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Babies in daycare less likely to deveop asthma
Categories: Newborns, Babies, Health & Safety, Medical Conditions
Asthma is the result of an overactive immune system. When a benign substance, such as pollen, is inhaled by an asthmatic, their body reacts defensively, which creates inflammation and wheezing. Researchers have long thought that this over-response is in part due to the fact that we are not exposed to as many germs in modern society as we were in the past. They call this the hygeine-hypothesis.
It's not a perfect theory, but a new study is giving it more weight. Infants who go to daycare between the ages of six and twelve months were 35% less likely to develop asthma by kindergarten. Researchers speculate that being exposed to more germs as babies gives the immune system more work to do, so that it doesn't "get bored" and turn on harmless invaders like allergens.
The hygiene-hypothesis is just one theory about asthma. There's also pollution, smoking, poor diet, obesity -- the list goes on and on. But if your family has a history of allergies and asthma and you've got your baby in daycare, this study shows that the extra exposure to other children might be doing your baby's body good.
It's not a perfect theory, but a new study is giving it more weight. Infants who go to daycare between the ages of six and twelve months were 35% less likely to develop asthma by kindergarten. Researchers speculate that being exposed to more germs as babies gives the immune system more work to do, so that it doesn't "get bored" and turn on harmless invaders like allergens.
The hygiene-hypothesis is just one theory about asthma. There's also pollution, smoking, poor diet, obesity -- the list goes on and on. But if your family has a history of allergies and asthma and you've got your baby in daycare, this study shows that the extra exposure to other children might be doing your baby's body good.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jamie 9-18-2008 @ 3:17PM
For those of you who don't want to go the day care route, there might be a Mother's day out program near you. The other option is the nursery at the YMCA. I am a stay at home Mom and nursery care did not work for my family. I can tell you though, my son has been exposed to germs. I don't frequent the local pediatric centers, not that person either. I just take my children to places where other children play. They are bound to stick something in their moth that is good and disgustingly germy. One time my son was caught chewing a piece of used gum (or at least that is what I am telling myself that it was). They will expose themselves to other foreign entities without a need for a parent sending them off to a nursery environment.
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isisaquaria 9-18-2008 @ 5:02PM
No daycares in my family for two generations, no babysitters at all for my kids or most nieces or nephews--and no asthma. We clean with germicidial bleach at all of homes here on the farm and we change all clothes when the kids come home from school --we are clean freaks. But my kids are rarely sick, and do not have allergies or asthma.
Nice idea to place blame--yet again proven wrong by fact.
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Uly 9-18-2008 @ 10:59PM
The plural of anecdotes is not "data". Nor is it "fact".
Kam Wilson 9-19-2008 @ 7:34AM
I guess I wouldn't personally put much thought into this for my own kids health. I prefer to watch him grow and see all his baby smiles instead of paying someone else to do that for me. He's just TOO cute to let anyone else have the fun of raising him simply because I want him to have "better" odds against contracting asthma.
Kam from http://www.raisinglakota.com
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Carolyn 9-20-2008 @ 12:03PM
Asthma isn't conclusively caused by an overactive immune system. We just don't know what causes asthma. Inflammation of the airways is just one of the components of asthma; the other is too much secretions from the bronchial tubes that gunk everything up. But the exact cause is undetermined.
Additionally, there are different types of asthma. There is allergic asthma, which is asthma triggered by environmental allergens. I think that's the type of asthma this blogger is trying to write about, but this isn't the only type of asthma, and not everyone with asthma has allergies and has reactions to allergens that end up worsening asthma symptoms.
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Chelsea 9-29-2008 @ 7:10PM
I don't think Asthma is caused by a certain environment. I had Asthma as a kid and I grew up in Idaho in the mountains breathing fresh air every day. Mine is hereditary, but some are caused from running or doing heavy sports. There are people from all walks of life and all ages that have asthma. I don't think it can be attributed to just one thing.
My children will never be in daycare.
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