Let Them Eat Dirt

When you become a parent, especially in the early new-born days, the world becomes a filthy, germ-ridden place. You can’t look at a door or a shopping trolley handle without worrying about the microscopic enemies invisibly lying in wait on the surface.

It seems cleaning companies know this and in response, have created countless antibac products that for the most part do more harm than good. Hand gel, hand wash, surface sprays, washing detergent, wipes, mouthwash, toothpaste, and more. The list goes on. One typifying feature of adverts for these products is that they tend to include women and children. I love my Dettol surface spray as much as the next parent, but the antibacterial adverts that play on parent’s fears drive me nuts. One, in particular, sticks in my mind. Dettol anti bloody bacterial washing detergent! The selling point of the advert is that you can’t see the germs hiding in your children’s clothes. It’s ridiculous! Are you planning to let your child eat their vests? Suck their pants? Or maybe you’re going to bandage your child’s nasty cut with their freshly washed t-shirt?

No? Then you really do not need antibacterial washing detergent!

I first saw this advert just after Isaac was born. During the time many new mums turn into clean freaks that want to put their baby into a padded, antibaced bubble and eradicate every germ within a ten-mile radius. My irrational new mum brain was triggered by this advert — germ-free, sterile clothing, yes, that’s what my new-born needs! Thankfully my rational mind kicked in before I went out wasted my money on this rubbish.

According to the experts, children need more germs and dirt in their life to help them fully develop a robust immune system. All the current research tells us that children who grow up in too-clean environments may develop hypersensitive immune systems that make them prone to illness and allergies.

Prof Gilbert, the director of the Microbiome Centre at the University of Chicago and author of Dirt Is Good: The Advantage of Germs for Your Child’s Developing Immune System. Says, “Most parents think all germs are bad, that is not true. Most will just stimulate your immune system and make you stronger”. He says that parents can often over-sterilise environments for their children. He says that when children are in the garden playing in the mud, for example. It’s not necessary to immediately sterilise their hands or worry that the dirt may have gotten close to their faces.

He also says that it’s beneficial for children to spend time around animals. For example, instances such as a dog licking a child’s face are, in fact, beneficial for their immune system rather than a cause for concern.

If you’re reading this sat at home with a new-born, I understand the inherent need to protect your baby from germs. For the first three months or so, it is probably best to be on the safe side. But as your baby grows and their immune system strengthens you won’t need to be quite as vigilant. When they are two or three months old, they will start exploring the world. This usually begins with them putting everything in their mouth. When this happens, try to relax. Resist the urge to sterilise and anti-bac everything they pick up, as exposure to germs builds up a baby’s immune system. Once the body is infected by a specific virus, it learns how to make antibodies to fight it. So, the next time it’s exposed, the body can fight it off.

While exposing your baby daily to friendly and harmless everyday germs is essential for building a robust immune system. You will obviously wouldn’t want to purposely expose them to viruses or germs that could make them poorly. So, it’s always important to wash hands regularly, when you or a family member are under the weather. But when everyone’s feeling well, you can relax, there’s no need to worry about germs.

All the evidence tells us that our children need germs. So, forget the five-second rule, let them eat food off the floor, get a rescue dog and let them play outside in the dirt and mud! Il finish with a quote from Robert W. Frenck Jr., MD, professor of paediatrics at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. “Just as a baby’s brain needs stimulation, input, and interaction to develop normally, the young immune system is strengthened by exposure to everyday germs so that it can learn, adapt, and regulate itself.”

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