The next time you tell your child not to play in the dirty mud, think again! Being exposed to certain microbes present in grime and dirt can actually be very good for the human body. It helps in making the immune system stronger and the body becomes more resistant to diseases. Germs can be good for us, and more so if we have been exposed to it from childhood.
It has been recently discovered that the presence of bacteria on the skin’s surface, can help in fighting inflammation caused by a wound. In fact, exposure to germs and bacteria that is synonymous with being dirty can prevent allergies by priming up the immune system. Not being exposed to the mud and grime, can make a person more sensitive to allergies. The skin’s ability to heal itself can be impaired on being too clean! Research figures and data support this theory. It has been found that more number of children in developed countries suffer from allergies such as hay fever and eczema. The number of children diagnosed with severe immune disorders and food allergies has gone up in the past decade. Some of these disorders could be life threatening.
According to the team of the dermatologists who made the discovery, a common bacteria known as staphylococci can help in reducing inflammation caused by injury. Therefore, the presence of these bacteria on the surface of the skin can be quite helpful. This is primarily one of the reasons, why kids should be encouraged to play outside and allowed to get dirty.
Staphylococci prevent inflammation through the mechanism of its molecule called staphylococcal lipoteichoic. This acts on a molecule found in the outer layer of the skin, called the keratinocytes. With this brilliant discovery, very soon new therapies can be devised for treating inflammatory diseases.
So basically the next time your child wants to go out and jump in muddy puddles, you should join in rather than forbidding him or her. The attitude of mollycoddling has to go, and this is what researchers say too. By protecting your child so much, you come in the way of their natural resistance built up. In fact, kids today are not enjoying a proper childhood because parents have become too paranoid. Kids just have to be allowed to go outside and play. It is healthy and natural, and doesn’t really do any harm. In fact, staying indoors and playing on that computer or ps3 can be more harmful! Actually even parents can’t be blamed because there are just too many advertisements that talk about antibacterial products. This of course, makes parents wary of letting their children out in dirty surroundings. Of course, you must not ignore the hygiene factor. Hands and face should be washed once the kids are home, but on no terms should they be literally wrapped in cotton wool and kept inside. Non exposure to germs can be quite damaging, not to mention it makes the immune system weak.
So let your child run out right after it rains, after all it is just a bit of dirt!
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