Saturday, May 18, 2013

Asthma and Binkies. Really?


Did you happen to catch the report that the children of parents who clean their baby’s pacifier at least some of the time by licking it clean in their own mouths have less allergy than the children of parents who clean the pacifier exclusively by washing it with tap water or sterilizing it in boiling water before returning it to the child’s mouth?  Could it be that a parent’s germs are good for preventing eczema and asthma?  Who thought to make that observation … and why?

Researchers in allergy, gastroenterology, and infectious diseases/microbiology at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden conducted this study among just over 100 mother/baby pairs.  (It has been published in the medical journal, Pediatrics, and you can find it on-line at http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2013/04/30/peds.2012-3345).  The authors knew of the evidence that when the normal germs that live in the intestines are limited in variety, children are more prone to develop allergies.  Among the evidence is the observation that children who are delivered vaginally – and exposed at birth to their mother’s normal vaginal and possibly fecal germs – are less likely to go on to develop allergies than babies delivered by cesarean section in a sterile operating room.  The researchers wondered about the potential influence of the normal germs that live in the mouth, and whether by sharing their saliva, parents might expose their babies to a broader array of normal bacteria.  The thinking is that if a child’s immune system is exposed to many different types of bacteria at a young age, it will come to accept these foreign substances (antigens) as “friend, not foe” and not attack them using our immune defenses.  Exposure to a broad variety of germs appears to “teach” the developing immune system to accept not only these antigens, but also the harmless ones that we identify as allergens, such as cat or dog dander, dust mites, or grass pollens. 

In this study from Sweden, most (80%) of the children had at least one parent who was allergic, making it more likely that at least some of the babies would develop allergy.  Evidence for allergic disease in the infants was assessed by a pediatrician, based on evidence for sensitization to common allergens on blood testing and the development of asthma or the allergic skin rash, eczema.  Their finding?  When parents cleaned the pacifier by sucking it, their children were less likely to have eczema and asthma at age 18 months; the odds were reduced by more than 50%.  When evaluated again at 36 months of age, the children of parents who cleaned the pacifiers by sucking them still had less eczema, although the differences in rates of asthma and of sensitization to common allergens was no different between the groups. 

Two other findings from this study: first, the number of respiratory infections during the first 6 months of life as reported by the parents did not differ between groups; and second, analysis of the babies’ saliva at 4 months, using a sophisticated technique to analyze the presence and variety of bacterial DNA, showed clear differences between children whose parents did and did not use the sucking technique to clean off their baby’s pacifier.

This study taken alone proves very little, and it certainly cannot be taken as a recommendation for preferred child-rearing techniques.  But it does add to the growing body of evidence that “too clean” (that is, germ free) may have an undesirable effect on our immune systems, contributing to the ever-increasing prevalence of asthma and allergies in our society.  This concept is referred to broadly as the “hygiene hypothesis,” which suggests that reduced exposure of very young children to germs is a risk factor for their development of allergic disease.  Other observations like this study of “binkies” provide additional circumstantial evidence about the yin-yang of germs and allergies.  For instance, going to daycare at an early age, having older siblings, and growing up in close contact with farm animals all have been shown to lessen one’s chances of developing asthma. 

Still ahead is the research that will unravel the exact mechanisms by which the immune system is directed away from allergies when exposed to a broad array of harmless germs at a young age.  The potential impact of this understanding is great.  Some day one might be able to introduce benign germs of the right type in a way -- at the right age, in the right amount, and over the right period of time – such that one could help prevent susceptible children from developing allergy and asthma.  That is the “golden ring” promised by advocates of the hygiene hypothesis.

11 comments:

  1. Asthma is a common chronic disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm.Asthma include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.Asthma is mainly attack a person who smoke a cigarette

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. A world is enough for a wise. I'm SEN.BUKA MORRIS from DENMARK.I was a Herpes patient for 7years ,i suffered a great lost in applying medical treatment to get cure from the virus. It was too scaring having does sleepless nights with Herpes. I went through many hospitals seeking for the solution to my cure all my efforts where rendered useless. I was so frustrated, and lost my lovely wife along the line due to the bad effects of her virus. I became so ashamed of myself. I decided to check on the internet if there could be any possible remedy to this dangerous virus . Then,I came across lots of comments about Dr.CHUKWU MADU HERBAL HOME, who's patience have recommended him of his Good work,testifying how his medicine saved their lives, and there have been living happily negative of their virus. I thought and believe I could be cure as well. Then,I decided to give it a try. To my greatest surprise after contacting him.,I was very happy in our first chat and I believe in everything he said. He really proved to me after going through lots of pics and videos with his patients. I then ordered for his medicine , he prepared and sent it through the DHL service.It was like a joke,but now a dream come through that I'm Herpes free, I have recently been confirmed HSV negative. All thanks to God for showing me the way to Dr CHUKWU MADU HERBAL HOME the great and powerful herbalist. Reach this herbalist on his email [dr.chukwumaduherbalhome@gmail.com] or +2347030936239.

      Delete
  2. Thanks so much for sharing this information! I have been looking into allergy and asthma in Minneapolis MN and where I can find more options for my allergies! Thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've been looking for places to go for allergy and asthma medication in Minneapolis, MN. Thanks so much for sharing this. I feel like I really learned a lot!

    ReplyDelete
  4. That's really interesting! My grandmother always used to say a little dirt won't kill you, so I've never been big on cleaning off my kids binkies with tap water. A little spit won't kill you either.

    ReplyDelete
  5. That's definitely something that's worth looking into. I wonder if it matters if the parents have asthma?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great post! I agree that this is something that should get more research done on, even something small like this could lead to a big discovery, Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. good one.
    http://mymexicandrugstore.blogspot.ae/2013/08/buy-online-asthma-medicines-mexico.html

    ReplyDelete
  9. That's really interesting post thanks for sharing
    SNOVITRA 60 MG TABLETS

    ReplyDelete

  10. A world is enough for a wise. I'm SEN.BUKA MORRIS from DENMARK.I was a Herpes patient for 7years ,i suffered a great lost in applying medical treatment to get cure from the virus. It was too scaring having does sleepless nights with Herpes. I went through many hospitals seeking for the solution to my cure all my efforts where rendered useless. I was so frustrated, and lost my lovely wife along the line due to the bad effects of her virus. I became so ashamed of myself. I decided to check on the internet if there could be any possible remedy to this dangerous virus . Then,I came across lots of comments about Dr.CHUKWU MADU HERBAL HOME, who's patience have recommended him of his Good work,testifying how his medicine saved their lives, and there have been living happily negative of their virus. I thought and believe I could be cure as well. Then,I decided to give it a try. To my greatest surprise after contacting him.,I was very happy in our first chat and I believe in everything he said. He really proved to me after going through lots of pics and videos with his patients. I then ordered for his medicine , he prepared and sent it through the DHL service.It was like a joke,but now a dream come through that I'm Herpes free, I have recently been confirmed HSV negative. All thanks to God for showing me the way to Dr CHUKWU MADU HERBAL HOME the great and powerful herbalist. Reach this herbalist on his email [dr.chukwumaduherbalhome@gmail.com] or +2347030936239.

    ReplyDelete