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Germ
WarfareCleanliness is next to impossible
Parents today are ever-vigilant for every possible sneak attack from the billions of germs with which we share our planet. A dropped dummy is subject to a dunk in boiling water before it ever sees the inside of a baby's mouth again. A teddy, lovingly shared between toddlers, endures a quick spin on the hot cycle. And plastic toys are disinfected and sterilised until they gleam like new. Yet despite all this, germs continue to multiply, and babies and toddlers continue to come into contact with them. So here is the good news. It is neither possible nor desirable to live in a germ-free world.
The good, the bad and the ugly
The word 'germ' is actually an umbrella term for any potentially harmful micro-organism. The four major types are;
Bacteria - There are literally thousands of different types of bacteria - each square centimetre of your skin averages about 100,000 bacteria - and they are among the earliest forms of life that appeared on Earth billions of years ago. They can cause infection and illness. However, some bacteria, known as helper germs, are friendly or good bacteria, aiding digestion and absorption of food.
Viruses - These can cause illnesses such as chickenpox, measles and flu. These germs can only survive in or on a living thing, either animal, human or plant.
Fungi, moulds and mildew - These plant-like organisms thrive in warm, moist conditions and cause conditions ranging from athlete's foot to asthma and breathing problems.
Protozoa - These single-cell organisms also enjoy moist conditions. In fact, every time you drink a cup of water you swallow millions of live protozoa! Some protozoa are responsible for diseases such as malaria and dysentery
House-proud or house-obsessed?
For thousands of years, humans have lived in an environment contaminated with bacteria and other microbes. Our bodies learned to recognise the presence of germs and respond accordingly, an ability which, according to scientists, is learned in the first six to 24 months of life.
In fact, a baby's immune system begins preparing for microbial onslaught even before birth, with the placenta acting as a filter that lets through small amounts of innocuous allergens and microbes and by the age of three years, the human body has learned all it needs to know to fight against germ invaders. Over the last century, protection against infectious diseases - through antibiotics, vaccines, water purification, sanitation and hygiene - has dramatically improved our health and increased our life expectancy.
However, work from a growing number of research teams is reinforcing the 'hygiene hypothesis', which says that exposure to microbes and getting infected with some of them strengthens the body's natural immune system against allergies. The theory, according to a study published in the March 2004 Annals of Internal Medicine, is that our use of disinfectants and antibacterials has interfered with our early exposure to germs and disturbed the body's system for recognising and responding to bacteria and viruses.
The unused immune system, which is keen to do its job, therefore sees dust and pollen as dangerous invaders and responds in a way that causes asthma and allergies.
Apart from this, these antibacterial products offer little protection against the most common germs that cause illness anyway. So more good news for parents who don't really want to spend all their time cleaning and disinfecting - it's probably best that you don't anyway. Keep your house tidy and clean but remember, germs live there too and bleach and sprays are harmful to germs! It's also worth remembering how these strong chemicals can be affecting your child's health too.
Click here to read Kids and Chemicals.
A dirty child is a happy child
Holistic practitioner Natasha Trenev, author of 'Probiotics: Nature's Internal Healers,' says that that healthy bacteria such as Bifidobacteria and Bene bacteria guard against bad germs in the large bowel and stimulate weight gain in infants.
"What we've done environmentally is sterilize everything. Healthy bacteria can't thrive," she says.
"Because of our obsession with sterilization and cleanliness, the hospital environment, almost always the first one a newborn experiences, can often make the situation worse.
"A study done in Sweden and Astonia found that babies raised in sterile hospital environments experienced a six-fold increase in allergies."
There is little doubt that we have become 'dirt phobic' but is it something that our children want or need? After all, does your one year old care that he's left chocolate fingerprints all over the wall or smeared yogurt down your curtains? Does he think his mummy is best because she spends all day cleaning and tidying up? What makes him laugh more - making a mess or having his face wiped clean? Your toddler doesn't care what the house looks like and is more likely to thank you for playing with him than cleaning around him.
So another bit of good news; if your toddler drops food then picks it up and puts it in his mouth before you have time to react, don't worry. Children are perfectly able to eat non-sterilised food.
Just one rule
When it comes to germs there are lots of statistics and plenty of antibacterials available to buy but there is only one rule that anyone needs. There are two words that germs fear the most - soap and water! Statistics show that:
- One in three men and one in five women do not wash their hands after using the toilet
- the number of germs on your fingertips doubles after you use the toilet
- germs can stay alive on hands for up to three hours
- You will have 1000 times more bacteria on your hands after you have washed your hands - if you do not dry them correctly.
Environmental Health Officer, Joanne Hodson, says, "Good hand washing is one of the simplest, most effective safety techniques. We all expect professional chefs and cooks in restaurants to have clean hands yet, often at home, we are tempted to cut corners and this comprises safety. Keeping our hands clean, especially when preparing food, is a crucial line of defence against harmful bacteria."
Liz Corbett, head of Glasgow environmental health, says "By taking care of your hands you can protect your health."
Some counties in the UK are even running hand-washing workshops, especially for children.
Linda Betton is the health Promotion Officer for the Borough of Telford & Wrekin and says, "Visual, practical demonstrations are extremely effective at getting across important safety messages. Because hand washing is fundamental to the health and well-being of children, we are teaching children about how to wash hands properly for a cleaner and healthier life."
Where to next?
- Kids and chemicals, do they mix? Read more…
- Find out about chemicals of concern in pregnancy
- Read today's news
