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New research presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Seattle suggests that there is a link between sucking a parental pacifier and a lower allergic response in young children .
"We repeatedly interviewed 128 mothers of infants over a period of 18 months and asked them how they had cleaned their child's pacifier," said author and allergist Eliane Abou-Jaoude in a statement.
In the study conducted by Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, scientists "found that children of sucking mothers had lower IgE levels". IgE, according to Abu-Jaoude, are antibodies associated with allergic responses in the body. With few exceptions, a higher IgE level usually indicates a higher risk of allergies and allergic asthma.
Of the 128 mothers surveyed, 58% said their child was currently using a pacifier. Of these 58%, 41% reported cleaning by sterilization and 72% washing their hands. Only 12% reported having sucked a parental lollipop.
Inhibited levels of IgE were evident in babies aged from about 10 months up to 18 months.
"We think the effect may be due to the transfer of microbes beneficial to the health of the parent's mouth," said study co-author Edward Zoratti. "It's not clear if the lower IgE production seen in these children will continue in the coming years."
Abu-Jaoude and Zoratti believe that further research is needed, but their findings corroborate a growing body of evidence suggesting that exposure to germs at a young age could lead to a healthier immune system.
"Our study indicates an association between parents sucking their child's pacifier and children with lower IgE levels, but that does not necessarily mean that sucking the lollipop results in decreased IgE," he said. said Abu-Jaoude.
The new study, which has not yet been peer reviewed, has some limitations.
Andrew MacGinnitie, Clinical Director of the Division of Immunology at Boston Children's Hospital, told CNN that the small size of his sample makes any major finding difficult.
"It's possible that the sucking of a pacifier is correlated to other more important factors that predispose or protect allergens," he added. Mothers who suck their baby's pacifiers can also "let their kids play in the mud, or their whole house might be less clean."
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