Teach Your Child Prevention of Germs

Combating germs is a necessity in our society with germs that cause the flu, the common cold, pneumonia, scarlet fever, chicken pox, and a ton of other illnesses that can physically harm children or even kill them, although it’s hard to imagine this is the truth. Therefore teaching your children how to prevent germs is a major lesson that should not be taken lightly at home or at school. Especially at school as you know children share much more than simply secrets or toys in school, they commonly share these germs in the classroom as well.

We all know, as this has probably been pounded in our heads, hand washing is the most effective way in combating germs. This is very true and actually studies have shown that schools that enforce hand washing of their students on a regular basis have fewer children out sick and have less fecal bacteria found on floors, carpets and in bathrooms.

It is recommended that children wash their hands regularly and especially after these routines:

• Using the bathroom
• Petting animals
• Coming in from outside
• Sneezing or coughing
• Handling garbage
• Preparing food
• A doctor’s appointment or touching railings or other common areas in the public

Children should also wash their hands before the following activities:

• Eating
• Preparing food
• Touching someone sick
• Treating or touching wounds.

While hand washing is the most important preventative measure from becoming ill, there are plenty other steps or tactics you can teach your children in order to keep them healthy.

Preschool
The first step to helping your preschool maintain healthy germs prevention is teaching them proper hand washing. Give them a demonstration of a proper hand wash, making sure they wash for at least 20-30 seconds, which can be incorporated by singing their ABC’s while they are washing their hands. The full song, if it is not sung too fast, will take just that long to complete.

Show them how to scrub their fingers, back of their hands, their wrists and under their fingers, as that is where nasty little germs usually like to hide from the soap.

While preschoolers who are not in school have less of potential for getting sick that those who do, if they have brothers and sisters

Main points to address:

• Teach children proper hand washing techniques.
• Have them sing the ABC’s while washing their hands.

Grades K-6th
Children in school are at more of a risk from catching those germs that can cause illness. To keep them healthy and out of too many sick days; your first step, of course, is teaching your children proper hand washing. As indicated in the previous section, be sure your child knows to wash their hands for at least 20-30 seconds, making sure to get their fingernails, back of their hands, wrists and under their fingernails.

Address the three-foot rule with your child, which simply asks children to stand at least three feet from other students in their classroom or school especially when they are sick. As well as making sure children understand how important it is to not share any item with other children that could potentially put them at risk for getting their germs; drinking or eating utensils, mouth guards, lip sticks or lip balms, or anything else that is used for the lips or mouth.

Main points to address:

• Teach proper hand washing techniques.
• Implement the three-foot rule with your children.
• No sharing of items that are used with the mouth or teeth.

Resources
Resources that can help you in your venture include:

• Health Basics – http://www.kidshealth.org
• Center for Disease control – http://www.cdc.gov/
• Web MD – http://children.webmd.com/default.htm

Posted in Health.

Related articles

• Teach Your Child About the Skeletal System

• Teach Your Child About the Muscular System

• Teach Your Child About the Digestive System