Pets In The Home May Lower Risk Of Food Allergies In Kids
Japanese investigators found that young children exposed to dogs in the home were less likely to experience egg, milk and nut allergies, while those exposed to cats were less likely to be diagnosed with egg, wheat and soybean allergies. Photo by Helena Sushitskaya/Pixabay
While research has shown that having pets can lower the chances of respiratory allergies in children, a new study finds it might also reduce the risk of food allergies.
Japanese investigators found that young children exposed to dogs in the home were less likely to experience egg, milk and nut allergies, while those exposed to cats were less likely to be diagnosed with egg, wheat and soybean allergies.
Still, "pet exposure does not completely prevent food allergies," noted first study author Dr. Hisao Okabe, from the Fukushima Regional Center for the Japan Environment and Children's Study and the department of pediatrics at Fukushima Medical University in Japan.
"All this study has shown is that it may reduce the risk of developing food allergies. In addition, the association between pet exposure and food allergies might differ, depending on the pet species and causative food," Okabe added.
For the study, Okabe's team analyzed medical and self-reported data on more than 66,000 infants in Japan, and found that those exposed to indoor cats or dogs during pregnancy or early infancy had fewer food allergies, at least until the age of 3.
About 22% of those infants were exposed to these indoor pets. There was no significant difference for children exposed to outdoor dogs.
Why children with pets may have fewer food allergies wasn't determined in this study, but previous reports have suggested it could be due to the gut bacteria, endotoxins in the air or through the skin barrier, Okabe said.
The researchers decided to study this issue because mothers who had pets at home were concerned about the risk of allergic disease being fueled by the pets, Okabe noted.
"In terms of food allergies, pet exposure during fetal and early infancy may be good in some cases," Okabe said. "We hope that this message will help alleviate some of the concerns about pet ownership."
The findings were published online Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE.
Dr. Dean Mitchell, an allergist and immunologist in private practice at Mitchell Medical Group in New York City, said he has seen a lot of studies over the years that have looked at pets and allergies.
Mitchell raised some other theories about what might cause allergies in children, such as taking antibiotics while pregnant or during infancy, which he feels strongly may have an impact. Another theory is that children who have older siblings may be less allergic because they're exposed to more viruses at a younger age.
However, the latest findings may not be reason enough to go out and get a dog or cat when thinking about having a baby.
"Every once in a while when these other studies pop up here and there, they're for me ... Just too focused," Mitchell said.
"I think the takeaway is, honestly, be very careful with the use of antibiotics. I know that's not mentioned there," he said. "I think the other stuff you can't really control, and it's just not really practical or I think well-proven."
The study authors noted that recent research in South Africa found exposure to farm animals during fetal development or infancy decreased the risk of food allergies in a rural population.
Food allergies can reduce quality of life for children and their families, can create significant medical costs and come with the risk of anaphylaxis, which is a severe allergic reaction and can be fatal, the researchers said.
The study authors added that these results may help guide future research on food allergies.
"We hope that the preventive mechanism of food allergy caused by pet exposure will be clarified, and that this will contribute to new food allergy prevention and treatment strategies," Okabe said.
More information
The American Academy of Pediatrics has more on food allergies in children.
Copyright © 2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
I'm A Traveller & Fairy Liquid Is NOT Enough To Get Plates Clean…it's My Pet Hate When I See People Washing Up With It
A TRAVELLER has taken to social media to reveal her pet hates - and one might leave you very surprised, so prepare to be attacked.
Gypsy girl Suzy (@cuzinsuzy92) recently took to TikTok and explained that she can't stand it when people use fairy liquid to do their washing up and she also noted something that drives her insane about people when they use butter.
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A traveller has taken to TikTok to reveal her ultimate pet hates, including people who use fairy liquid to wash their dishesCredit: TikTok/cuzinsuzy92
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Suzy explained that not only this, but she also can't stand it when people don't take the seal off of the butter, or wear tracksuits that don't matchCredit: TikTok/cuzinsuzy92She said: "We know some of my pet hates now - brushing your hair near the kitchen, dogs and cats in the home, but here are some of the other things that annoy me.
"And this is just me, my personal thing, there's no hate going towards anybody. It's my opinion, it's cool."
The first thing that Suzy can't stand is when people don't use bleach to wash their dishes, as she noted: "I can't stand people who don't use bleach in the washing up.
"I think that fairy liquid makes everything smell and I just don't think that your cups and plates and things are clean, unless you use bleach."
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As well as this, Suzy revealed that she can't stand people that talk too early in the morning, or when women wear lovely clothes with grim trainers.
She added: "Talking too early in the morning - I have to have at least two cups of black coffee before I can even string a sentence together.
"I get up, extra, extra early, my kid doesn't have to be at school until 8:45am but I am up at 6am every morning so I can sit and have a coffee in peace.
"Seeing girls in a really, really nice outfit and then you look down and they've got some busted up trainers on their feet.
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"Nah, you shouldn't have left the house."
Suzy revealed that there are many other things that drive her mad too, as she continued: "Chanel hair clips. I f***ing hate them. I can't stand them. Why are people still wearing that s**t?
"Licking their fingers whilst they're eating. I can't. I don't give a s**t what you're eating, don't be licking your fingers in front of me. Especially if you've got some long a** nails on. Dirty.
"Tracksuits that don't match.
"Drinking out of cartons. You can't do that in my house. There's no way. Just don't do it.
"Touching my food. I don't like people touching my food. I don't give a f**k who you are, you could be the King of England, don't touch my s**t.
"People standing up my back if I'm in a queue. I give people in front of me some space, give me some space in the back.
"If I can hear your breathing, you're too close, step the f**k back.
"People who leave the seal on the butter. If you use that butter, take that s**t off and put it in the bin.
"I hate it when that gets left on and you're having to open the lid, peel that s**t back, no. Just put it in the bin. It's unnecessary. You really don't need that on there.
"I could go on and on and on about the things that really p*** me off, but I'm not gonna do that."
Suzy shared her clip just six days ago, but it has clearly shocked many as it has quickly amassed 23.5k views.
It has 1,319 likes, 54 comments and 5 shares.
Social media users were eager to share their thoughts in the comments, with many agreeing with Suzy's pet hates.
One person said: "Omg the butter one buys me too lol."
Another added: "I laughed so much, please do another."
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A third commented: "Omg I'm with you 100% on every one of these."
Whilst someone else noted: "AMEN. Apart from the bleach in the washing up."
Video Shows Cursing Man Threatening MBTA Straphangers With His Pet Rat
Take rat!
A Massachusetts man "well known to transit police" was arrested Thursday for threatening straphangers with his pet rat, Jerry, the MBTA transit police said.
Bostonian Jeffery Stuart was allegedly shoving Jerry into innocent commuters' faces at the Oak Grove Station in Malden, a city five miles north of Boston.
A video captured Stuart pointing at commuters with Jerry clutched in his fingers as he swore and rambled.
"You're f–king with society. That's exactly who the f–k you are," Stuart says as he holds Jerry near the face of a masked woman, who quickly looks at the rat before looking back at her phone.
"Welcome to your nightmare. Welcome to your nightmare. Yeah!"
Jeffery Stuart holds up his pet rat, Jerry, on a Boston subway on Thursday.Omegadc/TikTokProsecutors said in court Friday that the 57-year-old was carrying an open bottle of vodka and belligerently yelling as he used Jerry to menace the crowd, NBC Boston reported.
Police offered Stuart the chance to leave, but the hostile rider allegedly tried to break back into the station. He then swore at the cops before whipping Jerry back out and threatening to kill the officers.
Authorities booked Stuart behind bars for multiple charges, including disorderly conduct, while Jerry was shipped to Animal Control.
Jerry the rat was sent to Animal Control following his owner's arrest. MBTATransitPD/Twitter"He's very concerned about what they did with Jerry," Stuart's lawyer in court, according to CBS.
"That's his pet."
The MBTA did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment.
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