Pet-free not necessarily best environment for child

It’s all in the fur — sleek and smooth, fluffy and pillowy, long and wavy or coarse and curly. Not only is it the perfect place to find comfort and soothe away worries, it might just hide some medicinal magic capable of altering the course of a human life.

It begins almost as soon as the news is received.

Knowing a new life is on the way brings out a protective instinct to make everything perfect, and nothing short of new linens, freshly laundered clothes and a spotless, germ-free environment will do.

Three-quarters of a year may seem long, but it flies by when placed in the context of preparing for a new baby, and in the whirl of life-changing perspectives, new parents have a lot to think about, particularly when it comes to deciding how they will approach this new addition to their lives.

There are many things to discuss and ponder — arranging the home, schedules, feeding options, product choices, and, inevitably, where the pets fit in.

Determining how to mix pets with a new baby isn’t always easy and it demands some serious and objective contemplation.

Behavioral concerns aside, however, the worries parents often have of environmental exposures, allergy issues and hygienic concerns are slowly becoming non-issues as researchers continue not only to assuage fears but to discover pets can be beneficial to developing children.

On the heels of previous research indicating children raised in homes with pets have less incidents of asthma and allergies, findings released Thursday point to even more advantages for kiddos raised in pet friendly homes.

Canadian researchers evaluated data for 746 infants, gathered between 2009 and 2012 as part of a long-term infant health study, focusing on the gut microbial profiles compiled for study participants.

Categorizing subjects into three groups — infants exposed to furry pets during pregnancy and postnatal development, infants exposed to furry pets during postnatal only and infants not exposed to pets with fur — they noted more than half of their subjects had been exposed to pets during one or both periods.

Infants in the exposed groups, they discovered, were more than twice as likely to have a high abundance of the gut microbes oscillospira and ruminococcus, which have been associated with lower likelihood of obesity and heightened immune responses to allergens.

Additionally, infants exposed to furry pets during pregnancy — excluding those born via cesarean — had reduced presence of streptococcal bacteria, which are associated with metabolic and allergy-related disease.

Stemming from a concept first proposed in 1989 that allergic disease is associated with overly hygienic environments, the study authors cite their results as further proof in a growing body of research establishing that pets provide immune benefits to humans.

It’s an area, they stated, that begs continued investigation.

Mixing children and pets comes with definite need for caution.

There are some exposures that are cause for concern, such as the parasite toxoplasma gandii associated with cat feces and others.

Additionally, supervision and conscientious work to be sure pets and kids interact safely are beyond critical.

The idea that raising children in a pet-free environment is the healthiest choice, however, may not just be misdirected, it may inadvertently shield them from some immune system advantages that could protect them for the rest of their lives — something easily reversed with a healthy dose of fur.

Sharna Johnson is always searching for ponies. You can reach her at: [email protected]