NEW YORK, Feb 24 (Reuters) -- Autumn's child may be full of... sneezes, say researchers, who found that a youngster's season of birth could elevate his or her risk of allergies and asthma.
Researchers at Detroit's Henry Ford Health System took blood samples from 90 children, looking for levels of an antibody 'marker' for allergies and asthma called immunoglobulin E (IgE).
"We... found a clear relationship between a child's IgE level and the time of year they were born," said Dr. Dennis Ownby, director of allergy research at Henry Ford Health System. His team discovered that children born in September, October or November had consistently higher IgE levels, while those born in June, July and August had the lowest.
The Henry Ford results resemble those of a Canadian study out of McMaster University, reported recently on Health eLine, which found that "birth in the winter months increased the likelihood of sensitization to cats... and house dust mites."
Both teams of researchers believe infants born in colder months spend more of their early months indoors, and may develop sensitivities to house-bound allergens, such as the common dust mite.
Dust mites can be found all around the house, and can contribute greatly to allergy onset, Henry Ford researchers say. "We found that serum levels were higher when children were exposed to airborne dust mites, such as those found in mattresses, pillows, carpets, and dust within the home," Ownby said.
But he pointed out that parents can help prevent the sneezing, congestion, and breathing difficulties associated with allergies. "By properly covering mattresses, box springs, and pillows with 'dust mite-free' encasings, parents can reduce their child's chances of having allergies or asthma," Ownby explained.
His study findings were presented Monday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in San Francisco.
