I meet so many mothers who won’t let their children walk barefoot in the house or the park, won’t let them touch snails, won’t let them grasp mud or go out in the hot rain of the monsoon, won’t let them near any animals and refuse to keep a pet because it might bring in bacteria.
Their children wear socks throughout the year, have no idea what a plant is, apart from the cut flowers they see in vases at home.
And they are sicker than most children.
For decades, paediatricians warned mothers that if they wanted their children allergy free, they should keep animals out of the house.
By the early 2000s, a number of studies showed the opposite - that exposure to pets in the very early stages of life confers protective benefits and prevents the development of allergic rhinitis, asthma and eczema. Of the nine studies analysed in 2011, six detected lower levels of IgE antibodies and 15 to 21% less eczema in children who had been exposed to cats or dogs as soon they were born.
Allergies have been on the rise since the 20th century. Even in a country where nutrition levels are higher, like the USA, 8-10% of children have asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Asthma is a chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. It causes recurring bouts of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. Conventional wisdom says that reducing allergenic substances at home will help lessen asthma symptoms.
However, the Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA) study, funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), points in the opposite direction : that exposure to certain allergens and bacteria early in life, before asthma develops, may protect children from asthma. Since 2005, URECA has tracked newborns who are at high risk for developing asthma, because at least one parent has asthma or allergies, for 7 years. Their findings were published in 2017, in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Denne historien er fra August 16-31, 2019-utgaven av BUSINESS ECONOMICS.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August 16-31, 2019-utgaven av BUSINESS ECONOMICS.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Deposit shortage: challenges facing India's banking ecosystem
In any macroeconomic framework, the household sector plays a critical role as a driver consumption, savings, and overall economic activity.
India's future dreams in Semiconductors & AI
A midst the gloom of the RG Kar affair or the Tirupati laddu scam or even the continued terrorist attacks in Jammu & Kashmir, even after the completion of the first general election in the state, we find hope and encouragement when the founder of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, in his recent visit to India says \"India will be a gigantic opportunity for us\".
The Ramayana: Justice and Modern Man
Consisting of Twenty-Four Thousand worthy Sanskrit verses, the Ramayana is one such epic, which provides a pathway to one committed to justice to establish himself as an ideal human being by following the exemplary life of its hero.
Vallabhbhai Patel: A Sardar of Farmers, A Matchless Social Reformer and the Maker of United India
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was instrumental in unifying the princely states to form the Union of India.
Understanding Prosperity: NOBEL Prize awarded for groundbreaking research on institutions and economic development
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the Memory of Alfred Nobel to three US-based economistsDaron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James A. Robinson\"for their studies on how institutions are formed and affect prosperity.\"
Sinking Resources: Groundwater crisis and sustainable solutions in Kolkata
Kolkata's underground water crisis is becoming a serious issue, driven by rapid urbanization and the construction of high-rise buildings.
Tourism Industry positively impacted by the festive season
Diwali transforms streets into a spectacle of festive lights, Diwali transforms streets into olis, and families gearing up for grand celebrations.
RBI's Shift to a Neutral Stance: Signaling a New Phase in Monetary Policy
For over a year, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has taken a firm stance against inflation, raising interest rates by 250 basis points between May 2022 and February 2023 in response to post-pandemic price pressures.
UK Budget
There _ he latest UK budget represents a departure from previous fiscal documents.
Han Kang's Historic Nobel Prize Win
The 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to T South Korean writer Han Kang, 53, known for her works including The Vegetarian, The White Book, Human Acts, and Greek Lessons.
