Babies in day care may be less likely to develop asthma symptoms

Babies in day care may be less likely to develop asthma symptoms than those who stay home, says a new study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Researchers followed children from birth through age 5 and found that those who entered child-care centers between 6 and 12 months of age had a 75% lower risk of wheezing at age 5. Kids who started child care when they were 1 or older had a 35% reduced risk. This suggests that being exposed to viruses and bacteria in a child care may have a protective effect and play an important role in helping kids develop a healthy immune system.