How would exposing kids to germs protect them from cancer?
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN chief medical correspondent: We’ve known for some time that exposing kids to germs reduces their likelihood of developing diseases such as asthma and diabetes. This study looked at a lot of research on leukemia and social interaction among kids. The researchers determined that kids who attend day care and play groups decrease their risk of developing the most common type of childhood leukemia by 30 percent. Their theory is that genetics and lack of exposure to germs play a strong role in determining whether a child develops leukemia. We know in places with a lot of kids, there’s more chance of infections spreading. But if kids are kept isolated, their immune systems aren’t challenged early in life, and they may not develop normally. If children also have a genetic predisposition to an overactive immune system, they could be at higher risk for cancer. The reason for this is when their immune systems finally encounter a virus later in life, the cells meant to fight
