year of the swine
Filed Under Going Green, Tips & Tricks | September 8, 2009
The cooler weather’s setting in and kids will be spending more time indoors – be it school, daycare or play gyms – and that means lots of opportunities for germ sharing. And with H1N1 lurking as a menace for the upcoming fall and winter flu seasons, we have some handy tips for helping you and your kids avoid getting sick.
Frequent hand washing with soap and water is, hands down, the best thing your family can do to stay healthy. We all know that we – and our kids – should wash our hands after going to the bathroom and diaper changes, but here’s a little primer on the before and after of hand washing:
Before: preparing food and eating; feeding your baby (this means breastfeeding too); and giving your child medicine.
After: playing outdoors; playing with shared toys; playing with pets and animals; sneezing and coughing into your hands or blowing your nose; taking care of a sick child; cleaning a pet’s cage or litter box; and wiping your child’s nose.
The basics of proper hand washing include wetting your hands with running water followed by at least 20 seconds of scrubbing with soap. Make passing the time more fun for your kids by having them sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or their ABC’s. Finish up with a good rinse and then dry your hands on a clean towel. You should also remove your rings or be sure to wash under them.
If soap and water aren’t available you can use hand wipes or an alcohol-based hand rise. But try and avoid antibacterial products containing Triclosan which may be contributing to the rise of “superbugs”.
Other tips for staying healthy include teaching your child to avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth; avoid sharing cups or utensils; use a tissue when they cough or sneeze, then throw it away, and coughing into your elbow rather than their bare hands; and as tempting as it may be to dose them up and send them off to daycare, both you and your tots should stay home if you’re not feeling well. Trust us, your colleagues and their caregivers will appreciate it.
- Government of BC H1N1 Flu Virus Information: www.gov.bc.ca/h1n1
- Info from Do Bugs Need Drugs on viral and bacterial infections. Includes lots of useful tips for parents and a fun section for kids: www.dobugsneeddrugs.org
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[...] last week’s article we focused on hand washing and other good personal hygiene habits as the first line of defense for [...]
[...] healthy, which can be hard at this time of year. So we wanted to remind you about the power of the simple art of hand washing. And also remind you that anti-bacterial products appear to do more harm than good as they can lead [...]
If you are looking for an all-natural alternative to antibacterial, alcohol-laden hand sanitizers, check out Momma Nature’s clean hand spritz, http://www.momma-nature.com. Contains tea tree and lavender essential oils for NATURALLY anti-bacterial properties. Aloe vera and glycerine makes it very moisturizing! All in a convenient, portable bottle!