Too clean for your children's good

Parents should learn to keep the optimal balance between avoidance and exposure to germs as being overly clean carries its own risk of disease

Ms Ashlyn Thia, with daughters Avalyn (left) and Emmalyn (right), separates adult laundry from the children's before each wash. The Clements get their domestic helper Gemmalyn Asistin, with children (from left) Julia, Abraham, Gloria and Alicia Sarah
Ms Ashlyn Thia, with daughters Avalyn (left) and Emmalyn (right), separates adult laundry from the children's before each wash.ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID
Ms Ashlyn Thia, with daughters Avalyn (left) and Emmalyn (right), separates adult laundry from the children's before each wash. The Clements get their domestic helper Gemmalyn Asistin, with children (from left) Julia, Abraham, Gloria and Alicia Sarah
The Clements get their domestic helper Gemmalyn Asistin, with children (from left) Julia, Abraham, Gloria and Alicia Sarah, to vacuum the mattresses once a week.ST PHOTO: ALVIN HO
Published: 
Apr 8, 2018, 5:00 am SGT
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Parents who are excessively concerned about cleanliness may wish to put away the hand sanitiser occasionally.

While a recent study shone a spotlight on how some children's bath toys, such as rubber ducks, can harbour harmful bacteria, medical experts say there is also such a thing as being too clean, which presents other health risks.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on April 08, 2018, with the headline 'Too clean for your children's good'. Subscribe
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