Why do so many kids have allergies and asthma?

There are so many children with allergies now days. I never had allergies when I was a kid. I do not remember any other kids having allergies either. If they did, they were the sickly ones who’s Mom would not let them outside very often. Now, it seems like almost all kids have some sort of allergy. They either have food allergies, indoor allergies, or outdoor allergies. It seems like in the last thirty years, or since I was a kid, it has just gotten out of control. Both of my boys have allergies. Theirs are outdoor allergies, like grass pollination for example. Also, I too have seasonal allergies. It is a miserable aggravating ordeal. There are a lot of reasons I have heard over the years that lead to allergies. Everyone has their opinion. The latest one I have heard was all the chemicals that are in foods now. I have even heard the chemicals that farmers use on the crops can be a reason. Another one was the things that are given to the animals we eventually consume. Air pollution could be another reason. There seems to be so much more toxic waste, and acid rain. I cannot help but wonder if it has something to do with our children’s immune systems. Now, when our kids get sick, we rush them to the doctor who gives them antibiotics or a shot for just about everything. Kids need to catch colds and things to build their immune systems. I think a way to help them do that is to just give them a little cough syrup and chicken noodle soup, just like our parents did when we were little. Since my youngest son has allergies and asthma, I really started reading a lot of books on the subject. I wanted answers and also, some ideas on how I could keep him healthy. One thing I learned was, to keep the windows shut at all times and just use your air conditioner. Your air condition has a filter on it, so the air gets filtered and hence, keeps allergens out. I love to open the house. That is really hard to do. So, I cheat now. As long as it does not seem to bother him, I will open the windows and turn on my air purifier. He takes his inhaler daily, so that too helps to keep his allergies and asthma under control. I think that helps a lot. We spend every minute we can outside. I cannot imagine having to keep him cooped up in the house all the time. One more thing I read was that now houses are built more tightly and insulated. That keeps mold and dust inside to irritate us further. How true all this is, I have no idea. I think we all have our own thoughts on the subject and we will never know for a fact why we and so many children have trouble with allergies now. All I know is, it is ridiculous.