Nursery World - Children attending nursery

Children attending nursery may have a reduced risk of developing childhood leukaemia, new American research suggests. A study published in the British Journal of Cancer showed that children who are exposed to infection early and often may have a reduced chance of developing acute lymphoblastic leukaemia because their immune systems are stimulated to tackle infection. Professor Patricia Buffler, principal investigator of the Northern California Childhood Leukaemia Study, said, 'As well as attending nursery there are many ways the immune system can receive developmental stimulation, such as vaccination and exposure to siblings and friends. Our study contributes to the idea that isolation from common infections can increase the risk of childhood leukaemia.'

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