Researchers hope that this study will shed some light on the ’soaring incidence of asthma in recent decades’.

It has been shown previously to that babies born naturally are exposed to maternal vaginal and intestinal bacteria, while babies delivered by c-section are not. Researchers have suggested that this may create an early-life exercise for the immune system, helping infants to identify and fight pathogens.

Researchers supporting the ‘hygiene hypothesis’ argue that a lack of exposure to such pathogens can be bad for the immune system. They theorize that in the absence of such exposure, immune systems become sensitised to harmless materials, for example, dust or pollen, consequently resulting in conditions such as allergies and asthma. Too hygienic a birth without a welcome dose of mother’s microbes might give rise to a hypersensitive future in a genetically susceptible baby,” Nature quoted allergist Maria Pesonen of the Helsinki Skin and Allergy Hospital in Finland, as saying.

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1. Simplyfun Ribbit Board Games - About 1,500 games are being recalled because surface paint on the five frog-shaped wooden pieces contain excess levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Parents are being asked to immediately remove the five frog pieces from the game and discontinue using them. Consumers should contact SimplyFun for a refund or a set of five replacement frogs.

For additional information, contact SimplyFun toll-free at (877) 557-7767 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.simplyfun.com

2. Elite Operations Toys - About 16,000 toys are being recall because surface coatings on the toys contain excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

The recall involves four military-style Elite Operations toys, including Super Rigs (#1004), Command Patrol Center (#1020), Barracuda Helicopter (#1023), and 3 Pack 8-inch Figures (#1024). The product number is located on the toy’s packaging.

The toys were sold at Toys “R” Us stores nationwide and toysrus.com from July 2007 through October 2007 for between $10 and $30. No other Elite Operations brand military play sets are included in this recall.

Parents are asked to immediately take the toy away from children, and return them to any Toys “R” Us for a full refund or store credit.

For additional information, contact Toys “R” Us at (800) 869-7787 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, and between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.toysrus.com

3. “Ugly Teeth” Party Favors - 43,000 fake teeth are being recalled because the surface paint on the teeth contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

The fake Halloween teeth are painted white, black and orange with brown gums. They were sold as party favors in packages of eight. “Ugly Teeth,” “Amscan,” “Party Favors,” “Value Pack Party Favors,” UPC 0-48419-65002-7 and UPC 0-48419-61663-4 are printed on the packaging.

They were sold at various store for about $2.

Parents are being asked to immediately take the recalled Halloween teeth away from children and return them to the place where purchased for a full refund.

For additional information, contact Amscan Inc. at (800) 335-7585 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.amscan.com

4. “Galaxy Warriors” Toy Figures - Abut 380,000 toy figures are being recalled because surface paints on the recalled toys contain excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

The posable spaceman figures are about 4½-inches tall and come with two accessories. They were sold in various colors including yellow, grey, silver, blue, green, gold, black, and red.

They were sold at dollar store nationwide for about $1.

Parents are being asked to take the recalled toys away from children immediately and return the toy to the firm for a full refund plus postage.

For additional information, contact Henry Gordy International toll-free at (888) 790-2700 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.

All together now…Awww!!!

Look at how cute Victoria Beckham and son Romeo, 5, look at the pumpkin patch earlier this week.

Although the Beckhams are not used to Halloween festivities in their native England, they are adapting well to American culture. “I’ve got three Batmans at home right now,” she says of her sons’ costumes. “We will go trick or treating tonight.”

PHOTOCREDIT:PLOKIMAGING/WIREIMAGE via PEOPLE
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The boys each ride in a Mountain Buggy Urban Elite Stroller($429).

Mountain Buggy also makes this exact stroller in a double version. I can’t figure out why they would have two singles instead of a double. Maybe they do separate playdates and need each child to have their own ride…

PHOTOCREDIT:RAMEY via USMAGAZINE

Eileen Quintana went into labour at 4am, but didn’t decide to head to the hospital for 3 hours. Unfortunately it was rush hour and the hospital was 90 minutes away.

“I told Stephen(her husband), ‘I think the baby is coming, I feel the head,’ he said, ‘No, no were going to make it,’” Quintana said.

As he started to drive faster his two year old son, who was in the backseat holding moms hand, saying “Race car, race car, having a blast”.

Obviously his race car driving skills didn’t work because:

Bryce Abigail Naylor, all 7 pounds, 8 ounces of her, made her debut along the shoulder of the highway, just a half mile from the hospital.”I could see the exit sign when we were delivering her.

I was pretty sure we were going to make it. We were so darn close,” Naylor said.

The proud parents not only delivered their baby but they clamped and cut the cord, then continued on their way to the emergency room. Everyone is fine, including young Daniel, whose big-brother instincts immediately kicked in.”The first thing he said was, ‘She needs a shirt,’ and I said, ‘OK, we’ll put it on the list of things to do.’” Quintana said.

As doctors, they know Bryce’s birth wasn’t the ideal of circumstances, but they wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Certainly I wouldn’t recommend having a baby in the back seat but it was a special moment where the whole family was together,” Naylor said.

I guess if you want to have a baby at the side of the road, you want to have at least one doctor there. What are the chances that both parents, who are doctors, would have to deliver their own baby remotely? Slim…

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Parents of babies with Down syndrome were asked to help their children walk on the treadmills for eight minutes a day, five days a week. They sat on a bench which straddled the machine and held their babies as the treadmill belt encouraged them to take steps.

This exercise helped the babies learn to walk up to four or five months earlier than traditional physical therapy alone, the study found.

More intensive training helped the babies to walk even sooner, the study found.

The intensity of the training for half the babies was increased gradually after the infant could take 10, 20, and 30 steps per minute.

Children with Down syndrome generally don’t learn to walk until 24-28 months, about a year after children without developmental disabilities.Getting them walking sooner can help improve their social skills, motor skills, perception and spatial cognition, said study author Dale Ulrich of the University of Michigan’s Division of Kinesiology.

“The key is if we can get them to walk earlier and better then they can explore their environment earlier and when you start to explore, you learn about the world around you,” Ulrich said. “Walking is a critical factor in development in every other domain.”

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Today he is joined by his sister MacKenzie Margaret and brother Eli Benjamin Byler.

Three more sextuplets remain in the hospital: Ryan Patrick, Jackson Robert and Charlie Craig. Neonatologist Carine Stromquis says the four benchmarks for a baby to go home are taking every feeding by mouth, maintaining stable body temperature and respiratory functions and weighing at least 4 pounds.

The family has set up 3 cribs in one bedroom for the babies to sleep in and converted their garage into a playspace in preparation for the homecoming.

Related Articles:

• West Virginia’s First Set Of Quintuplets Arrive
• Minnesota Quintupets Doing Well
• Remaining Soldani Sextuplets Doing Well
• 1st Byler Sextuplet Goes Home

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Today Newsday writes that the Bronx mother has turned herself into police.

Lieutenant Chris McNerney says 39-year-old Suzette Gruber arrived at the police station Tuesday morning with her attorney. McNerney said she was to be charged with child abandonment and endangering the welfare of a child.

Police say Gruber and another woman were suspected of shoplifting at the discount clothing store on Monday. When a security guard approached she ran leaving the baby in the carriage. However police said she also left behind indentifying information.

Police said a man claiming to be the baby’s father went to police headquarters Monday night with a birth certificate, but officers wouldn’t release the child to him.

The baby has been placed with Westchester Child Protective Services.

What I didn’t know yesterday was that the baby is only 8 months old!! Hearing that really broke my heart.

Could you imagine leaving your 8 month old baby in the middle of a store because you needed to flee the scene?

As you can see from the picture, the baby is very popular with the photogs.

Emma and Boyfriend Jade recently introduced the 2 month old new edition to the world on Emma’s personal blog.

At that time she said:

“He is a bonny little soul, and he makes us so happy, he’s the best thing that’s ever happened to us.”

PHOTOCREDIT:MAVRIX via PEOPLE

The lucky guy is loading up the cart with some interesting toys…A warrior dart play set and rapid fire rifle dart blaster.

Pregnancy rumours have surfaced again after the star canceled a speaking engagement last minute due to “personal reasons”.

Letizia Manjani, a spokeswoman for the centre that was holding the fore mentioned engagement, found it difficult to keep the news a secret – despite her being under a gagging order.

She told me: “Angelina cancelled last week. Due to her privacy I can’t confirm her pregnancy, but I can say that the Italian newspapers are correct in their reports.”

PHOTOCREDIT:RAMEY via PEOPLE
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