Sometimes, it’s good to let your kids dirty their hands

Are you obsessed with your children’s cleanliness? Don’t be. Let them go and get dirty at times. Read on to know why.

By: Editorial Team | Edited by: Saswati Sarkar | | Updated: November 18, 2019 6:49 pm

According to the hygiene hypothesis theory, childhood exposure to certain amount of dirt is necessary.© Shutterstock

With hand sanitizer brands crusading against germs (viruses, bacteria, et al.) and promising the removal of 99.9 per cent germs, we have started believing that these microorganisms are real villains in our body. Yes, they can be dangerous, ushering in a host of diseases that are quite difficult to tame. However, not all germs are the bad guys. There are the good ones as well who protect us from a number of ailments.

General wisdom in the field says that human body is home to more than 90 trillion microbes (microscopic organisms including virus, bacteria, fungi, etc.). Many of them in fact help in various important physiological functions like digestion, blood clotting and especially immunity building. So, there is no need to hit the panic button and start crusading against these germs to wipe them out altogether. In fact, according to the hygiene hypothesis theory, childhood exposure to certain amount of dirt is necessary. It will help strengthen your little one’s defence mechanism.

The hygiene hypothesis theory was propounded in the later part of 1980s by David P. Strachan in the British Medical Journal. This professor of epidemiology found that the instances of hay fever were lesser among children living in bigger households. This is because they are exposed to the hay fever germs by their older siblings. Further research revealed that inadequate exposure to germs during childhood can make your kid more vulnerable to diseases.

HOW DOES DIRT HELP?

Instead of going overboard on your child’s cleanliness, allow them to get their hands dirty at times. We tell you how, a measured exposure to germs through dirt will rev up their immune system.

Allows immune cells recognize foreign substances

Development of the immune system starts in the thymus, a gland located between the heart and the breastbone of your child. This gland is responsible for the production of immune cells known as “T” cells. An important thing to note about this gland is that it shrinks with time, so it becomes important that your little one’s immune system is trained early on to distinguish between body’s own tissues and any foreign substance. The dirt that your child kids sometimes smear themselves in, works as a training tool for the T-cells and help them do exactly this.

Helps immune cells distinguish between the good and the bad

It has been found that farm boys are less likely to develop allergies. Experts are of the opinion that this is due to their exposure to pollens, dust and animals from the early stage of life. Early exposure to these otherwise harmless substances helps the immune cells get used to them, instead of identifying them as the body’s enemies. On the other hand, if your kid’s immune system isn’t introduced to dust and pollens, these harmless substances may trigger allergic reactions later on as the immune cells will identify them to be harmful. Allergies are the body’s reactions against harmful foreign substances.

Maintains a balance between the good and bad bacteria

If you allow your kids to play in and with dirt at times, there will be a balance in the ratio of good and bad bacteria in their body. Not overindulging in sanitization will also ensure that the good bacteria stay on.

Published : November 18, 2019 1:23 pm | Updated:November 18, 2019 6:49 pm

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