The NEJM editorial was quite straightforward about the public policy message. They argued that the results may assuage the consciences of working parents. But the more serious question is the following. There is by now a large body of research arguing that day care is a health threat to infants, substantially increasing such risks as respiratory infections, inner-ear infections, and even leading to increased absenteeism for the parents. Given the usual inclination of the press to emphasize potential dangers over reassuring news that all's well, it is surprising to find a lack of news accounts presenting these results, to which the NEJM study would serve as antidote.
Numerous examples abound.
They found that the rate had increased substantially, and argued that the true scope of the problem had been previously underestimated. The associated factors were multiple, but quite prominently mentioned was the effect of day care. Specific child-care practices must be examined in relation to bronchiolitis hospitalization trends. The research, appearing in a major medical journal, offered a clear warning sign about the consequences of emerging social practices. Yet the press reaction was strangely muted.