Why Children Need More Exposure To Germs

Being a parent, especially for the first time, can be scary and challenging at first, and parents are often bombarded with information.  Yet, it can be difficult to determine what information will benefit the family and children’s well-being, and what is just being marketed for profit.
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The scientist Jack Gilbert, who studies microbial ecosystems at the University of Chicago, adopted a more relaxed approach toward child-rearing when his second son was born.
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He decided to investigate the science behind germs, and found that most germ exposure was actually beneficial.
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Even though it is hard to suppress the urge to protect our children from anything that could hurt them, we can sometimes hinder their ability to develop a strong immune system, for instance, when we wipe their hands after playing outdoors, or keep them away from our pets.
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Gilbert says that previously, children ate more fermented foods, rich in bacteria, and lived exposed to animals and plants and soil regularly, while nowadays,  parents make sure their children live in sterile conditions, and this leads to a hyper-sensitized immune system.
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The little body cells are known as neutrophils, when they spend too long going around looking for something to do, become grumpy and pro-inflammatory, and the moment they notice something foreign, even a piece of pollen they become explosively inflammatory, and trigger food allergies, asthma, and eczema.
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Therefore, you will help to strengthen the immune system of your child if you let it play out in the dirt. Gilberts adds that it is much better to use hot or even warm soapy water for washing your child’s hands, than using a hand sanitizer.