To work as well as possible, immune system also needs to exercise. As the saying goes “Use it or lose it.” Healthy kids are healthy because they have built up some antibodies to a variety of common sicknesses. Antibodies are built up by germs exposure and their production is boosted by Vitamin C. The germs are thought to “train” the immune system to react appropriately. Thus, germs or bacteria exposure does not entirely stress or strain the immune system. They actually help children to develop the proper immunity to fight off diseases.

Many times when people think of germs they associate them with disease. This notion is mostly brought about by the increasing number of commercials for cleaning sprays that kill “99.5%” of bacteria and viruses on household surfaces. However, the reality is that only 10% of bacteria are “bad” or pathogenic (disease-causing) while the other 90% are “good” or non-pathogenic. In fact, they are necessary components for human life. And using products that really do kill bacteria should somehow worry us. It might contribute to some bacteria evolving to survive that are even harder to kill.

In connection to this topic, I think it’s also important to mention that antibiotics kill off good bacteria, not just bad — like some good bacteria help keep the digestive system in working order and keep harmful bacteria from moving in. That’s why we should only give our children antibiotics when the pediatrician tells us. Parents are usually tempted to keep leftover antibiotics for their children to take at the next sign of illness. But we have to bear in mind that children have innate immunity. Their immune system should be given opportunity to develop, and we should not give them antibiotics before diagnosis is established. If a child mistakenly takes antibiotics when he/she doesn't really need them, it could lead to bacteria that become resistant to antibiotics. This means that the antibiotics may not work when they really need them.