Why a bit of dirt might be good for your child.

We can’t stress enough the importance of being outside. But what many parents are not aware of are the many benefits of getting outright dirty.

Germs and dirt are serious concerns for anxious parents, but some experts say we need not worry.

Professor Gilbert, co-author of “Dirt is Good: The Advantage of Germs for Your Child's Developing Immune System” says that we need not worry.

In an interview with The Independent  he points out that over sterilizing the environment for children is not necessary since dirt are good for us. The exposure to microbes prevalent in the great outdoors will establish a stronger, more robust immune system in young people.

“Most parents think all germs are bad, that is not true. Most will just stimulate your immune system and make you stronger,” Prof Gilbert said.

Finnish academic researcher Lasse Ruokolainen's group at the University of Helsinki has dug deeper into the benefits the microbes in our environment carry.

The group has studied children and adolescents in Finland, Estonia and Russia and discovered that the more naturally a person lives, the more multifaceted is the microbial of the skin.

The good bacteria can be found in normal soil where city children may also be exposed to it in addition to children living outside cities.

In short, outdoors living does have a positive impact on childrens lives, even when getting dirty.