By Margaret Meier Jones, Buffalo Valley Vet Clinic
Bringing home your new baby is a time of great joy and celebration. As you’ve gone through your pregnancy, no doubt you have received countless tips, suggestions, and various opinions regarding raising your baby with pets in your home. From the old wives’ tale of cats smothering babies in their cribs to increased risks of vivacious dogs harming your baby; you may have been encouraged to re-home your pets before your baby’s arrival. The good news, however, is that children raised with pets have a stronger immune system and are actually less likely to be allergic to animals as adults!
In the study led by Ganesa Wegienka, PhD, and published in the journal Clinical & Experimental Allergy,[1] researchers concluded “the first year of life is the critical period during childhood when indoor exposure to dogs or cats influences sensitization to these animals.” Wegienka went on to say, “Dirt is good. Your immune system, if it’s busy with exposures early on, stays away from the allergic immune profile.” Interestingly, the study did not show a substantial reduction in adult pet allergies if the children were first exposed to pets after the first year of life.
Raising your baby with pets has many other benefits for you and your child. As your children grow, having a pet in the household can also help to keep your child active; thereby preventing childhood obesity. Taking your dog for daily walks with your child helps to demonstrate the importance of getting outside and exercising on a regular basis. These early influences help to develop a lifetime habit of activity and provide priceless memories for you and your child.
As your child grows, pets also help develop self-confidence and allow children to become responsible adults. Going outside to play with the family pet encourages one’s imagination and creativity. I remember well watching my daughter, Emilia, develop games she and our dog, Sara Jane, would play for hours on end. She would also carry her favorite kitten, Toupe`, in a small pail telling us he was in his car seat and they were on their way to the grocery store to buy groceries. Finally, pets can also help our children learn how to deal with grief. Several studies have shown that the younger we are when we learn how to process the feelings of grief, the better equipped we are to deal with it throughout our lives.
So enjoy raising your baby WITH your pets. The benefits that will last your and your child’s lifetime are yours to create and share.
“Lifetime Dog and Cat Exposure and Dog and Cat Specific Sensitization at Age 18 Years,” Journal of Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 2011, Jul 41, (7) 979-986.