There may be nothing cuter than a roomful of little kids, but many parents worry that daycare centers are also full of other children's germs. I was actually excited to put her in daycare, the only hesitation I had was whether how often she would get sick and how many days of work I would miss. Tracy Kurswell waited until her daughter Sarah was 15 months old to enroll her in daycare. She's been more sick than she would have been if she was home with a baby sitter, but she really thrives in this program alot. It turns out those illnesses may be just what the doctor ordered.
Scientists studying asthma say interacting with other kids seems to help children's immune systems.
Researchers found babies with no older brothers and sisters, can get that same benefit from daycare. Babies who attended daycare in their first six months of life had more infections before age three, but were half as likely to suffer from asthma and allergies after age six. This site is best viewed in Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher and Netscape 4.0 and higher. The E.W. Scripps Co. All rights reserved.