Are Kids Too Clean for Their Own Good?
Eric Sabo, Medical Writer
	
http://cbshealthwatch.medscape.com/cx/viewarticle/404797

Oct. 5, 2001 (CBS HealthWatch) Your house is a mess. Mold is 
creeping up in the 
bathroom, and you haven't dusted in weeks. A cockroach scurries 
from 
behind the kitchen sink. The dog and cat are fighting, which is a 
shame, 
because you swear you just saw a mouse. 

If Better Homes and Gardens gave a green-thumb award for growing 
asthma, 
doctors would nominate you for it. Even if you do keep on top of the 
cleaning chores, a variety of hard-to-combat allergens can still 
make 
your life miserable if you suffer from breathing problems. 

But there is increasing evidence that some allergy triggers may be 
quite 
different when it comes to young children. When exposed to certain 
bacteria and substances released by them--endotoxins--at a very 
early 
age, "messy" kids tend to have a lower chance of developing asthma 
than 
"clean" ones. 

The things that contribute to the development of asthma are 
different 
from the things that seem to make the condition worse, says 
University of 
Arizona Professor Fernando Martinez, MD, one of the leading 
authorities 
on childhood asthma. 

This idea is part of what is known as the hygiene hypothesis--a 
controversial notion that blames our fastidious health habits for the 
dramatic rise in asthma rates and cases of some other immune 
disorders. 
Treat a child's infection with antibiotics or shield them from 
allergens 
like cat dander, and their still-developing immune system may be ill 
prepared to fend off trouble when they get older. 

The latest support for bad hygiene comes from a study of rural 
communities in Europe. Similar to previous investigations, 
researchers in 
Austria found that children who spent a lot of time near stables up 
until 
the age of 5 were 10% less likely to develop asthma compared to 
those who 
lived in similar areas without barn animals. Drinking milk straight 
from 
the farm, which is usually unpasteurized, also defended against 
respiratory problems......