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Child Care Reduces Hodgkin's Risk

Young adults who attended child care or nursery school when they were children were more than a third less likely to develop Hodgkin's disease, according to a new study by Harvard School of Public Health researchers.

An article "Day-care exposure may reduce Hodgkin's disease incidence," in the Harvard University Gazette (August 26, 2004; www. news.harvard.edu/gazette/2004/08.26/) provides this explanation for the findings:

"Ellen Chang, a postdoctural fellow and researcher in the School of Public Health's Department of Epidemiology and at Karolinska Institute in Sweden, said the reduced risk is likely because kids in day care get exposed to many common bacterial and viral infections through contact with other children.  Chang said early infections can function to 'prime' a still-developing part of the immune system responsible for defense against bacterial and viral invasion.  Children whose bodies have to fight bacteria and viruses early develop more robust protection against infection than those who are more sheltered.

In contrast, adolescents who are exposed to certain common childhood infections when they're older tend to develop more severe cases of illnesses."

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