Are pets good for kids and if so, why?
Researchers: ‘Pets Are Good For Kids’ by Patricia Collier Research in recent years has suggested that children raised with pets are less likely to become asthmatic, more likely to be kind to other children and more likely to have a healthy sense of self-esteem once they reach their teens. New research has revealed many more benefits, claiming that interaction with pets can positively influence children’s physical and emotional development, even their scholastic achievement. The findings were presented at an international conference hosted recently by the Society for Companion Animal Studies, (SCAS) in Leicester. One of the presenters at the conference was Dr. June McNicholas, health psychologist and senior research fellow at the University of Warwick. McNicholas said her studies have shown that exposure to cats and/or dogs in the first year of life reduce subsequent risks of allergic sensitisation during childhood. She also noted that of the 338 children she used for her study, 85 perc
