Teachable Medical News article 11182018
This article was written by Mallory Griggs.
Does a mother sucking on a baby’s pacifier to clean it really prevent allergies in children?
The news item:
A mother sucking on a baby’s pacifier to clean it has a potential of reducing the odds of a child obtaining an allergy was reported by the Science Daily web site:
Sucking your baby’s pacifier to clean it may prevent allergies
New research suggests a link between parental sucking on a pacifier and a lower allergic response among young children.
The article states that: “We found that parental pacifier sucking was linked to suppressed IgE levels beginning around 10 months, and continued through 18 months,” says allergist Edward Zoratti, MD, ACAAI member and co-author of the study. “Further research is needed, but we believe the effect may be due to the transfer of health-promoting microbes from the parent’s mouth. It is unclear whether the lower IgE production seen among these children continues into later years. We know that exposure to certain microorganisms early in life stimulates