Children need to be allowed to play in the dirt to fully develop their immune systems, expert claims

‘While most parents would do their best to keep their children and their homes as clean as possible, others are happy to let their children get dirty. Jack Gilbert is one such parent. According to Gilbert, encouraging children to play in the mud isn’t just good for them, but absolutely essential.
To the proud parent and germ expert, the belief that it’s absolutely necessary to cloister children in ultra-clean, indoor environments is simply untrue. He has said the same of the notion that animals are riddled with germs and should, therefore, be kept as far away from children as possible. “Most parents think all germs are bad, that is not true,” Gilbert told Independent.co.uk. “Most will just stimulate your immune system and make you stronger.”
Gilbert cited children from the past and children who lived in microbe-rich environments as examples. Compared to the majority of children today, the progeny of our ancestors had more robust immune systems that were strengthened by constant and diverse microbial exposure.’
Read more: Children need to be allowed to play in the dirt to fully develop their immune systems, expert claims

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