Early Infections Don't Seem to Prevent Allergies - But Getting Dirty in Nature Might

[Judi Lynn]

EMILY JOHNSTON FLIES & PHILIP WEINSTEIN, THE CONVERSATION16 FEB 2020

Over the past few decades, allergies and asthma have become common childhood diseases, especially in developed countries. Almost 20 percent of Australians experience some kind of allergy, whether it's to food, pollen, dust, housemites, mould or animals.

When people suffer from food allergies, hay fever or asthma, their immune system incorrectly believes the trigger substances are harmful and mounts a defence.

The response can range from mild symptoms, such as sneezing and a blocked nose (in the case of hay fever), to anaphylaxis (from severe food allergies or bee stings) and asthma attacks.

We used to think the rise in allergic conditions was because we weren't exposed to as many early infections as previous generations. But the science suggests that's not the case.

More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/exposure-to-nature-may-be-vital-to-developing-a-healthy-immune-system?perpetual=yes&limitstart=1

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. I've also read that having dogs in the household tends to lead to a more robust immune system.

I recall reading a couple of decades ago that our immune system is designed to work like this: We get exposed to lots of things in the early years, and if we survive (obviously our immune system is predicated on no immunizations) we then have resistance to lots and lots of stuff. And so from the ages of 10 to about 50, we are very healthy. Barring accidents. In those later years, our immune system declines and eventually we die. That declining of the immune system is why older people are more apt to die from complications of the flu. Or the corona virus. Or whatever.

I'm 71. Old enough that I got the traditional childhood diseases, measles, mumps, chicken pox, rubella. Never got whooping cough probably because the DPT shot was available in my early years. I got influenza several times before I was 20 or so. Which is why I currently don't bother with a flu shot. Which is NOT to persuade you that you shouldn't get one. Your disease history will be different. Mine is such that, at least so far, I see no need for one.

We did have dogs and cats when I was growing up, for what that is worth. When I was a little kid I got sick a lot. We lived in a public housing development and there were lots of kids. Lots of exposure to all kinds of things. I got sick and my immune system did what it was designed to do. I suspect that's a huge factor in why I'm so extraordinarily healthy at this point in my life. I'm constantly amazed at my age mates and how often and readily sick they are.

A complete side note here. My older son got Fifth Disease. It goes by that name because it's uncommon enough, and is the fifth of the common childhood rash diseases. Offhand, I've never known anyone else who got it.

[murielm99]

2. My daughter got Fifth Disease.

She was seven when she had it. The doctors were not worried about it, and it went away. She was on a t-ball team, and they would not allow her to be there for the team picture. The doctor said it was nothing to worry about, but a couple of the other mothers had a cow, so I kept her home.

Her two younger sibling never came down with it, even though she was around them constantly.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. Fifth Disease really is quite mild.

I wouldn't be surprised if many kids exposed to it simply never show any symptoms.

My son wasn't slowed down in the least by it.