Nick King - Mid Dorset & North Poole

This article on the BBC News web site caught my eye this morning:
 
http://tinyurl.com/mvuw7l
 
Growing up around farms and smallholdings I spent most of my early years around animals.  It was necessary to retain good hygene around them, indeed that's why we often had taps, sinks and soap in the dairy and barns.  There were plenty of times though when I got a bit dirty and indeed one occasion which has become family legend when I was found playing in a large pile of something I shouldn't have been near and had to be scrubbed clean in the kitchen sink.
 
My Mum had an adage which she still uses 'a little bit of dirt never did anyone any harm'. 
 
It certainly didn't in my case or that of my wider family.  I worry that this kind of advice takes us down the route of sanitising everything and everyone.  Without some exposure to the bugs that exist in our environment our children won't build the robust immune systems they need.
 
To my mind there's also an issue of parental responsibility.  Listening to some of the commentary around the e-coli issues over the last week the blame has been laid at the door of the farm owners.  Yet, they appear to have fulfilled their responsibilities in warning about the need for hygene.
 
Yes, the authorities should perhaps have closed the farm a little earlier. 
 
I think we might be losing our perspective here.  There's a balance to be made.  Exposure to animals and the normal bugs that exist in the environment is important to building immunity, sanitising our children potentially stores up problems for the future. 
 
Parents should ensure that balance is kept and that their children are taught about hygene.  It's not the responsibility of the state to involve itself yet again in people's lives.