Antibacterial soap not as good as we thought!

[mykidsand_i]

The Dr. told me today, when I brought DD6 in for the 4th time in 3 months- that she's being tested for low immune system problems. Apparently, there are more and more people with problems due to 'low immune systems'. He said there is a new study that was just done.

All of this antibacterial soap/lotion/foam is actually causing us more harm than good. It's not only killing off the bad germs, it's killing off the germs that our body needs in order to have a healthy immune system. Our body needs certain bacteria in order to stay 'regulated' and this antibacterial EVERYTHING that we're using is not helping our kids. if it kills off ALL bacteria, our body's can't fight off the bad bacteria and that's why so many kids are sicker and get sick more often now days.

NOW, don't get me wrong. Antibacterial stuff is OK to use on occasion- but he said that good old soap and hot water do the trick better. which, I've used most of the time anyways- but I'm certainly more aware of problems with using antibacterial wipes/foams/soaps now more than I ever have been.

I know there is a fine line between healthy/non-healthy in schools- but our school district is actually looking to GET RID of antibacterial all together (my DD's Dr. said) because the teachers/educators/school staff are relying too heavily on it instead of using the plain old soap and water. The reason why kids are getting so ill and more ill more often now days is not because of the fact that they aren't 'getting rid' of germs. It's because they are 'getting rid of too many bacteria/germs' and their bodies can't fight for themselves.

Now, I'm all for being clean. I'm all for my kids washing and being 'bad germ free'...but I do believe that our society has gone a little overboard with this antibacterial stuff and it's hurting us more than helping us. I know that they have it in hospitals (which is about the only place that it SHOULD be used 24/7 according to DD's Dr.)...but when it comes to ridding germs- I'll be going old-fashioned from now on out (for the most part!!!)...

I'll be getting rid of all the anti-bacterial soaps in my home- it's overkill for a home. Only using it when we're out in public with no other choice.

There are many good soaps (both liquid and bar soap and foams) that do not contain antibacterial ingredients...Those are what we SHOULD be using so our kids can be healthier and have better immune systems!

 

[turkeymama]

Yes, I have been hearing this for quite some time now. You're right, there are soaps and hand sanitizers out there that don't contain the antibacterial, but they sure can be hard to find sometimes.

 

[pyrxtc]

I've been telling our school this for years but no one believed me. I've been trying to teach my kids not to use the stuff but it's hard when the teachers tell them to. They both have excema and it really dries out their skin even worse. I've always thought it wrong !

 

[Sheree Bobbins]

mykidsand_i,

What you are saying makes a lot of sense. When they came out, I though anti-bacterial soaps and detergent were not good ideas. Thank-you for sharing your insights.

Karen

 

[jlewisinsyr]

America as a general populous has this germ fear and over antibiotic kick, it's unfortunately because getting sick (although it sucks) is part of the bodies natural method to building immunities. Failure to let the body do it's thing can actually make the body weaker.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

America as a general populous has this germ fear and over antibiotic kick, it's unfortunately because getting sick (although it sucks) is part of the bodies natural method to building immunities. Failure to let the body do it's thing can actually make the body weaker.

There have been a number of studies that have shown that the stronger our medical system has become, the weaker our species has become. People who would have died before now live and pass along their weak genes in increasing numbers, multiplying those weaker genes throughout the species. Darwin's law may catch up to us, yet...

 

[mykidsand_i]

America as a general populous has this germ fear and over antibiotic kick, it's unfortunately because getting sick (although it sucks) is part of the bodies natural method to building immunities. Failure to let the body do it's thing can actually make the body weaker.

I totally agree with you. I have a family who we do a lot of things with- they have three kids who are around the same ages as my girls. The mom is totally freaked out about germs. She carries the wipes EVERYWHERE, she's got the gel out a lot too. Yet, her kids are sick ALL OF THE TIME!!! She can't figure it out! I see a lot of parents doing this- and I've always believed that it's a bit 'overkill'...Don't get me wrong. My kids wash their hands before they eat, after they touch animals, after they've been to 'germ filled' places (mcDonald play area for sure)...but I believe that soap an water clean better than anything.

I have the 'bottle of germ killer' that almost everyone with kids has- but I'm now understanding that I need to cut down to almost not even using it AT ALL! I won't be buying anymore of it- that is for sure!

 

[3boymthr]

I totally agree with you. I have a family who we do a lot of things with- they have three kids who are around the same ages as my girls. The mom is totally freaked out about germs. She carries the wipes EVERYWHERE, she's got the gel out a lot too. Yet, her kids are sick ALL OF THE TIME!!! She can't figure it out! I see a lot of parents doing this- and I've always believed that it's a bit 'overkill'...Don't get me wrong. My kids wash their hands before they eat, after they touch animals, after they've been to 'germ filled' places (mcDonald play area for sure)...but I believe that soap an water clean better than anything.

I have the 'bottle of germ killer' that almost everyone with kids has- but I'm now understanding that I need to cut down to almost not even using it AT ALL! I won't be buying anymore of it- that is for sure!

My kids are giant germ carrying messes - but you know what - they're really healthy. OTH - we have a friend like your friend and her kids are sick all the time - and she too can't figure out why her kids are sick all the time.

For anyone who want to read an actual study on this there was a report on this and allergies in National Geographic last year.

 

[mykidsand_i]

Yeah, i was going to do some research and read a few of these articles. My DD6 has had health issues all of her life and her 'low immune system' cannot be fully blamed on antibacterial soaps/gels/foams/wipes...but I did use them a bit more thinking that "If I use them, I'll help her body fend off the germs her body can't fight off for itself." Well, I didn't know it- but even that's really the wrong way to think about it.

The Dr. said 'your body has 0 immune system until one can be built up by 'getting aquainted' with the not so nasty germs and learning to fight those off...if you don't allow it to fight the 'not so nasty' ones off, it will never be able to tackle the really bad ones...'

I've never been too afraid of germs- I'm certainly not 'germ crazy' when it comes to my kids like other parents are...and I still used too much antibacterial (USED being the key word). I can't imagine the amounts of it that the parents who ARE afraid of germs are using! It's scary!

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

They have actually been saying this for years. Many people just refuse to hear it. I think it's funny when people ask me how my family stays so healthy. My kids are rarely sick.....well, ds barfed today at school but that's another story entirely. I always tell them that we're healthy because we don't obsessively kill our good germs along with our bad. I also refuse to run my kids to the doctor for an antibiotic for every sniffle.

 

[C.Ann]

They have actually been saying this for years. Many people just refuse to hear it. I think it's funny when people ask me how my family stays so healthy. My kids are rarely sick.....well, ds barfed today at school but that's another story entirely. I always tell them that we're healthy because we don't obsessively kill our good germs along with our bad. I also refuse to run my kids to the doctor for an antibiotic for every sniffle.

Yes - this information has been falling on deaf ears for a long, long time now.. It's basically common sense.. Your body can't build up immunities to germs and illnesses if you totally avoid exposure to germs.. You need a healthy balance between the good and the bad.. The sickest kids I know are the kids of parents who are germaphobics and insist on antibiotics for everything from the sniffles to a tummy ache..

 

[mykidsand_i]

Yeah, that's another thing that drives me insane. Parents who RUSH their kids to the Dr. because of a low-grade fever or because they throw up once or because they have a headache (my neighbor did this- her kid had a headache for about 20 minutes and she brought him to the Dr...) YIKES people! a fever of 102 is probably good for a kid- that's how their body fights off the sickness- it's natural.

It's normal for a kid to throw up on occassion...yet the parents act like something needs to be done asap.

Dr.s have serious illnesses to deal with and are soooooo overbooked because of this 'little stuff' that they hardly have time to help the people that SHOULD be there.

 

[TheZue]

The other problem with using that stuff and using a lot of antibiotics is you are just begging to breed resistant bacteria. If a couple survive when you use it, they'll breed then you'll have a ton in your system that carry those genese to survive all the anti-bacterial products and drugs. I only pull that stuff out when one of us is really sick, and even then it's generally not the anti-bacterial stuff, it's the lysol and bleach. Bacteria aren't even what generally get people sick, it's viruses.

 

[DISdreamin']

Yeah, that's another thing that drives me insane. Parents who RUSH their kids to the Dr. because of a low-grade fever or because they throw up once or because they have a headache (my neighbor did this- her kid had a headache for about 20 minutes and she brought him to the Dr...) YIKES people! a fever of 102 is probably good for a kid- that's how their body fights off the sickness- it's natural.

It's normal for a kid to throw up on occassion...yet the parents act like something needs to be done asap.

Dr.s have serious illnesses to deal with and are soooooo overbooked because of this 'little stuff' that they hardly have time to help the people that SHOULD be there.

Okay, taking issue with this - I had a little one with a low grade fever, just generally unwell for a couple days. Took her to the docs and she tossed her cookies in the waiting room (want to get a room QUICK - that'll work every time!). Anyways, the root cause of it all - strep. Thus antibiotics. How would I know that unless I took her in?

So yes, sometimes I take my kid in because they're just unwell for a number of days. Do I treat a low grade fever? Nope, not really. No meds at all unless they're really uncomfortable, just some R&R. That fever is there for a reason, after all!

OTOH, I don't expect to have antibiotics prescribed for my kiddo unless there's a suspected - or preferrably proven! - bacterial infection. So if I go home from an appointment without a script, meh. At least I know it isn't strep! The last thing I want is Group A strep left untreated!

 

[mykidsand_i]

That reminded me of another thing I learned while taking my 'food service training' that I had to take in order to be a 'sub' for the ladies in food service...a pp brought up 'bleach'...

Do you know that 90-95% of people MIS-USE bleach? Bleach is great for killing germs...and steralizing things- but I was reminded of how LITTLE we need to use for a big job! It only takes a capful (the bleach bottle cap full) to a big sink of water/bucket of water to clean things. People use WAYYYYY too much bleach! I was watching my mom clean floors the other day- she poured 1-2 cups of bleach in her big, deep sink and that is WAY too much- THEN on top of it, she added dish soap. I got a good laugh out of that, because we were told NEVER EVER EVER to do that. Even when washing clothes...don't ever add laundry soap AND bleach at the same time- they practiclly cancel eachother out! And don't use too much bleach for ANYTHING!!!!

 

[mykidsand_i]

Okay, taking issue with this - I had a little one with a low grade fever, just generally unwell for a couple days. Took her to the docs and she tossed her cookies in the waiting room (want to get a room QUICK - that'll work every time!). Anyways, the root cause of it all - strep. Thus antibiotics. How would I know that unless I took her in?

So yes, sometimes I take my kid in because they're just unwell for a number of days. Do I treat a low grade fever? Nope, not really. No meds at all unless they're really uncomfortable, just some R&R. That fever is there for a reason, after all!

OTOH, I don't expect to have antibiotics prescribed for my kiddo unless there's a suspected - or preferrably proven! - bacterial infection. So if I go home from an appointment without a script, meh. At least I know it isn't strep! The last thing I want is Group A strep left untreated!

I think that there would be a valid reason for you to take her in-in that case- but I do believe that you didn't 'RUSH' her in. I believe we're thinking of the 'bring them in the minute they show signs or symptoms of being ill' type of 'rushing' them in...not 'wait it out a few days and see what happens'

I've been told though, by my dd's Dr. in the past that every kid is not supposed to get an antibiotic for every infection (NOT TALKING ABOUT STREP A)...but our Dr. won't even give a scrip for all ear infections (I'm happy he won't!!!!), because it's not nessesary. All streps do not require a scrip either- SOME DO. Make sure as a parent/patient that you KNOW which infections can take care of themselves with out antibiotics- or that is also how problems start.

 

[FireDancer]

The only thing in the house I use anything anti-bacterial on is the toilet. Not only will nature find a way to survive (in this case bacteria mutating to be resistant to the chemicals in the cleaners and thus harder to kill when we absolutely need to) but just like homogenizing milk there is no way to kill only the bad bacteria.

Building a strong immune system through diet and exorcizer is how I choose to combat illness, not with drugs and chemicals, at least not as the first measure of defense. The laziness of some doctors doesn't help. A friend of mine brought her daughter to the doctor over the winter and before they even spent time figuring out what was wrong they wanted to prescribe an antibiotic. She immediately found a new doctor.

 

[bumbershoot]

a fever of 102 is probably good for a kid- that's how their body fights off the sickness- it's natural.

Also tends to go along with a growth spurt or learning spurt with DS...

...but just like homogenizing milk there is no way to kill only the bad bacteria.

Pasteurizing.

Tangent...mmm, unpasteurized milk...so good...many people who can't tolerate mainstream cow's milk can drink milk straight from a (healthy and clean) cow b/c of all the extra goodies it has in it that helps to digest. Heck, did anyone else know that there's an enzyme in human milk (and I'm going to guess it's in ALL species' milk) that helps to digest lactose? I learned that when DS was itty and we went to a natural dentist who suggested this certain toothpaste with that human milk enzyme in it. Helps to break it down! Lovely!



I think that any serious attempt at avoiding germs is not good and is going to tend to do harm to our immune systems. And boy are there a lot of those in western medicine! Lots and lots of ways that try to keep us from encountering germs, keep us from reacting to germs...or trying to help us react to germs in small ways so we'll be "immune" to them next time we see them...I really disagree with all of them...



Though I'll admit I do spray with the stuff they provide and wipe down the elliptical machine at the Y after I workout, but that's mainly b/c I don't want someone to get my sweat on them b/c that's just ooky. I do NOT, however, spray and wipe it down before I work out. Not sure why THAT isn't ooky! On the other hand, if I were getting on the elliptical right after Sweaty Man and I didn't see him at least wipe the thing off, I would wipe it off. But that guy is incredibly sweaty, sweaty to an extreme...just the one guy, though!

 

[SAHDad]

I think that any serious attempt at avoiding germs is not good and is going to tend to do harm to our immune systems. And boy are there a lot of those in western medicine! Lots and lots of ways that try to keep us from encountering germs, keep us from reacting to germs...or trying to help us react to germs in small ways so we'll be "immune" to them next time we see them...I really disagree with all of them...


Though I'll admit I do spray with the stuff they provide and wipe down the elliptical machine at the Y after I workout, but that's mainly b/c I don't want someone to get my sweat on them b/c that's just ooky. I do NOT, however, spray and wipe it down before I work out. Not sure why THAT isn't ooky! On the other hand, if I were getting on the elliptical right after Sweaty Man and I didn't see him at least wipe the thing off, I would wipe it off. But that guy is incredibly sweaty, sweaty to an extreme...just the one guy, though!

I wipe down the stuff at the Y after I use it, because that's just common courtesy. But unless I see that the treadmill (or whatever) is covered with sweat (or what I hope is sweat! ), I don't wipe it off. I figure that I am giving my immune system a workout at the same time I am doing my cardio.

I did take DD in to the doc last week on the first day that she was running a fever, but mainly because DS had been there two days earlier, with an ear infection, high fever, and a couple other things. If he had not been sick, I would not have taken her - and I try to give the kids medicine only when needed, and mainly to take the edge off their discomfort. I try not to take meds myself, but mainly because I build tolerances quickly.

 

[Arielle22]

When my dds were young, we were friends with a couple who had a dd the same age as our older one. The mom was a clean freak.

We went to their house one day and she told me that the toys were safe to play with because she had just washed them with bleach. I could not imagine washing toys in bleach after normal playing.

The only time we use the hand sanitizer is when we visit our nephew who was born 16 weeks premature. He couldn't come home until just after his original due date and my sister enforced a strict sanitizer policy before touching him.

Now he is over a year old and we don't have to sanitize except in RSV season. Heck, I was joking with dsis last week that now she lets him pick up toys which have been on the car floor and play with them, even bite them. Her response was "eh, now he has an immune system".

My dds are 14 and 16. The anti-bacterial craze started after they were toddlers so they grew up just fine cohabiting with germs.