Dogs and children - A recent study published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease and also appearing on the CDC website explained how children who grow up with dogs are less likely to suffer from anxiety than peers without dogs.
Previous studies had shown that adults with dogs enjoyed better physical and mental health, but this study is all about children.
The study found that 58% of the children surveyed had dogs in their homes: of these children, 12% had the potential to suffer from anxiety, whereas among children without dogs, 21% had the likelihood of suffering from anxiety.
According to the researchers, the study can be interpreted in two ways: either that less anxious children have dogs or that dogs make children less anxious.
If the latter version were the correct one, researchers argue that having a dog could help children by also stimulating their communication with others.
In other words, dogs serve to break the ice, which helps to alleviate social anxiety. Dr. Anne Gadomski, one of the authors of the study, pointed out that often the first word of children who have dogs is the name of their pet. She added that it is not certain that cats cannot also have the same effect.
