Dogs, Dirt and Microbes
Did you know that there are lots of benefits to children growing up with dogs, spending time playing outside and growing up on farms.
LIFE LESSONS
Pets help teach young and older children valuable life lessons including responsibility, compassion, love and trust through caring for your pet.
Including your child in and sharing the responsibility for feeding, watering, grooming, washing, training and walking your dog etc. teaches them about the care that’s needed to raise a pet. When our sons were growing up and the world was against them (ie after a telling off from mum or Dad) the dog was always there to listen, snuggle and go for a walk together. Dogs are master of the gift of unconditional love.
Researchers have shown that children develop fewer allergies when they grow up on farms or grow up with a dog as a family pet (the “mini farm effect”). There’s also evidence of reduced asthma and respiratory infections too. It’s thought that the exposure to all the extra microbes helps stimulate a child’s immune system.
Here are some tips to get a healthy dose of beneficial microbes into your child’s life, but at the same time keep your family safe:
Make time for outdoor play — roll in the grass, get out and visit the countryside.
Get a family pet, especially a dog, or visit friends who have a dog.
Reduce the amount of unnecessary chemicals in your home and use natural cleaners where possible.
Avoid artificial chemical spray air purifiers and chemical aerosols. Wipe your kitchen benchtops with a clean cloth, hot water and a natural cleanser to remove dirt and grime.
Use disinfectant sprays only for when you need ultra-clean surfaces, such as when preventing infections from spreading or when you have cross-contamination concerns.
References
Ege MJ, Mayer M, Normand A-C, Genuneit J, Cookson WO, Braun-Fahrlander C, et al. Exposure to environmental microorganisms and childhood asthma. N Engl J Med 2011;364:701-9.
Pet-keeping in early life reduces the risk of allergy in a dose dependent fashion. Bill Hesselmar, Anna Hicke-Roberts, Anna-Carin Lundell, Ingegerd Adlerberth, Anna Rudin, Robert Saalman, Göran Wennergren, Agnes E. Wold. Published: December 19, 2018 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208472