Still, she said, there is no guarantee that avoiding peanuts will ensure a child is allergy-free. And a few studies now suggest that exposure to animals, not avoidance, might actually help prevent allergies, said Waserman, who is an assistant professor of medicine at McMaster University. However, there is ample proof that modern homes have contributed to the rise in allergies and asthma, said Waserman. We've moved indoors into well-insulated, poorly ventilated homes with carpets. These factors, combined with the use of mattresses and increased humidification, give house dust mites a good place to grow.
Dust mites are a type of allergen, a substance that can cause an allergic reaction in some people.
Other allergens are animal hair, pollen, and dust. On repeated exposure, people may become sensitive to allergens and develop allergies or asthma. Our bodies learn to attack these microscopic allergens and that process leads to the lung inflammation that underlies asthma. Waserman described studies showing the connection between environment, allergy, and asthma. One dramatic example came from the former East and West Germany.