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If you’re like most kids, you’ve never been accused of being too clean. Some
scientists think we’re all a little too clean. They think our cleanliness is making us
sick.
Since the 1950s, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people
with asthma and allergies. Scientists are not sure why this is happening, but
many think it is because of changes in our lifestyles. If we compare life today to
life a century ago, we can see many important changes. Fewer of us live on
farms. Our water is cleaner. We get fewer serious childhood diseases. Families
are smaller.
People who grow up on farms, with many brothers and sisters, or those who
have serious childhood diseases are less likely to have allergies. This has led
researchers to propose that germs or other microbes somehow keep our bodies
from developing allergies. Some scientists are looking at the harmless microbes
that live in the soil, on farms, and in our intestines for clues about allergies.
Our clean lifestyles may make our bodies more likely to develop allergies and
asthma. The next time someone tells you to clean your room, you can try this as
an excuse, but it probably won’t work.