Parents told to lick babies pacifiers to boost immune system

Yes, you read that right. The study says if your kiddo drops their pacifier just pop it in your mouth instead of rinsing with water before you give it back to the child.

Research shows that parents who did just that significantly lowered the risk of conditions related to allergies for their kids.

The reasons are something called microbiomes. When the parent’s saliva covered the pacifier it allowed the children to begin developing immunities to common bacteria.

Among the nasty conditions made better were eczema and asthma.

The study was done in Sweden and published this week in the journal Pediatrics.

The findings say, in essence, that our kids may be growing up too clean.

Bill Hesselmar is one of the researchers. "We think that these bacteria ... stimulate the immune system," Hesselmar noted.

“And that teaches it how to do its job properly, which includes not overreacting to things like peanuts, pollen and cats, he says.