Toronto, Canada, August 16, 2016 – Bel Marra Health (www.BelMarraHealth.com), a company offering specially formulated vitamins and nutritional products, is weighing in on a study showing that babies who are exposed to microbial organisms are less likely to develop allergies.
The medical journal, Pediatrics, published a new study showing that children have less of a chance to develop allergies if they engage in activities that increase their exposure to microbial organisms, such as nail-biting or thumb-sucking. The reduced risk of allergy was shown to continue into adolescence and even adulthood. The theory is that the increased exposure to microbial organisms through these activities acquaints the immune system with them early on, thus making them less likely to become hypersensitive to common allergens. (Source: Lynch, S. J. et al., “Thumb-Sucking, Nail-Biting, and Atopic Sensitization, Asthma, and Hay Fever,” Pediatrics, July 2016; http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2016/07/07/peds.2016-0443.)
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“Parents tell their kids to keep their hands out of their mouths all the time,” says Dr. Victor Marchione, spokesperson for Bel Marra Health. “So, to have a scientific study come out and show that it’s not such a bad thing could really give parents some peace of mind.”
The results of the study did not show a clear connection between nail-biting or thumb-sucking and a reduction in hay fever or asthma. However, results did show a reduction in the risk of atopic sensitization, which is a reduced risk of susceptibility to allergies. This reduction started at age 13 and continued as late as age 32.
“It’s what some experts refer to as the hygiene hypothesis,” continues Dr. Marchione. “According to that hypothesis, kids who grow up with many siblings or with pets have increased microbial exposure and are less prone to certain allergies.”
Despite the presumed benefits of thumb-sucking and nail-biting, there is some concern about children sucking their thumbs. Thumb-sucking can lead to tooth malformations, which is why the practice isn’t encouraged.
The doctors at Bel Marra Health offer their expertise on natural health news, trends, and natural health methods. Learn more about Bel Marra Health at www.BelMarraHealth.com.
