Germ exposure beneficial to children's health article

[brittone2]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/conditions/04/05/cohen.allergies/index.html


Nothing earth shattering, and it has been discussed before, but just some reassurance for those of us (like me) who let our kids eat things dropped on the floor and tossed w/ a little pet hair to boot ;)

[chlobo]

"She sanitizes the family's toothbrushes by putting them either in the dishwasher or boiling water."

Ewe. I would never brush my teeth with a toothbrush that had dishwasher soap residue on it. It's one of the most toxic cleaners on the planet. Yick.

[mommyj_2]

I always get freaked out when I see people wiping off everything. I'm horribly allergic to bleach (I can't breathe when someone cleans with it in my presence), and I cannot see how in the world using it regularly could be a good thing.
I'm definitely in the germ camp :) I'm sure that doesn't surprise anyone here, though. It goes with my crunch.
I used to walk around barefoot in college all the time. I loved the feeling of the grass on my feet.

[julieakc]

I guess I'm on the fence on this one, meaning I'm neither in the germ camp nor a clean freak. I've read for years that all the antibacterial soaps, cleaners, etc. out there may be doing more harm than good for us.

With DS I was probably a bit on he clean freak side at first, but in my defense he did spend his first 3 1/2 weeks in the NICU and was failure to thrive for a few months after that. However, that did not stop me from going out with him, I just practiced good hand-washing. But after those initial months I have more often than not picked dropped food off the floor (and not just at home) and handed it back to him. I don't worry too much about most things he wants to "taste", although certain things bother me....underside of restaurant tables for one. However I do use a shopping cart cover because those are pretty gross to me, although I admit there have been times when I've done without. Sometimes I wipe tables down, but most of the time I don't.

Bottom line, like with most things I think a healthy balance is important here.

[JBaxter]

My very wise grandmother ( had 8 children before she was 30) always told me .... A little dirt never hurt a child it made them healthier.
It was funny after reading that article that was the FIRST thing that popped into my head.

[Jo..]

I KNEW it. I have been telling my MIL this for years!!! MY SIL is a complete mess when it comes to keeping her house clean, and her kids are NEVER sick. Not a cold, not an ear infection, nothing. It's amazing. We've been joking that her kids must have cast iron immune systems. I guess we were right :)

[Katia]

Eek -- really?! I didn't know about dishwasher soap being toxic. I've been in heaven now that I actually *have* a dishwasher, after years and years without. Any safer alternatives? Or does it get adequately rinsed off things that aren't toothbrushes? ;-)

Katia
DS 2003

[jbowman]

I don't get it. LOL! Why wouldn't you just buy new toothbrushes?

[chlobo]

Yeah, really. But maybe she "washes" them every week or something.

Dishwasher soap has to be very caustic. That's how it gets stuff off your dishes. Just read the warnings.

I've tried two alternatives so far. One was Trader Joe's brand and I didn't like it. It didn't seem to get things clean.

Right now I'm using Bio-Clean dishwasher soap (its a powder). So far we haven't had any problems. Really seems to work well. Naturally, its still not exactly "safe" to have around but it is less caustic and less harmful to the environment than other commercial brands.

[mudder17]

TJ's has an eco dishwashing detergent that seems to work quite well for us. I think they have both powdered and liquid, but we got the powdered.


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah
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Kaya's a cousin! 10/1/05, 5lb13oz

[lisams]

I've heard this before and I wonder...could it be that parents who disinfect every surface are exposing their children to toxic residue from the cleaners which harms the child's immune system leading them to be more vulnerable to allergies and asthma?

Interstingly our healthiest winter was this one - we switched to non-toxic cleaners, threw out the Lysol and started using non antibacterial hand soap. I have to wonder if all of that stuff we were using in the past was weakening our immune systems or something.

I'm germ-a-phobic about certain things - shopping cart handles and public restrooms top my list, other things not so much.