BOSTON -- In Wednesday's medical news, NewsCenter 5''s Heather Unruh reported on why a little dirt might be good for your children, the toll of mistakes at the hospital and something that may have asthma sufferers breathing a little easier.

Asthma Help?

Asthma is a problem for nearly 1 in 10 Americans. Now, researchers say taking antibiotics just for a little while appears to ease symptoms.

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found taking telithromycin for 10 days significantly reduced acute flare-ups. It did not, however, improve airflow -- so experts said that they want to study this more before it becomes a standard practice.

New Research

Hospitals aren't doing enough to prevent medical errors, according to a new study by a Colorado research firm.

HealthGrades found that between 2002 and 2004, a quarter of a million patients died in U.S. hospitals from preventable mistakes, making it the sixth leading cause of deaths. The study ranks Massachusetts 22nd in patient safety and New Hampshire 37th -- based on their analysis of 13 safety standards.

Read more about study.

Children And Germs

What kind of parent would let their baby crawl on the mall of a floor or eat snacks right off the rug?

A smart parent, perhaps.

A growing number of immunologists think exposing your children to germs early on could cut down on the numbers of allergies and asthma cases later in life.

But in our clean-obsessed culture, it may be a tough sell for parents who think cleaner is always better.