Are we too clean?

Recent news articles on allergies has resurrected an old theory of mine that I came across many years ago called the "hygiene hypotheses" - you can get the info here at Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygiene_hypothesis . I know I have covered this subject a couple of weeks ago but I think it worth following up again.

I have always had a dislike for the sterilization process that some parents go through when they bring home a new baby. For some reason, we go into ultra sterilize everything mode. The floors are not just washed, they are washed with disinfectants, bleaches and all sorts of sterilizing solutions. The same goes for bathrooms, toilets, bench tops and even the dishes - you can purchase anti-bacterial dish washing liquids. Then we hit poor baby too. Anti-bacterial bath soaps, anti-bacterial nappy cleaners/soaker's, anti-bacterial bottle cleaning products and of course anti-bacterial solutions for our own hands before dare touch baby.

Is it any wonder that either every known bacteria is kills off (good and bad) or else super-bacteria are being developed - and they are generally of the bad kind.

And this is all in the house. When venture out doors, poor little bubs cannot touch the dirt, 'its full of germs'. Cannot play with the dog/cat - 'its full of germs'. As for eating dirt - or worms - gross - forget it. If one of their playmates is ill - well sorry - you cant go play - you will get sick.

It is now becoming apparent that what our youngsters are missing is a gut full of good bacteria - yes bacteria that they pick up off the floor, from eating dirt, from the cat/dog and from us - the parents. This 'good' bacteria actually helps to break down the allergy causing pathogens that are digested or inhales. Without these good bacteria to break down those pathogens, the child had no defense and so suffers a reaction.

We live in a world that is difficult enough - are we making life for our children even more difficult. What harm is there in letting the little one 'eat dirt'. I know it is hard, particularly when we don't know where that dirt has come from or where it has been - and I know how gross it sounds - but I am not talking about feeding it by the spoonful. We need to let kids play. Part of play is to experiment. To touch the dirt, the plants and grasses and yes, even the wildlife including worms etc. The small amounts of bacteria will not hurt them, maybe the odd tummy ache, but the end result is a much stronger immune system.

When it comes to the house, perhaps just sensible cleaning is in order. Of course areas that promote certain bad bacteria - toilets and bathrooms and rubbish bins etc, they do need a good thorough cleaning - and so do our hands when we use these areas. However the rest of the house can survive with just sensible cleaning. Normal detergent for dishes, bench tops and floors etc will do the job perfectly well. Simple vacuuming will suffice for carpets. As for the use of aerial bacteria sprays - I often wonder what else is in the can?

Its a fine balance - we have to look after babies health now - we don't want to see baby sick. We also have to think about babies long term health - we don't want to see them living a life with allergies to a wide range of a products.

Your call - do we sterilize and suffer - or follow simple hygiene routines that may perhaps help our children in the long term.

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