that has those parents concerned; it’s germs and allergens.
It turns out, however, that those parents – and the pediatricians who often agree with them — have it wrong. Although around 15 percent of the population is allergic to cats or dogs, and around 30 percent of all asthma sufferers react to furry animals, research currently indicates that childhood exposure to pets decreases, rather than increases, the incidence of pet allergies in later life.
From my book The Healing Power of Pets:
New evidence suggests that exposure to pets early in life might actually help the body build defenses against allergies and asthma, thereby protecting children from developing reactions, rather than triggering them.
“Kids exposed to animals seemed to be better off,” said Christine Johnson, Ph.D., a senior research epidemiologist with the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. Christine Johnson’s study… tracked 833 children over seven years and found that exposure to two or more cats and dogs at one year of age made children less susceptible to other allergy-inducing substances by the time they turned seven, and that the exposure even improved some boys’ lung functions.
Other research since then has supported these findings, but it’s not just allergens; it’s germs, too. It’s part of what’s known as the “hygeine hypothesis,” the idea that as standards of household cleanliness have been raised, children are being exposed to fewer and fewer germs and allergens, and their immune systems are not as robust as they would be if raised with dust, dirt, farm animals and, of course, “snakes and snails and puppy dog tails.”
One important note: It’s very important that you start early. If you have pets from birth or as toddlers, great. If you wait until you’re a teenager to get a pet to reduce allergies or asthma, not only does it not work, it may make these conditions worse.
That’s all good news for my daughter Mikkel and her husband, Pat, and for baby Reagan. She’s growing up sandwiched between two Pugs — aka the “Furry Jack-in-the-Boxes” — and we expect her to have the world’s healthiest immune system.
In fact, if exposure to dog dander is protective of childhood health, Reagan should pretty much be immune to everything. Because Pugs? They shed. So much so that every time Mikkel and Pat visit with the Pugs, the Swiffers we have in our closet attempt to flee the building!
I think the hygiene hypothesis makes perfect sense. Of course, try telling that to the growing horde of germaphobes who obsessively try to Purell their entire surrounding environment.
P.S. I’m starting to keep a counter of Dr Becker’s Reagan mentions, as opposed to Bruce and Willy mentions. I’ll bet Reagan’s going to win by a landslide…
Comment by David S. Greene — February 9, 2010 @ 12:45 pm
I wish more people knew about this. Not only would our children grow up with stronger immune systems and fewer allergies, but there would be fewer pets that are given up because the child is allergic to them.
My own pediatrician always said every child needs to eat a pound of dirt by the time they turn two. Now granted, this was back in the dark ages, but I think she may have been on to something.
Comment by Ingrid King — February 9, 2010 @ 1:50 pm
Anyone want to see pictures of my two grandchildren. They are absolutely fantastic!
Seriously, I am glad that my children grew up with animals (cats), plenty of dirt inside and outside of the house, and lots of playtime outside.
No allergy yet in both of my children, but maybe good fortune also played a part.
To diverge, I almost flipped a few minutes ago before writing this comment. I looked at my checkbook and my husband had written a check to donate to the wolves. NEVER, in all our many years of marriage, has he donated to animals. I only donate to animals myself, because that is all I can afford. I ask you, Dr. Becker, is he loosing his “marbles” or is he just going “soft”. I am so glad he did, though.
Comment by Evelyn — February 9, 2010 @ 3:58 pm
*Raises hand* I’m Exhibit A. My mom was born in 1914 and was a Registered Nurse. Early in her career it was realized that simple sanitation and cleanliness greatly reduced the infection rate in hospitals. Obvious (now) things like having the doctors wash their hands before examining patients.
She kept our house really, really clean. We had no pets, because my parents weren’t into having them. I spent my early childhood with chronic bronchitis and developed mild to severe allergies at about age 7 to: dogs, cats, horses, cattle, feathers, dust, shrimp and chocolate, as I recall.
Horses and dogs were probably the worst. No more shetland pony rides at the grocery store (am I dating myself here?). Couldn’t go to friends’ houses to play if they had a dog.
The consequence of exposure was respiratory shutdown with wheezing, swollen eyes and, in one case after being around horses at a birthday party, swollen lips, too. That one was almost a trip to the emergency room.
For whatever reason, I finally “grew” out of it in my 40s. First cats, then dogs. Now, as long as I keep my hands out of my eyes, I’m fine. I almost cried the first time I was finally able to bring myself to kiss my collie boy (first dog) on his nose, something I never dreamed I’d be able to do.
Comment by Susan Fox — February 9, 2010 @ 8:08 pm
I’m prone to allergies, and developed asthma in my twenties.
The animals I grew up with, I have no allergic reaction to. So dogs, horses, birds and most livestock I’m A-OK with; cats and rabbits, not so good.
My kids are growing up with a wide assortment of critters. Sam used to get a localized rash where ever the dog touched him, but never any wheezing, sneezing or runny eyes, so we just let him be blotchy. It gradually went away and he does not react at all anymore.
The same theory has not worked for me and food however. I have developed an allergy to both soy and eggplant over the past few years. Go figure!
Comment by JenniferJ — February 9, 2010 @ 9:25 pm
The majority (probably 80+%) of the people I know, whether I met them in middle school or after, that have allergies, didn’t have pets as kids. I’ve always been around various animals (domestic, livestock & exotics), and except for extra bad itchiness to mosquito & flea bites, have no problems. I don’t even have problems with the urictitating hairs on tarantulas (admittedly a different issue, but still).
Comment by KateH — February 9, 2010 @ 11:35 pm
I think the “hygeine hypothesis” should be considered incomplete until the effects of air conditioning are studied, also.
I was never in an air-conditioned environment for any length of time until in my late 20’s. My nasal passages are now dry year-round, and my sinuses as well. I am not allergic to specific factors that I am aware of; my nose just starts running in conditions that had never been a problem in my youth.
Comment by eli — February 10, 2010 @ 7:44 am
My dear departed mother always said.. and I believe her.. “You have to eat a peck of dirt before you die” I am working on it…
Comment by bestuvall — February 10, 2010 @ 11:41 am