Exposing Babies to Allergens Early in Life Could Promote a Better Immune System Later

When a new baby was born in the early part of the 20th century, everything had to be sterile, doctors looked more like aliens from another planet, and nurses were like generals in an army. Now it is discovered that being so clean could actually cause more allergies in children. So how do we as parents and caregivers find a healthy medium?

1. Expose your baby to as many types of pets as possible in the infant years-
We were trained for years to think that having pets around babies would cause them to become allergic. We know now that being exposed to an allergen over and over again actually boosts our immunity power.

Studies have shown that infant homes with more than one pet (Multiple dogs, a dog and cat etc.) carry endotoxins found in intestines and feces. When infants are exposed these endotoxins early, their immune systems although immature, can develop wonderful immunities, thus lowering the odds that your baby will develop pet born allergens. On a further note, babies who are exposed to cats and dogs are less like to have inflamed airways- a risk factor for infantile asthma.

2. Dust and vacuum less often-
Endotoxins are also found in common household dust that lay on our carpets and furnishings. Try to limit vacuuming and dusting to once a week if possible. babies who are exposed to common household dust was shown 50% less likely to have a positive (Reactive) skin allergy test. moreover, vacuuming and dusting everyday introduces allergens into the air too often causing an opposite reaction.

3. Let your little wiggle worms play in the dirt once in a while-

Remember making mud pies as a kid, and enjoying evey minute of it? Dirt carries a special endotoxin that is made up of dead and decomposing bacteria. In most cases these bacteria are shown to shut off aggressive allergens that cause severe allergic reactions like anaphylaxis shock (swelling).

4. Stop the neat freak approach to cleanliness-

Some of the allergy issues may be because we live to clean. Of course daily hygiene is important to daily health. Without hygienic habits, our body would be taken over by parasites, harmful bacteria, and immune system compromising viruses, but living too clean could have a negative effect on our bodies as well. Although we would never think of letting our children run around, eating raw meat, coming in to eat a snack from digging in the dirt is really not so bad for them. By just relaxing our standards of cleanliness ever so slightly, we could be doing our little ones a world of good.

3. Purchase an air filter-

We breathe approximately 23,000 times a day. If we have poor air quality, that could really wreak havoc on our lungs. The air quality could be worse in our homes, than out on a busy street corner. Purchasing a high quality air purifier could reduce the excess amount of allergens we are exposed to. Look for one with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter, and wipe away metallic plates.

4. be choosy on anti-biotic use

For some infections, it is absolutely necessary to use antibiotics, but for minor infections,and a very healthy infant immune system, be choosy with what your baby takes. If you breast feed your baby, You must be choosy too.
Since different infections can mimic others, Do not use an antibiotic from a previous infection without the permission of your pediatrician. Antibiotics can lower resistance to other bacteria,such as yeast, making your baby more prone to wheezing and coughing, and possibly asthmatic conditions. Also,using an antibiotic that will not react to the infection your baby has is just as bad (If not worse) than letting your baby fight the infection off. Always seek your pediatrician's advice and obtain a new prescription for new infections that arise.

5. Do not smoke during pregnancy and around your baby.
If the proven toxins in the cigarette smoke aren't enough, think of the carbon monoxide emitted from cigarettes gripping your child's lungs and robbing their lungs of oxygen as they breathe in this hazardous smoke. It is been shown that babies born to mothers that smoked a half a pack or more a day, had a mucous build up in their lungs. Babies that live in smoker's homes show an increased risk to chronic asthma and bronchitis, and non-smoking homes show an obvious decrease.

Overall, using these helpful tips will not only improve your babies immunities, they will also be beneficial to the whole family's respiratory health.
Take it from a mom with two asthmatic children, who now have been successfully taken off their medications, thanks to a little relaxation, and a lot of research and some moderate lifestyle changes. I did it, and you can make a difference in your baby's health too.