Listening with half an ear to the news the other day, an item about a study released by the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology regarding children's health piqued my interest. It involved a report concerning how the level of cleanliness in the home affects young children later in life. I did a search and found this follow up discussion on Web MD: "Infants are much less likely to suffer from allergies or wheezing if they are exposed to household bacteria and allergens from rodents, roaches and cats during their first year of life, the study found."
Hmm.....
As quickly as my "guilt" gene kicked in, because yes, I kept a spotless house when my girls were little, I immediately dismissed the thought and said to myself, "That's rubbish!"
The Englishman and I like a nice, tidy home. I worked hard from the time we married to set up and maintain a setting that was clean, comfortable and stress free for us. And then the kids came along....
Daughter #1 had her first bout of pneumonia and a fever seizure when she was 3 years old. (I lost count of the number of bouts of bronchitis that followed over the years, in addition to several more bouts of pneumonia.) So yes, I grabbed the Lysol and made sure to disinfect every surface I could reach on a regular basis.
When our Pediatrician realized that the pattern I pointed out after years of regular sick visits indicated possible asthma and allergy problems, we were referred to a specialist. After tests confirmed my suspicions, a plan of action was recommended. This included daily showers and hair washing for daughter #1, daily changing of all her bedding, daily dusting and vacuuming. All of which I faithfully followed. I also continued to keep the house as tidy as possible to avoid any build of additional dirt. Regardless of the weather, windows were kept closed in order to keep pollen and allergens out.
Over the years, some visitors expressed discomfort at how "spotless" my house was. The truth is, I didn't keep it that way to impress or intimidate them. I did it for my child's health and my sanity. When your kids have health issues, you do whatever you can to help them.
So back to the study. Did keeping the house "too clean" add to #1's, and later #3's, allergy and asthma problems? I might have thought....possibly. Except for the fact that #2, raised in the same conditions, never had any of those issues.
I've learned I have to do what my gut tells me and what works best for me and my family, regardless of studies or advice from others. I suspect that is what most other people do too.
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