Dirty Kids, Allergies And The Amish

Many of my female patients who have kids feel that dirt is the ultimate "evil" that their little ones can bring home. Those mothers are real "germaphobes." They think dirt and kids don't mix and are obsessed with their children's cleanliness.Yet according to various studies, a little dirt may be a good thing for kids.In an interesting 2012 study, Dr. Mark Holbreich, an allergist with Allergy and Asthma Consultants found that children growing up in the Amish culture in Switzerland have significantly less asthma and allergies than Swiss children who didn't grow upon a farm.In an article on the website Health Day, the results of this study stated "Amish children had about the half the prevalence of asthma compared to their non-farm-dwelling counterparts (about 5 percent vs 11 percent). Swiss farm children had a rate of asthma of nearly 7 percent. The rate of allergic sensitization followed similar patterns. Non-farm children had the highest rates, at about 44 percent, compared with 25 percent in the Swiss farm children and just above 7 percent among the Amish children."Dr. Hobreich said in the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) annual meeting that the study " supports the hygiene hypothesis ...that early life farm exposures are protective against developing allergies and asthma." He went on to say that "our next goal is figuring out of the farm life factors that are protecting the children we studied...Early exposure to farm animals and drinking milk directly from the farm, which is neither pasteurized nor homogenized, may be key factors."Coming on the heels of the Amish study, prior research indicates that exposure to ordinary dirt activates the neurons that produce serotonin--a key chemical in many bodily functions, as well as being a natural anit-depressant. Also, dirt is a boom to the immune system. Early exposure to naturally occurring microbes can help building stronger, more disease-resistant children.Parents should encourage their children to spend more times outdoors and expose them to soil rich environments. Creating an outdoor garden for your child to tend, or even taking them in the woods for hikes or nature collection--such as studying insects or plants-- can create an allergy-resistant and happier child.To learn more: visit http://www.nycallergydoctor.com/allergy