Early Daycare Is Associated with an Increase in Airway Symptoms in Early Childhood but Is No Protection against Asthma or Atopy at 8 Years
January 09, 2010: Asthma is the most common serious childhood disease affecting nearly 5 million children in US. Researchers are finding solution for preventing asthma as they are at a high risks in industrialized and developing nation. Early daycare exposes children to more germs and illness at an early age. Experience more respiratory symptoms, thereby asthma and allergy are prevented during later ages.
A cohort study was conducted in 3963 newborn children prospectively for 8 years. Respiratory health was assessed yearly by the questionnaires. Airway symptoms and airborne allergens were measured and analyzed accordingly. Wheezing was increasingly seen in the first year of life but declined as use of steroids during 4 and 8 years. Early daycare did not show any protective measures for asthma symptoms, allergic sensitization, or airway hyperresponsiveness at the age of 8 years. Transient reduction in airway symptoms was seen in children without older sibling at the age of 4 and 8 years. Authors concluded that increased airway symptoms were seen until the age of 4 years and fewer symptoms during the age of 4 and 8 year correlated to early daycare. Stability was not found against asthma symptoms, hyperresponsiveness or allergy sensitization at the age of 8 years.
However daycare increases the burden of respiratory morbidity at the earlier ages. Daycare should not be considered as a promoting reason for preventing asthma and allergy. Older siblings have also been related to lower risks of childhood allergies and asthma. Increasing germ-free surroundings of modern life are actually contributing to hygiene hypothesis.
Source: http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/180/6/491