Allergies

• Vaginal Birth Reduces Allergies
• Cats, Dogs, Allergies, and Asthma
• Farm Life and Immunity
• Antibiotic Use in Infancy May Increase Risk of Asthma and Eczema
• Is the Kitty Causing Allergies?
• Preventing Asthma and Allergies is Possible!

Vaginal Birth Reduces Allergies

There are many benefits to a vaginal or ‘natural’ childbirth. According to a study published in the November Archives of Diseases in Childhood the beneficial bacteria of the mother is passed on to the baby during a vaginal birth. This study followed 865 healthy, term, breastfed babies to look for changes in allergies and gastrointestinal illnesses after cesarean deliveries. During a normal vaginal delivery, the mother’s beneficial bacteria quickly take up residence in the newborn’s tummy. Cesarean sections can be life-saving interventions, however, the sterile environment required for such a major operation can change or delay the cultivation of beneficial bacteria thereby initially settling in the baby’s intestinal tract. This research may explain the findings that a cesarean section delivery increases the risk of food allergies by 106 percent and the instance of infant diarrhea by 46 percent. Despite the allergy and diarrhea news, this study found no increase in the occurrence of colic, crying, or eczema following cesarean delivery.

Cats, Dogs, Allergies, and Asthma

Allergies to pets are very common and for years many there has been the assumption that the very presence of pets in the home causes allergies. Surprisingly, there are many studies that have proven the opposite of this to be true. In the August 2003 Pediatrics Synopsis Book there is a summary of the most current findings. Pets appear to decrease the risk of allergies, eczema, and perhaps (in one study) even asthma in newborns and non-allergic children. Moreover, the studies found that when the number of cats and dogs in the home increased, hay fever, eczema, and other allergies decreased. However, if your child suffers from asthma and has a pet allergy, you may have to find the family pet a new home.

Farm Life and Immunity

According to a study in the October 6, 2001 issue of The Lancet children who grow up on a farm have a significantly reduced risk of asthma, eczema, and hayfever. This effect was also found in non-farm children who were exposed to stables during their first year of life. Moreover, the degree of protection depended on the length of exposure both during and after the child’s first year, up until the age of five. The conditions presents on farms and in stables are consistent with allergy triggering substance in the environment. Both too much and too little immune response is unhealthy. Experiences in early childhood can teach the body to set the appropriate level of immune protection.

Antibiotic Use in Infancy May Increase Risk of Asthma and Eczema

Probiotics are the naturally existing ‘healthy’ bacteria that dwell within our intestines. These naturally occurring building blocks of the immune system play a vital role in the prevention of allergic diseases. Unfortunately, the antibiotics that so many of us rely on today are being found to destroy probiotics and the findings of a recent study outline the ramifications of antibiotic use during infancy. The study was conducted in the United States and the participants were 445 children. The results showed that those who received antibiotics in the first 6 months of life were 1.5 times more likely to suffer from allergic disease during childhood. In looking at a specific allergic disease such as allergic asthma, the children who received antibiotics during the first 6 months of their life were 2.5 times more likely to suffer with this life altering and allergy induced illness.

Is the Kitty Causing Allergies?

A fascinating study in the January 2000 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology suggests a powerful way to detect whether allergies are a problem. In this study, investigators measured the levels of nitrous oxygen (NO) gas in the breath of asthmatic children who had known dust mite allergies. These children were then moved to an environment without dust mites. The exhaled NO levels plummeted within 2 weeks, and remained low for 3 months. When the children returned to a normal environment, the levels went back up within 2 weeks. This test might turn out to be a great way to tell if it is really worth the cost to find a new home for the family kitty, move the family to a different region, or keep up with relentless dust-proofing.

Preventing Asthma and Allergies is Possible!

According to a study in the June 2003 issue of Thorax avoiding allergens during infancy is what makes the difference in the prevention of asthma and allergies. Children at high risk for asthma and allergies were recruited in 1990 to be part of this study. Half of the participants continued life as they normally would and the other half had a low-allergy diet as infants – starting with breast milk or Nutramigen formula (no milk or soy-based formula). The group with the low allergen diets also went to significant measures to avoid exposure to house dust. Both groups were followed for years, and those participants who were in the unchanged group were 4 to 5 times more likely to develop asthma, allergies, or eczema. Prevention worked!