London - Parents “cleaning” baby dummies by sucking on them could help protect their children from asthma and eczema.
Researchers believe the transfer of microbes could increase the bacterial diversity of babies’ digestive systems and boost immunity.
For the study, 184 youngsters born at a hospital in Sweden were monitored until aged three.
Four out of five had at least one parent with allergies. When the babies were six months, 65 parents reported “cleaning” their dummies by sucking on them.
The children were later tested for allergies. At 18 months old, those whose dummies had been sucked on by parents were 63 percent less likely to have eczema and 88 percent less likely to have asthma. This was compared to those whose parents did not use the method.
By 36 months, there was 49 percent less chance of a child having eczema but no difference for asthma.
In the journal Pediatrics, lead researcher Dr Bill Hesselmar said the “simple” cleaning technique would do no harm but it was too early to recommend it to parents.
Other factors could include parents having more time or being more relaxed, he added. - Daily Mail