Sucking your child's pacifier might help protect them from allergies
| Dec 2, 2018, 07:00 IST
If you think sucking on your child's pacifier is terribly bizarre, you might want to think again. Turns out, that parental pacifier sucking could benefit your child's health. Presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting, a research suggested a link between parental sucking on a pacifier and a lower allergic response in young children.
The study is believed to the first of its kind to evaluate the association between pacifier cleaning methods and the antibody Immunoglobulin E, or IgE. IgE is linked to the development of allergies and asthma. The researchers found that children whose mothers sucked on the pacifier had lower IgE levels.
"IgE is a type of antibody related to allergic responses in the body. Although there are exceptions, higher IgE levels indicate a higher risk of having allergies and allergic asthma," said Jaoude, a researcher part of this study. "We found that parental pacifier sucking was linked to suppressed IgE levels beginning around 10 months, and continued through 18 months," said study co-author Edward Zoratti.
The study is believed to the first of its kind to evaluate the association between pacifier cleaning methods and the antibody Immunoglobulin E, or IgE. IgE is linked to the development of allergies and asthma. The researchers found that children whose mothers sucked on the pacifier had lower IgE levels.
"IgE is a type of antibody related to allergic responses in the body. Although there are exceptions, higher IgE levels indicate a higher risk of having allergies and allergic asthma," said Jaoude, a researcher part of this study. "We found that parental pacifier sucking was linked to suppressed IgE levels beginning around 10 months, and continued through 18 months," said study co-author Edward Zoratti.