Children who live with a cat or dog in their early years experience animals usually lick him,” he says.
“That lick transfers bacteria that live
a lower incidence of hay fever and asthma and are less likely
in animals’ mouths, and the exposure
to develop animal-related allergies.
to the bacteria may change the way
the child’s immune system responds to
— Dr. Dennis Ownby, allergist, based on a Medical College of Georgia study other allergens.”
How Pets Build
“If you’re struggling to read and So, how are the seeds of good par-
Family Bonds
someone says, ‘Time to pick up your enting skills planted during childhood?
One of the biggest benefits of having
book and work,’ that’s not a very attrac- Melson believes one way is through
pets is often unexpected, even for par-
tive offer,” Jalongo says. “Curling up pets. In her research, she tracked how
ents who grew up around animals: They
with a dog or cat, on the other hand, is much time kids over age 3 spent ac-
can help families grow stronger and
a lot more appealing.” tively caring for family animals, versus
closer. “Whenever I ask children and
caring for or even playing with younger
parents if their pets are truly part of the
Pets Provide Comfort
siblings. Over a 24-hour period, pet
family, most of them seem surprised—
and almost offended—at the question,”
In another Jalongo-led study, children
guardians spent 10.3 minutes in care-
Melson remarks. “The most common
were asked what advice they would
giving; those with younger sibs spent
response is, ‘Of course they are!’”
give less-popular kids for making
only 2.4 minutes.
A pet is often the focus of family
friends. The top answer didn’t focus
“Nurturing animals is especially
activities. Everyone takes the dog for a
on a cool toy or must-have sneakers. It
important for boys, because taking care
walk, shares in the grooming and feed-
was: Get a pet. Whether a hamster or
of an animal isn’t seen as a ‘girl’ thing,
ing or gets down on the floor to play
a horse, Jalongo notes, an animal gives
like babysitting, playing house or playing
together. Kids can even benefit from
a child something to talk about and a
with dolls,” Melson says. By age 8, girls
simply watching a cat chase her tail or
shared interest with other kids.
are more likely to be involved than boys
Animals are also a great source
in baby care, both inside and outside the
a fish swim in his tank. Spending time
of comfort. Melson asked a group of
home, but when it comes to pet care,
like this offers the potential for slowing
5-year-old pet owners what they did
both genders remain equally involved.
the hectic pace of the day.
If someone asks what we’re doing,
when they felt sad, angry or afraid or
when they had a secret to share. More
Pets Help Keep
we might respond “nothing.” In an era
than 40 percent spontaneously men- Kids Healthy
of overscheduled children and parents
constantly on the go, “nothing” can be
tioned turning to their pets. She remarks
According to a study by Dr. Dennis
an important thing to do.
that, “Kids who get support from their
Ownby, a pediatrician and head of the
animal companions were rated by their
allergy and immunology department
Bill Strickland, a freelance writer in Em-
parents as less anxious and withdrawn.”
of the Medical College of Georgia,
maus, PA, recently published his mem-
having multiple pets actually decreases
oir, Ten Points. He
Pets encourage nurturing a child’s risk of developing certain al-
regularly contrib-
Melson began studying the impact
lergies. His research tracked a group of
utes to national
of pets in order to learn how human
474 babies from birth to about age 7.
publications.
beings develop the ability to care for
He found that the children who were
others. “Nurturing isn’t a quality that
exposed to two or more dogs or cats as
suddenly appears in adulthood when
babies were less than half as likely to
we need it,” she observes. “You don’t
develop common allergies as kids who
learn to nurture, because you were nur-
had no pets in the home. Children with
tured as a child. People need a way to
animals had fewer positive skin tests
practice being caregivers when they’re
to indoor allergens—like pet and dust
young.”
mite allergens—and also to outdoor
In most of the modern world,
allergens, such as ragweed and grass.
there’s little opportunity for kids to
Other studies have suggested that early
provide for other living things aside
exposure to animals at home
from pets. “In many other countries,
may decrease a child’s risk
siblings look after one another, but in
of developing asthma.
the United States that’s not culturally
No one knows for
acceptable,” Melson says. “It’s actu-
sure why this is the case,
ally illegal in many states to leave kids
but Ownby has a theory:
in the care of anyone who is under 16
“When a child plays
years of age.”
with a dog or a cat, the
March 2009 17
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