Good news for families who would like to have a dog or a cat, but are afraid of allergies in children.

Good news for families who would like to have a dog or a cat, but are afraid of allergies in children. Pets has positive effect on children's health, say Australian researchers.

The researchers found that children who had contact with animals at an early age, had lower rates of nasal allergies, as well as adolescents.

"Family pets, especially dogs, should not be removed to prevent allergies, and, in fact, may protect against it" - said Dr. Melanie Matheson ( (University of Melbourne).

After examining almost 8500 adults from Europe and Australia, researchers have focused on subjects who grew up with pets, and patients suffering from nasal allergies.

Communicating with pets already associated with a lower risk of other types of allergies. A study from the University of Cincinnati in 2010 showed that the presence of dogs may reduce the risk of eczema and skin diseases in childhood. Similarly, a study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit in 2011 found that the presence of pets in children life reduces the risk of developing an allergy to animal hair in half.

In a new study published in the online edition of «Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology» from 13th July, more than one in four respondents complained of nasal allergy, in most cases began in adolescence.

Many factors have been associated with increased risk of nasal allergies in the study. Some, such as family history of allergy and maternal smoking during pregnancy are well documented risk factors.

But the scientists also found that young children who had younger brothers or sisters, or attending nursery and kindergarten, had a lower risk of nasal allergies. And the more relatives of siblings had a child, the lower were the chances that a child will develop nasal allergies later in life.

The researchers also observed a similar association among subjects who grew up on a farm or have had pets before their fifth birthday. Compared with the norms of the people who had no contact with the animals closely in early childhood, the chances of nasal allergy in adolescence were 30% lower in subjects who grew up on a farm, and the presence of a dog or cat was associated with a 15% reduced risk of th nasal allergies.

Asthma Facts

Asthma is characterized by inflammation of the air passages resulting in the temporary narrowing of the airways that transport air from the nose and mouth to the lungs. Asthma symptoms can be caused by allergens or irritants that are inhaled into the lungs, resulting in inflamed, clogged and constricted airways. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing tightness in the chest. In severe cases, asthma can be deadly.

• There is no cure for asthma, but asthma can be managed with proper prevention and treatment.
• Asthma has a genetic component. If only one parent has asthma, chances are 1 in 3 that each child will have asthma. If both parents have asthma, it is much more likely (7 in 10) that their children will have asthma.
• More Americans than ever before say they are suffering from asthma. It is one of this country's most common and costly diseases.

Fast Facts

Every day in America:

• 40,000 people miss school or work due to asthma.
• 30,000 people have an asthma attack.
• 5,000 people visit the emergency room due to asthma.
• 1,000 people are admitted to the hospital due to asthma.
• 11 people die from asthma.

Prevalence

• An estimated 20 million Americans suffer from asthma (1 in 15 Americans), and 50% of asthma cases are “allergic-asthma.” The prevalence of asthma has been increasing since the early 1980s across all age, sex and racial groups.
• Asthma is the most common chronic condition among children.
• Asthma is more common among adult women than adult men.
• Asthma is more common among male children than female children.
• Asthma is more common among children (7 to 10%) than adults (3 to 5%).
• Nearly 5 million asthma sufferers are under age 18. It is the most common chronic childhood disease, affecting more than one child in 20.
• Asthma is slightly more prevalent among African Americans than Caucasians.
• Ethnic differences in asthma prevalence, morbidity and mortality are highly correlated with poverty, urban air quality, indoor allergens, and lack of patient education and inadequate medical care.

Morbidity

• Asthma accounts for one-quarter of all emergency room visits in the U.S. each year, with 2 million emergency room visits.
• Each year, asthma accounts for more than 10 million outpatient visits and 500,000 hospitalizations.
• The average length of stay (LOS) for asthma hospitalizations is 3 days.
• Nearly half (44%) of all asthma hospitalizations are for children.
• Asthma is the third-ranking cause of hospitalization children.
• Asthma is the #1 cause of school absenteeism among children accounting for more than 14 million total missed days of school.
• African Americans are three times more likely to be hospitalized from asthma.

Mortality

• Each day 11 Americans die from asthma. There are more than 4,000 deaths due to asthma each year, many of which are avoidable with proper treatment and care. In addition, asthma is indicated as “contributing factor” for nearly 7,000 other deaths each year.
• Since 1980 asthma death rates overall have increased more than 50% among all genders, age groups and ethnic groups. The death rate for children under 19 years old has increased by nearly 80% percent since 1980.
• More females die of asthma than males, and women account for nearly 65% of asthma deaths overall.
• African Americans are three times more likely to die from asthma. African American Women have the highest asthma mortality rate of all groups, more than 2.5 times higher than Caucasian women.

Social and Economic Costs

• The annual cost of asthma is estimated to be nearly $18 billion.
• Direct costs accounted for nearly $10 billion (hospitalizations the single largest portion of direct cost) and indirect costs of $8 billion (lost earnings due to illness or death).
• For adults, asthma is the fourth leading cause of work absenteeism and “presenteeism,” resulting in nearly 15 million missed or lost ("less productive") workdays each year (this accounts for nearly $3 billion of the "indirect costs" shown above).
• Among children ages 5 to 17, asthma is the leading cause of school absences from a chronic illness. It accounts for an annual loss of more than 14 million school days per year (approximately 8 days for each student with asthma) and more hospitalizations than any other childhood disease. It is estimated that children with asthma spend an nearly 8 million days per year restricted to bed

A Spooky and Safe Halloween For Your Asthmatic Child

In addition to watching for ghosts and goblins this Halloween, you also need to be mindful of your child's asthma. These 9 tips can help you and your child have a safe, happy, and asthma-free Halloween.

Carry a rescue inhaler. Make sure you trick or treat with an asthma inhaler in case your child's asthma does worsen this Halloween. Just like school, athletics, or other events, asthma is unpredictable and you never know when you may need your SABA.

• Inspect costumes. If you have stored costumes in an attic or closet, be mindful of dust, dust mites, and molds. Make sure to thoroughly clean them--or get a new costume altogether.


• Nix the mask. Because masks are so close to the face and can trap things like molds and dust mites, anything that is in them is easily inhaled into the lungs. If your child absolutely must where a mask, a half-mask is a better option.


• Don't let your kids enter homes while trick or treating. You never know what sort of triggers are in other people's homes, or what may trigger your child's asthma. Unknown pets, smoke, or even strong chemical odors from creating party props may trigger asthma.


• Consider a medical alert bracelet. If your child is older and will be trick or treating without you, a medical alert bracelet or necklace might be a good idea.
• Keep tabs on the weather. If weather is one of your child's triggers, make sure to carefully check out the forecast and dress appropriately.
• Yield to sickness. While it may not be a popular decision, not trick or treating may be the best thing if your child is sick this Halloween.
• Monitor your child closely. Follow your asthma action plan -- and use your rescue inhaler -- if need be. If your child's symptoms continue to be bothersome, it may be time to call it a night.