New Findings About Pets and Eczema
In this study, the investigators collected data related to 636 children who had enrolled in the Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study (CCAAPS), an epidemiology study that examined the effects of environmental particulates of allergy and respiratory health of children. The 636 children were considered at high risk for developing allergies because their parents had allergies.
Researchers found that a child who tested positive for dog allergies had a much lower risk of developing eczema at the age of 4 years if he/she had had a dog in the household before the age of 1. On the other hand, children who did not have a dog in the household and tested positive for dog allergies were four times more likely to develop the skin condition.
Children who had cats before the age of 1 and were allergic to cats, however, were 13 times more likely to develop eczema by the age of 4, suggesting that cats can have a negative effect. It is important to note that children who were not allergic to cats were not at an increased risk for eczema if they owned a cat.
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