Pets protect babies from diseases

Dogs and cats keep babies healthy

07/10/2012

Infants who grow up with a dog or cat in a household are less likely to have infectious diseases in their babyhood. This was shown in a US study published in the journal "Pedriatics". The babies who live with pets suffered less from respiratory and middle ear infections.

If babies live together with pets, they statistically become less likely to get sick. Why this is largely unknown scientifically. Children who often came in contact with cats and dogs suffered less from respiratory infections and ear infections during an observational study. This comes from a study report published on Monday the professional journal „Pedriatics“.

In the course of the study, researchers at Kuopio University in Finland observe 397 children from birth for one year. The frequency of respiratory diseases and infections, dog and cat contacts during the first year of life was recorded with the help of diaries and questionnaires. All children lived in eastern and central part of Finland. The children were born between September 2002 and May 2005.

Less infections by pets
The analysis showed that the children living with dogs or cats in a shared household suffered less from symptoms of respiratory diseases or infections than compared to children without pets. In addition, children with contact with dogs suffered significantly less frequently from middle ear infections and therefore needed fewer antibiotic therapies. In numbers: The children with pet contacts showed a 30 percent reduced risk of respiratory infections. Otitis media and other ear infections were 50 percent lower than subjects without pets in the apartment.

Better training for the immune system
„The results suggest that dog and cat contacts may have a protective effect on respiratory tract inflammation during the first year of life“, summed up Eija Bergrot in the study report. Accordingly, the study supports the theory that „Animal contacts are important during the first year of life to protect the immune system against infectious respiratory diseases in childhood.“ However, the exact background must clarify further studies, as the scientists emphasized. Another study found that cats and dogs reduce the allergy risk. (Sb)

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Image: Vera Winandy-Rank