The benefits of the presence of a dog on the health of children were already known. A Finnish study published in July 2012 in the American journal Pediatrics showed that babies with cats or dogs at home were about 30% less likely to show symptoms of respiratory infections such as cough, wheezing, rhinitis (stuffy nose or runny) and fever; and about half as prone to developing ear infections. This new study ppublished in the medical journal Preventive Chronic Disease teaches us that the presence of a dog helps reduce stress and anxiety in children.
The dog promotes the well-being of the child
Researchers at the Bassett Medical Center Research Institute in New York (United States) conducted an 18-month study with 643 children, an average of 7 years old, who came for an annual visit to a pediatric care facility in New York. York. Among these children, 73% owned an animal, 58% of which a dog. 21% of the children did not have any pets at home.
To evaluate the state of health and well-being of children, the scientists used the DartScreen, an internet test used to measure children’s health risk. As a result, children with a dog at home had lower anxiety scores than those without.
“By strengthening attachment, stimulating conversation and promoting social interactions, the canine companion helps to increase the level of oxytocin (the hormone of love attachment or the mother-child bond) and to reduce the levels of cortisol, a hormone that regulates metabolism. This process has the effect of attenuating the response to stress », Say the researchers who tried to analyze the link between the presence of a dog and the reduced risk of anxiety.
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