> From: Fiona Dionne <[log in to unmask]>
>
>>
>>
>> < LONDON (Reuters) - Breastfeeding is the best nutrition for babies and helps
>>> to reduce the risk of childhood infections, but scientists said on Friday it
>>> might actually increase the risk of asthma and allergies.
>>
>
> One can't help but wonder who funded this kind of research (i.e. was it
> biased?)...but my only thought with this was...if it were indeed true,
> is it perhaps because more of us put household needs aside in lieu of
> the (more important) baby's needs, thus not doing vacuuming, dusting
> etc. if the baby is "needy"?
>
> ;-)

Ironically, that doesn't jive with the other study on asthma receiving wide
media coverage yesterday (yet another area of controversy in asthma
research):

> Cleanliness next to sickliness? Dirt may deter asthma
> Denise Grady The New York Times
> Friday, September 20, 2002
> NEW YORK Children from extremely clean homes may be more likely to develop
> asthma and hay fever than those who grow up on farms or in families that allow
> a bit of dirt in the house, researchers are reporting. Dirt and manure may be
> beneficial because they are swarming with bacteria, which can help an infant's
> immune system to mature and develop tolerance - instead of allergies - to
> environmental substances like pollen and animal dander. <snip>

I remain extremely frustrated at the way this stuff gets in the news. A wire
service picks up the research report release as prepared by the folks whose
goal is to get as much coverage for their research as possible and with as
little interference as possible (note this story moved after 6 p.m. EDT -
too late for anyone to respond, but not too late to appear on the front page
of the morning newspaper.) There is no attempt on the part of reporters to
get third-party confirmation or any opposition positions because the
researchers and the med journal makes it credible and there isn't time to do
follow-up and still carry the story at the same time as everyone else.

-- Jodine Chase
Who is very cranky after going to bed to the local news and seeing the
asthma/breastfeeding story in the first half of the health segment, followed
by a garbled item on SIDS, safety in the crib, and a warning that OF COURSE
you should resist the temptation to sleep with your infant in an adult bed
because the risk of rolling on baby is too high. Grrrrrr.

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