A new study suggests some unsanitary habits many kids have may not be so bad for their health.
Culture
Like a lot of kids, Gracie Ingram used her hands to soothe herself as a baby.
When I was little instead of sucking a pacifier, I sucked my fingers.
And like a lot of parents, her dad Chris couldn't seem to stop her.
We felt like we had to discourage it but she was pretty tenacious.
Turns out Gracie may have been doing a good thing.
A new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics shows children who bite their nails and suck their thumbs are about one-third less likely to develop certain allergies.
Cat.
Grass.
House dust mite And dog.
So those were all reduced, some of the significantly some borderline.
Researchers say the findings could be another example of what's called the hygiene hypothesis.
The idea that being too clean could increase a child's risk of allergies.
Early exposure to dirt is not a bad thing.
When they suck their thumbs or bite their nails they're exposing themselves to additional microbes or dirt which is stimulating the immune system.
Researchers say this isn't a recommendation for kids to take up nail-biting and thumb-sucking This mom suggests just let kids be kids.
You should be playing out in the grass and playing in the dirt, right?
That's what kids should do.
Brooks [UNKNOWN] for CBS News, New York.
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