7 Tips to Protect Your Kids from the Spread of Germs

Being a parent is fun but can also prove to be overwhelming. As much as you want to stay and watch over kids all the time, you have to go to work and ensure that everything else runs smoothly at home. Also, your children have to go to school each day or go out to play with their friends. As a mum, you will get worried and concerned about what happens to them while you are not around, especially with germs all over. Germs spread like wildfire at school and playgrounds. While you cannot be there to protect them, you can teach them how to stay safe, and here are a few useful tips to help prevent the spread of germs and infections.

Washing hands regularly

The first and most effective way to stop germs from spreading is by observing hand hygiene over anything else. Good hand hygiene has proven to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses and gastrointestinal illnesses by up to 31%. This is also a vital step, especially with the recent Coronavirus outbreak, whose primary mode of infection is hands and contact. Remind your kids to wash their hands after visiting the restroom, after playing and before eating or drinking anything. They should do this with soap for at least 20 seconds. If not, they should always have an alcohol-based sanitizer in their backpacks. Hands are the main medium in spreading germs, and teaching your kids to observe hygiene goes a long way in protecting them.

Ensure that they get flu shots

Nearly every school or class has that one teacher or student with the flu. This is one of the highly spread viruses at school, and the chance of your kid bringing it home is high. This means that it will be spread to the entire family, and the worst part is that it is life-threatening. It could result in pneumonia, which is a significant cause of the increasing mortality rate. The best way to prevent this is by ensuring that your children get flu shots annually.

Watch out for backpack bacteria

Backpacks carry lots of germs and bacteria, and if neglected, they are a dangerous medium for spreading the deadly microorganisms. Children are playful and leave their bags anywhere. They are likely to collect all sorts of elements. The worst could happen when the child gets at home and tosses his/her bag on the kitchen counter. The backpack then leaves the germs spreading all over the surfaces, where you prepare foods, thus putting the whole family at risk. To avoid this, ensure that you wipe the surfaces of the backpacks as soon as the kids get home. Also, teach them to hang the bags or put them on counters away from countertops and tables.

Remind them to clean the surfaces

Teachers should include wipes in the kids’ supply list for school. This ensures that they can regularly wipe surfaces such as tables, computers, and door handles before use. This might sound like too much work, but it goes a long way in wiping germs away. 

No sharing of personal items

This might sound mean, especially because moms are always teaching their kids the value of sharing. However, it is better if your children are selfish with personal items than to be sorry later when things go south. By personal items, it means that they should not share earbuds, water bottles, handkerchiefs, and brushes, to mention a few. 

Stay in the house when sick

Containing your child in the house can be hard, but if need be, you should take the necessary measures. You do not want your kid to be the one spreading the germs to other children in the neighborhood. If you notice that s/he has a fever, running nose, sneezes, or coughs, it is best that you stop the kid from going to school or play. Although some illnesses such as cold are not alarming, they might turn into something else, and it is best if you observe your child and see if there are any changes. If you notice that s/he is weak, not playful, or not comfortable doing normal activities, your kid should not interact with other children. Make sure that you visit the pediatrician before things get out of hand. 

Keep hands away from the mouth, eyes, and nose

These three body parts are the major germs entry points. A disease does not necessarily have to be airborne to spread. Your hands are always on contaminated surfaces, and putting them in the mouth, nose, or eyes means that you are putting them in your body. Kids love rubbing their eyes and sucking fingers, and this only increases the risk of infections. Teach them the dangers and why they should avoid it.

Children are vulnerable, and it is your responsibility as a mum to keep them safe, whether you are around them or not. Other than keeping a clean home, you have to go the extra mile and ensure that they are protected while outside, and with these tips, you can have peace of mind knowing that everything is under control.