Hair of the dog may be good for kids

Young children who live with a dog may get an immune-system boost against asthma and other allergies, researchers say.

Joachim Heinrich of the Institute of Epidemiology at the Heimholtz Centre in Munich, Germany, led an investigation into more than 3000 children, whose health was closely monitored from birth to the age of six.

Blood tests showed that children in hhouseholds with dogs were less at risk from becoming sensitised to pollens and inhaled allergens - the triggers for asthma and wheezing, allergic rhinitis and eczema - than their counterparts in dog-free homes.

Mr Heinrich believed early exposure to germs brought into the house on dog fur could stimulate maturation of the immune system.

In other words, the body's defences did not go into allergic overdrive when they were suddenly exposed to dust house mites, pollens and other triggers.

Oddly, though, the benefit in the children's antibodies did not show through in terms of symptoms, the study found.

Children with a dog were as susceptible to asthma and the other problems as counterparts without the pets.

"It is not crystal clear why this is so,' Mr Heinrich said, but suggested it could be that the protective benefit may show up when the children in the study were a little older.

Further assessments would be made when they reach the age of 10.

Further work was needed to understand why dogs appeared to deliver this protection before a recommendation could be made to get a canine companion, said Mr Heinrich.

The paper appears in the European Respiratory Journal, published by the European Respiratory Society (ERS).

Reference: www.news.com.au

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