Why Dirt and Dust s Good for Babies from Health Briefs TV

Sometimes, a little dirt, dust and pet dander is good for babies and kids. Health Briefs TV explains why these usual irritants can prevent allergies later in life.

When infants are around normal household irritants, they begin to develop antibodies to them. As they grow up, they become immune to the allergens and therefore have less or no allergies. Researchers from Johns Hopkins Hospital tested the amount of pollution in an infant’s home and then re-tested them a year later to measure health conditions such as sneezing and wheezing. They found that when the home had some levels of pet dander, dust and the droppings of bugs, they were less likely to suffer asthma or from allergies. Their bodies showed a stronger immune system. The Health Briefs TV show reports that children who have allergies and are prone to respiratory problems were not exposed to the allergens as infants and small children. The researchers point out that the rate of developing these health conditions is 51% to 17% if children are not exposed to the irritants. Early life exposure to a variety of allergens and germs makes infants and children healthier later. We also suggest not going overboard with hand sanitizers as they can strip hands of healthy germs. In order for infants and children to have healthy and strong immune systems, they should be exposed the germs and allergens.

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