thanks, janice, this is really interesting.  maybe a case of 'correlation
does not imply causation' - just because firstborns and small sibling
numbers tend to have more allergies, doesn't mean it is because they are
firstborns or have small numbers of sibs.

2 allergic kids; one outgrew asthma (the first), one is still reacting!

michelle bentley, cle

----- Original Message -----
From: "Janice Reynolds" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: factors other than bfing that affect allergies
I thought the following was very interesting - in that we are always
wondering why 2 children, both breastfed the same length of time and in the
same manner, may have very different vulnerabilities to allergies.
They tested IgE antibodies in the children's cord blood; twice the number of
firstborn children had high levels of IgE compared with children born later.
When tested at age 4, the children with higher levels of IgE in their cord
blood were more likely to have allergic reactions affecting their skin. This
occurred regardless of whether they were firstborns or children born later.
- American Journal of Epidemiology, 2001 (154): 909-915

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