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A Bad Rap for Soap?
Germs May be Good for Kids
By Laurie Dove
Recent research published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that the cause of asthma may be too much cleanliness. The more sterile the early environment for infants 6 months and younger, the more problems with asthma they seem to have later in life.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, found that young children with older siblings and those who attend day care are at increased risk for infections, which in turn may protect against the development of allergic diseases, including asthma.
But this news can be confusing to parents who have been ingrained with the importance of keeping children clean to prevent all manner of illness. The plethora of antibacterial products currently on the market also adds to the confusion. These germ-fighting products have found their way into everything from baby wipes and bath soap to laundry detergent and plastic toys.
Even schools are encouraging the use of antibacterial products.
Kate Rauhauser-Smith, of Clarksville, Tenn., says her daughter's school requested antibacterial hand sanitizer as part of its school supply list.
"I would actually rather that (the teachers) just take (the students) to wash their hands, but I guess shepherding 22 kindergartners in and out of the small bathrooms is kind of difficult and time consuming, not to mention hard to make sure their hands are washed well," Rauhauser-Smith says.
And while she isn't opposed to using antibacterial products -- such as bath soap or baby wipes -- on her children, Rauhauser-Smith says she typiclly does not seek out products that contain these germ-fighting agents.
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