Summary of the Article
This article reports the findings of a study conducted by a team of experts from the University of California, San Diego, led by dermatologist Richard Gallo. By studying mice and human cells cultured in a laboratory setting, the team discovered that some bacteria existing on the surface of the skin fulfils a fundamental role in combating inflammation that may arise when individuals get hurt by working to dampen down overactive immune responses, which often leads to rashes or occasion the injuries to become swollen and excruciating (Wardrop para. 2). Specifically, the bacteria – known as staphylococci – functions to reduce inflammation after injury by releasing a molecule known as “…staphylococcal lipoteichoic acid that acts on keratinocytes, the primary cell type found in the epidermis – or outer skin layer” (Wardrop para. 9).
Staphylococci are generally thought to be harmful, but this particular study identified for the first time ever how one of the bacteria’s products (staphylococcal lipoteichoic acid) operates to prevent inflammation. However, the bacteria must be present on the skin of the hurt individual for the process to commence, thus the element of dirt.
The discovery, according to the team, not only supported previous research findings which implied that exposure to germs during formative years of childhood could boost the immune system, hence curtail allergies, but also provided a molecular framework through which scientists can understand the hygiene hypothesis, and also helped unearth some critical elements of the wound repair system that were unknown prior to the study (Wardrop para. 10). Previous studies had employed the ‘hygiene hypothesis’ in spirited attempts to explain why more children in the developed countries suffer from allergic reactions than their counterparts in the less developed world. This particular study, more than anything else, will assist health professionals in devising new therapeutic strategies for inflammatory infections.
Supporting the Idea of Letting Children to Play in the Dirt
The article opens a new dimension as to why children should be left to play freely in the dirt. According to the researchers, some of the bacteria that children interact with during the process of play may actually be beneficial to them, especially in terms of preventing potential inflammation of open cuts and wounds (Wardrop para. 8). Child psychologists and parenting groups have been pleading with parents to allow their children greater freedom to play outdoors (Wardrop para. 12), but some parents have been adamant to heed the advice especially after viewing advertisements that caution them about the risks involved in letting children to freely interact with dirt during play.
While it is imperative for parents to ensure the health and wellbeing of their children, restricting children’s play for the reason that they may be exposed to bacteria and other germs defeats the very reason of nurturing children in a way that will enhance their immunity, social participation and socialization processes. Children must be allowed to have a proper childhood, and letting them to freely interact with the environment during play is one of the ways that enhances a proper childhood.
They are many benefits why children must be allowed to play in the dirt. This particular article has demonstrated that it is natural and healthy for children to play in the dirt since it does not only boosts their immune system, but also allows them to interact with some bacteria that could be fundamentally helpful in the event that the children gets hurt (Wardrop para. 8). Many of the allergic reactions reported in children from developed countries are thought to be exacerbated by paranoid parents who fail to allow their children to become exposed to germs at an early age (Wardrop para. 15).
As such, it can be argued that allowing children to play in the dirt has obvious therapeutic benefits. On the social front, children become more knowledgeable and are able to cultivate adequate socialization strategies when they are allowed to play and interact with others in the dirt.
Works Cited
Wardrop, M. Children should be allowed to Play in the Dirt, New Research Suggests. Telegraph. (2009). Web.