Day Care Contributes to Allergies:

Swedish Study Shows Alarming Results

According to a report on Reuters Health and a paper published in Allergy magazine, preschool age children in day care have a heightened risk of developing respiratory symptoms and allergies.

The study was conducted by surveying parents of more than 10,800 children between the ages of one and six years old. The research was led by Dr. Linda Hagerhed-Engman, of SP Swedish National Testing and Research Institute, and her colleagues. The team examined effect of day care attendance and age on respiratory and allergic diseases.

The parent's survey was cross-sectional, and asked about respiratory and allergy symptoms, as well as questions that focused on the home environment and information about day care.

The results were revealing. Over the last 12 months, children in day care had signifcantly more symptoms than those cared for at home. For example, children in day care had 33 percent more wheezes; 56 percent more coughs at night; 23 percent for doctor diagnosed asthma; 15 percent more for rhinitis; 75 percent more for doctor diagnosed hay fever; 49 percent more for eczema; and 27 percent more for food allergy.

In addition, a child in day care has increased odds of having more than six colds in the last 12 months was by more than 250%, and having an ear infection by more than 200% than those at home.

Children between the ages of one and four years old had the most pronounced risks. In Sweden, there has been a large increase in allergic reactions over the past several decades.

So what does this mean, in terms of overcoming allergies? With some additional facts, I think that we can draw some healthful conclusions about the relationship between day care and allergies.

A day care environment has the potential to introduce a number of allergens to children. For example, children may come from a home with pets, like cats, dogs and other animals. Imagine that little Janie's family has three cats. She says good-bye to each of them with a big hug before she goes to day care. The dander from those cats stick to Janie's clothes, skin, and hair. When she arrives at the day care center, that dander is released into the air and other children come into contact with it. A day care provider should ask children what their homes have to anticipate potential allergens like this.

Other children may develop a food allergy in a day care situation, if the food being offered or the dishes it is served in, is not totally free of food allergens. A food allergy is triggered when a reaction occurs after contact with a particular food to which a child is sensitized. ‘Sensitized’ means that the child has eaten the food before. A valid question is what to do about allergy and sinus relief.

Proper awareness by the day care provider and a random inspection by a parent can help keep day care allergies to a minimum by identifying allergens and removing them.