Science Friday A Little Grime Can Boost Kids’ Health. But What Kind?
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Feb 16, 2026 Dr. Amber Fyfe-Johnson, pediatric epidemiologist studying early-life microbiomes. Dr. Jack Gilbert, microbiologist focused on environmental microbes and health. They explore how soil, pets and outdoor play seed kids’ microbiomes. They discuss outdoor preschools, social sharing of microbes, and practical safety tips for nature exposure.
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Kid Ate Llama Poop
- A caller named Cheryl described her three-year-old eating fresh llama poop like raisins and getting green-black goop on his mouth.
- Both Jack Gilbert and Amber Fyfe-Johnson reacted that poop-eating is extreme and not something they'd recommend despite general support for dirt exposure.
Immune Development Needs Microbial Stimulation
- Jack Gilbert explained that immune development depends on microbial stimulation from the environment because humans evolved amid abundant microbes.
- Recreating ancestral microbial exposures for children helps their immune systems learn to defend and avoid harmful overreactions.
Early-Life Microbiome Programs Lifelong Health
- Amber Fyfe-Johnson emphasized early-life immune programming shapes health across the lifespan and is highly plastic in childhood.
- Reduced gut microbial diversity in early life links to higher asthma and allergic disease risk later on.