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Ask Dr. Sue
BREASTFEEDING AND ALLERGIES
Dear Dr. Sue,
My wife is expecting our first baby, and we have a huge
amount of allergies and asthma on both sides of the
family, including both of us. I read your article about
peanut allergy, and she is not having anymore peanut
butter sandwiches until the baby gets here! But I would
like to know if breastfeeding makes a big difference in
allergies (other than food allergies) and asthma.
Soon-to-be Dad
Dear Dad,
You are not alone in wondering just how much of a
protective role breastfeeding may play in respiratory
allergies and asthma; there is much controversy about
this subject and a large number of conflicting studies
about how much impact it has.
You are also right to be concerned about your child's
risk of developing these problems. If both parents
are allergic, their child has a 40-60 percent chance of
having allergies as well. (If only one parent is
allergic the risk drops to 25 to 30 percent, and even if
neither parent show signs of allergies there is still a
10-15 percent chance any given child will develop
allergies.)
There are several different factors that may contribute
to whether a child does develop allergies. The first of
these, genetics, you have no control over. The
second is early exposure to "antigens," which are
substances that the baby's body thinks are foreign
invaders that it has to fight off. Some people
believe that even early exposure to food antigens may
help turn on the baby's immune system in such a way that
other allergies are more likely later. We know for
certain that exposure to food antigens increases the
risk of FOOD allergies, though, and with an allergic
family like yours, that is reason enough to give the
baby nothing but breast milk for her first four to six
months.
Early exposure to indoor antigens, like dog or cat
dander, dust mites, and mold can make your child more
likely to show signs of allergies. I would
definitely take some preventative steps in this regard.
If you have a dog or cat, try to make it an outdoor pet
if it can't find a new home. Get a dehumidifier
and use it. Get rid of dust catchers like heavy
curtains and buy a good vacuum cleaner with a filtration
system designed to remove allergens. Use wood or
vinyl flooring in the baby's room with washable throw
rugs. Remember to wash his bedding once a week,
and once he is out of a crib, buy a good mattress cover
that zips around his entire mattress.
Early exposure to irritants such as cigarette smoke are
well-proven to increase the risk of asthma. Don't do it!
Early respiratory infections probably play a role in the
development of asthma, as well. Breastfeeding has
definitely been proven to decrease the number and
severity of these infections, another reason it should
be a priority.
Whether breastfeeding prevents allergies and asthma in
other ways as well is still open to debate. I will
list some opinions for you, all based on recent, large
and apparently well-designed studies:
-
Breastfeeding for just the first
month of life protects against food allergies, while
breastfeeding for more than six months also
decreases the risk of eczema and asthma. This
may be because breasfeeding stimulates the
maturation of the infant's intestinal wall and of
the immune system. Also IgE (the antibody most
involved in allergic responses) has been found to be
suppressed by IgE suppressor factors in colostrum.
-
Breastfeeding does not protect
against asthma and eczema (35,000 Austrian children
studied). This same survey DID show that
breastfed children were less likely to develop hay
fever. (Year 2000 study).
-
Breastfeeding exclusively can
significantly protect babies from developing asthma
and allergies (2187 Australian children). In this
study, children who received only breast milk in
their first four months were 25% less likely to be
diagnosed as asthmatic by age six. (Year 2000
study).
-
Breastfeeding is protective against
food allergies and respiratory allergies, even up to
17 years of age. Six months of breastfeeding
exclusively also prevents eczema during a child's
first three years. (Finland study, 1995).
-
Children with allergies who were
breastfed by mothers with asthma are MORE likely to
develop asthma themselves, but they are protected
during their first two years of life. (This one,
done by the University of Arizona Respiratory
Services Center in 2001, surprised the researchers.
All of their previous research has consistently
demonstrated the health benefits of breastfeeding.)
So the bottom line is this.
Exclusive breastfeeding may provide a longer
allergy/asthma-free period in your child's life.
There is no definite proof that it will make her less
likely to develop these problems later, but it might!
It will definitely decrease her likelihood of developing
food allergies (if your wife continues to stay away from
risky foods like peanuts; and I would advise no cow's
milk, also). Breastfeeding will definitely decrease your
child's risk of respiratory and other infections. All
this, plus:
-
Beneficial effects on brain growth
and development
-
Protection against peptic ulcer
disease, even into adulthood
-
Protection against certain childhood
cancers, and even breast cancer in adulthood, if
your child is a girl
-
Fewer inguinal hernias
-
Better jaw development (fewer need
braces)
-
Better speech development (fewer need
speech therapy)
-
Earlier development of good binocular
vision (using both eyes together)
-
More rapid development of good
hand-eye coordination
-
Decreased susceptibility to certain
immune-type diseases, including Juvenile Diabetes,
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis
-
An improved response to childhood
vaccines
-
A significantly lower rate of SIDS
-
Breastfeeding is the most economical
and the most environmentally friendly form of
nutrition.
 
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