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The Dirt on Dirt: Is Hyper-Hygiene Making Us
Too Clean? Baptist Health South Florida
10 HORA PASA , 11 DI APRIL 2018 12:01
SECCION: SALUD
Your toddler is playing in the dirt again or exploring some unidentifiable substance from who
knows where. It makes you cringe, and your instinct is to immediately wash those little hands.
Dog slobber? Yuck. Dirty toys? Get out the antibacterial wipes! And the three-second rule,
which allows kids to eat food off the floor if it’s retrieved quickly, is simply not your style.
But wait.
If you’re a parent who works hard to keep your kid clean and avoid unsanitary situations, you
may be making a mistake. Growing evidence suggests that in many cases, rather than
protecting babies and kids from disease, a sterilized and tightly controlled environment may
actually set children up for a lifetime of allergies and other immune system conditions.
Young children’s immune systems develop by exposure to microorganisms, including bacteria,
viruses, algae and fungi, as well as by good nutrition, plenty of sleep and getting routine
vaccinations. A strong immune system is believed to make children less likely to develop
