Do you often see your child bitting there nails or suck their thumbs? Don’t stop them from doing so. According to latest study, it is revealed that children who bite their nails or suck their thumbs are less likely to develop allergic sensitivities.

"Our findings are consistent with the hygiene theory that early exposure to dirt or germs reduces the risk of developing allergies," said Malcolm Sears, formerly from Dunedin School of Medicine in New Zealand and currently with McMaster University in Canada.

"While we do not recommend that these habits should be encouraged, there does appear to be a positive side to these habits," said Sears.

This is common childhood habit of every infant. Researchers have tested the idea and came to a conclusion that doig this would increase microbial exposures, affecting the immune system and reducing the development of allergic reactions also known as atopic sensitisation.

The habits of thumb-sucking and nail-biting were measured in a longitudinal birth cohort of more than 1,000 New Zealand children at ages 5, 7, 9 and 11; and atopic sensitisation was measured by skin-prick testing at 13 and 32 years old.

Researchers found 31 per cent of children were frequent thumb suckers or nail biters. The findings were published in the journal Pediatrics.

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By M. Divya Shri