Contents:
- Medical Video: Cook Children’s discusses how to control a child’s asthma
- Pets and asthma
- Pets can prevent asthma from recurring
- Research on household dust and asthma
- What it means for you
Medical Video: Cook Children’s discusses how to control a child’s asthma
You will do anything to protect the respiratory health of your child, but "expelling" pets from home can be a difficult decision. Dogs and cats are a common trigger for allergies and asthma in children, so many young parents choose to avoid risk. But fortunately, you don't need to do it. Researchers show that pets can benefit your child. In fact, pets can play an important role in preventing asthma in children.
Pets and asthma
In recent years, the awareness that children grow close to dogs and cats is less likely to have asthma than children who do not have pets. But where the benefits come from is still not clearly known.
Scientists from the University of California have found the answer. Dust from a house that has a dog has a different structure from dust from a house without pets.
Pets can prevent asthma from recurring
The researchers also found that this type of dust protects against childhood diseases, namely respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This is important, because experiencing a severe case of RSV while still a baby can increase the likelihood of a child having asthma. By preventing RSV, the risk of developing asthma is reduced.
Research on household dust and asthma
The scientists conducted experiments in 3 groups of mice. The first group was fed dust from the house that owned a dog, then exposed to RSV germs. The second group was exposed to RSV without household dust, and the third group was the control group.
The group of dust-fed mice did not experience RSV symptoms, such as increased mucus production, and airway inflammation as happened in the second group. The first group also contains different bacteria in the digestive tract which gives the immune system the ability to prevent RSV germs. According to scientists, dust from homes with dogs has a unique microbe that provides defense. This discovery was shown at the General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in June 2012.
The researchers plan to investigate more about the role of microbes in preventing and treating asthma. They hope that this information can help understand how to prevent asthma in children on a larger scale.
What it means for you
If you don't have a dog, consider adopting it. Check with your pediatrician for recommendations on types that are suitable for children, as new family members and also respiratory protection providers.
Remember that some children are allergic to animals and cannot have pets. So, always pay attention to the symptoms in the child and make sure to make a decision based on what is best for the specific conditions.
