A newly published study Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (the peer-reviewed journal of the of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology) indicates that attending daycare at an early age may protect children from developing asthma later on.

Children who went to day care by 3 months of age had lowered IgE levels. The IgE levels of day care children remained low through age 3 years, but this protection appeared to be limited to children whose mothers have asthma or a family history of susceptibility to allergy.

Children who attended day care outside their own home had lower IgE levels than those who attended day care in their own home with children not their siblings, or than children who didn't attend day care.

The authors believe that regular exposure to bacteria from two different environments may play a role in immune development and supports the idea that there may be a critically short period when such bacterial exposure can guide the immature immune system to develop on a healthy path.