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What's Up with Dirt?

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I get it.  We want our children to be clean and free of germs and germy places. If you’re like me, the play places at local restaurants give you the heebie-jeebies because it’s like you can literally SEE all the germs. Yes, I am that mom with a wipe, all but chasing my children around after they are done playing, just so I can sanitize them! In today’s society, we are hyper-focused on steering clear of germs and bacteria. We use and overuse hand sanitizer, anti-bacterial soaps and wipes, shopping cart wipes, etc. With all the illnesses and diseases floating around out there, it’s no wonder! But are we actually doing more harm than good for our children and families?

The answer to that is, potentially, yes. While time spent outdoors is on the decline, time spent indoors involved in sedentary activities is increasing, when it should be exactly the opposite. According to a recent report from the National Wildlife Federation, letting kids play in the dirt not only allows them freely to explore their surroundings, burn off energy, gain strength and gross motor skills, but actually can make children healthier. Say what?!

Consider this: When children spend time outdoors playing in the dirt, they are exposed to various bacteria, viruses and microbes that are essential to our bodies and can lead ultimately to a stronger, healthier immune system. While living in an ultraclean environment sounds great and beneficial, it actually can cause your child to develop allergies, asthma and other chronic disorders. In Dr. Maya Shetreat-Klein’s new book Healthy Food, Healthy Gut, Happy Child, she advocates a “lifestyle centered around contact with the microbes present in the soil.” She says, “In one teaspoon of soil there are as many microbes as there are people in the planet. That is an incredibly biodiverse experience for our brains, our immune systems, our guts.” She goes on to boldly state, “Parents today are keeping their children away from the things that are critical to their health. We are sanitizing their lives with cleaning products, pesticides and antibiotics.”

An incredibly fascinating article in the Wall Street Journal titled “Get Your Children Good and Dirty” states some alarming information. “Our anti-microbe mission has been accompanied by an explosion in the prevalence of chronic noninfectious diseases and disorders. Diabetes, allergies, asthma, inflammatory bowel diseases, autoimmune diseases, autism, obesity and certain types of cancer are at an all-time high. The incidence of some of these disorders is doubling every 10 years, and they are starting to appear sooner in life, often in childhood.” While some of these do have a genetic component, that alone cannot explain the increased rates we are now seeing in these, and other, conditions.

While keeping healthy is a delicate balance as a family, we can try a few, very simple ideas for change. In a WebMD article, Thom McDade, PhD, associate professor and director of the Laboratory for Human Biology Research at Northwestern University, says, "I'd like to see a recalibration toward common sense. You don't have to wash or sanitize everything." Parents can increase their children’s time spent outdoors, as well as encourage “dirty” play. Let your children play with bugs, dig in the dirt, mud or sand, and resist the urge to tell your children it’s “yucky” or “dirty.” Besides, it’s fun!

Now, I have to admit, my husband jokingly called me a germophobe after we had our first child. I had sanitizing wipes with me all the time…and I used them all the time! However, with each subsequent child (we now have three), I have become less and less concerned. I still sanitize my children’s hands sometimes (reference paragraph one!) and I still don’t prefer for my children to lick the floor, eat out of the trashcan or chew on the shopping cart handle. But, if they do, I know they are going to survive and it might just give their immune system a healthy boost!

So here’s your challenge: This spring when you have a picnic outdoors with your children, resist the overwhelming urge to clean your children’s hands before they eat. Are you in? I’m in! Good luck!

 

Great places to get dirty:

Julie Collett writes from her home in Overland Park, where she tries not to oversanitize but let the healthy germs take over!

            As always, please consult your health care provider with any questions or concerns.

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