WASHING HANDS AND TOYS REDUCES KIDS' ILLNESSES
National Network for Child Care's Connections Newsletter
Polly Spedding
Senior Extension Associate, retired
Cornell Cooperative Extension, Ithaca, New York
Copyright/Access Information
Ask parents or school-age staff and they're sure to agree that
dealing with childhood illnesses is not fun, especially when they
spread from one child to another. Recent medical studies have
confirmed another fact that parents and school-age staff could
have told you: Kids can spread infectious diseases to adults,
too, and often the adults get even sicker than the kids do!
Although it is probably not possible to eliminate the spread of
infectious diseases, two simple hygiene practices can dramatically
reduce the spread of illness at home, school, and child care.
Let's take a quick look at each.
1) Frequent handwashing is considered by most health professionals
to be the single most effective way to cut down on the spread
of infectious diseases. Proper and consistent handwashing greatly
reduces the risk of spreading germs. When washing hands, follow
these five simple steps. Teach children to follow them, too.
Knowing when to wash hands is important, too. Obviously, you should wash your hands whenever they are dirty. In particular, both adults and children should wash before eating, after using the toilet, after being outdoors, after playing with pets, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing their noses. In addition, adults need to wash their hands before preparing or serving food, after caring for a sick child, after cleaning up spills, and after other cleaning activities.
2) Careful, routine cleaning of surfaces and toys also greatly reduces the spread of germs. There are many excellent cleansers and disinfectants available for home and commercial use. Scrubbing surfaces and toys with soap and water is a good way to start, but in places where children are together in groups, regular use of a disinfectant or a disinfectant cleanser is safer. You can make a simple disinfectant by mixing one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one quart of water. Or you can mix one-fourth cup of chlorine bleach to one gallon of water (recommended concentration of bleach may vary from state to state). The solution can be dispensed from a spray bottle and, of course, should be kept out of children's reach. Unfortunately, the solution loses its strength fairly quickly; it's best to mix it fresh every day.
What you clean with is also important. According to the Soap and Detergent Association, the best wipes for cleaning are disposable paper towels or other throw-aways. If you use sponges or nondisposable cleaning cloths, rinse them in clean water and let them dry thoroughly after each use. Wash sponges or cleaning cloths regularly with chlorine bleach in the wash water.
Good health is important to all of us. Making a routine practice of frequent handwashing and careful cleaning of surfaces and toys can go a long way toward preventing the spread of common illnesses and make all our homes, schools, and child care settings healthier places.
*The ABCs of Clean: A Handwashing and Cleanliness Program for Head Start and Early Childhood Programs*. New York: Soap and Detergent Association. Available from the Soap and Detergent Association, 475 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016.
Kendrick, A.S., R. Kaufmann, and K.P. Messenger (eds.). *Healthy Young Children: A Manual for Programs.* Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children. Available from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1509 16th St. N.W., Washington, DC 20036.
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