Monday, March 03, 2008
Preventing Illness...
I think that this has been the most difficult cold and flu season in several years. Seems to be quite a bit of illness about and lost of children have been sick.
Even though we try, daycares are not always the cleanest, germ free places. That doesn't mean the dirt is obvious; after all, we encourage order and cleanliness as much as possible. It's what lurks at the microsophic level that is potentially more dangerous than we realize.
A study by Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, concluded that the average school desk contains 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. It's easy to misjudge the infectiousness of common surfaces, but the reality is that when you put lots of kids in a daycare environment together, germ warfare is inevitable. But there are defenses that can help your kid stay healthy. What can you do to protect kids from germs?
I think that this has been the most difficult cold and flu season in several years. Seems to be quite a bit of illness about and lost of children have been sick.
Even though we try, daycares are not always the cleanest, germ free places. That doesn't mean the dirt is obvious; after all, we encourage order and cleanliness as much as possible. It's what lurks at the microsophic level that is potentially more dangerous than we realize.
A study by Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, concluded that the average school desk contains 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. It's easy to misjudge the infectiousness of common surfaces, but the reality is that when you put lots of kids in a daycare environment together, germ warfare is inevitable. But there are defenses that can help your kid stay healthy. What can you do to protect kids from germs?
- The number one tried-and-true defense continues to be robust and regular handwashing. You can encourage kids to spend extra time washing hands by singing a song like Happy Birthday two times with soapy hands before rinsing.
- Make sure immunizations are current. Shots kept on schedule continue to be the best protection.
- Use hand sanitizer to augment hand-washing routines. We keep a bulk dispenser on the wall and encourage kids to take a squirt and rub on their hands throughout the day.
(Parents are often all-too-willing to buy a bottle or two throughout the year to help encourage clean hands.) - Know that any surface that is exposed to kids' breathing or touch is potentially infectious. When large numbers of kids enter a facility, germs come right in as well.
- Insist on a stringent "no sick kids" policy. And while you may feel a tad guilty, don't hesitate to complain if you see a child exhibiting signs of sickness. Bottom line is that nobody wants to have their child become ill, but kids getting colds, flu, strep throat, and other ailments is inevitable. The key is that sick kids should stay at home to avoid the spread of the bad bugs.
Let's hope that the flu season is nearly over. I know that I am ready for Spring...
// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 3:40 PM 
