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Original poster

Germs

6 replies

Presto · 04/03/2004 20:46

Our 51/2 year old ds has become obsessed with 'germs' and washing his hands. It's getting ridiculous - he saw Blue Peter the other day which talked about dust mites etc. and now he is obsessing about the house being clean and his bed being clean and if the mites will eat his skin. My dh & I try to keep him calm about it and reassure him and try to get him to 'shake off germs' rather than wash his hands every 5 minutes (they are getting red and sore).
Any tips on how to deal with this?

OP posts:
SenoraPostrophe · 04/03/2004 20:50

perhaps have a little chat in which you explain that your body has lots of ways of dealing with germs and that we need to have some germs so our bodies can practise fighting them?

Original poster
Presto · 07/03/2004 07:43

Thank you for your suggestion - it's difficult to know how much information to give - he takes everything so seriously. I feel like telling him that cars are much more dangerous than any germs in our house but then he'll probably refuse to go in the car then we'll really be stuck!

OP posts:
hmb · 07/03/2004 09:53

Tell him that without germs we would be in big trouble!

Some bacteria cause illness, but most are harmless and some are even helpful. Our faeces is made up of lots of things, but between 1/3 to 1/2 is made up of dead bacteria! Without these we would be very constipated.

Our skin is covered in a layer of dead skin and germs, and these help to protect us.

Bacteria help to make yoghurt, yeast makes wine and beer, bacteria make soy sauce, fungi help to make some cheeses. And remember that antibiotics are made for us by fungi!

We need bacteria. Without them the leaves would not rot away, they are an essential part of the natural world.

Oh, and the mites only eat the skin that has dropped off, so they are helping to clear up after us.....better not to mention the fact that they poo as well. House dust is mostly shed human skin.

HTH

twiglett · 07/03/2004 09:56

message withdrawn

Original poster
Presto · 08/03/2004 17:51

Thanks very much for the link. I think it will have some useful info.

OP posts:
Thomcat · 08/03/2004 18:03

Is it possible that there is a slight OCD thing going on here? OCD is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Have a look at this book - The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Washing
Seethis

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