Local moms, once fanatical, find a little dirt doesn't hurt

Some mothers wonder if their super-cleanliness contributed to their children's allergies.
TRACEY D'ASTOLFO
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Two-year-old Luca likes to pick up his pet turtle and play with him. Mom, Christine Kukura, worries about germs and washes his hands after, but has accepted the inevitable.
"I'm sure there are times he touches it that I don't know. I can't be in here constantly. What are you going to do? I just try to watch as much as possible."
Parents naturally want to keep their children healthy and germ-free, but recent studies suggest trying to sterilize a child's environment may not be the best approach.
More vigilant before
Kukura, of Struthers, said she was more vigilant with Anthony, 7, Luca's older brother.
"With my first one, I used to be really bad. I used to clean everything. Sterilize everything. Toys, toyboxes, playroom -- once a week I did a deep cleaning," she said.
"Now it doesn't bother me if the kids play with the dog, if they go outside and get dirty, or if he's dirty for most of the day. I don't wipe him down all the time, I wait until bath time unless it's something major."
She points to Luca's chocolate-covered mouth. "See that? With Anthony that wouldn't have been there."
Experts are now saying an obsession with cleanliness may not be healthy for children, and leads to higher incidences of allergies and asthma.
Antibacterial products
Michele Basile, of Boardman, a nurse and mother of 1-year-old Nicholas, agrees.
"I think it's overdone [the antibacterial craze]. The more you use antibacterial products, the more you desensitize them, and it makes them more susceptible to illnesses."
Basile, from Boardman, said having a baby made her more aware of germs, but she tries not to overdo it.
"I'm careful about what he eats off of, but I try not to be crazy about everything. They have to be in contact with some germs to boost their immune system. They need contact with these bacteria so they can build up immunities. That's how we're getting all these super-bacteria."
Sandra Wiesen of Liberty said she avoids antibacterial soaps, but it isn't easy.
"Sometimes you can't even find the regular soap anymore, especially in the pump, and I have to buy the antibacterial, but I don't look for it. You don't want to make the germs stronger. It's just like taking too many antibiotics.
"I'll clean anything with hot soapy water, the kids' tables, anything. That's all you need."
Wiesen said she regrets being overly sterile with her first child, Steven, now 12, and wonders if his allergies might be related to this.
"I kept [the house] as clean as possible, dust free, but he didn't improve. Now I wish I would have been a little less overprotective. Maybe that's what caused his allergies."
Younger ones healthier
Wiesen said she wasn't as obsessive with her younger children and they seem to be healthier. Jared, 8, has mild allergies, and Lucas, 3, has none.
"I'm a lot more laid back with Lucas, and he rarely gets sick. He's never even had an ear infection. He feeds dogs and they lick his face and I don't freak out. That never would have happened with Steven. I kept him away from animals.
"There are people in my family with pets and their kids are so healthy. They never miss a day of school," she said.
Kukura said there is no difference in her sons' health, despite her attempts to keep her firstborn's environment super clean.
"No, Anthony still got colds, he still got sick, it didn't matter. He was about the same as Luca, honestly."
Wiesen concluded, "You have to live in this world. When they're babies I can see how you want to be more protective, to keep them from getting any serious illnesses. But I think we're making it worse, and the germs are getting stronger."