Handwashing: Traveling with Kids
In nursing school our professor had us wash our hands as best we could with a special soap. She asked us if we were confident that we got everything really clean and encouraged us to scrub even more.
She then had us hold our hands out when we thought we had scrubbed well enough. She then shined a special light over our hands to show all the places we had missed. Under that light, the soap residue looked orange and we were amazed to see all the places we had missed! Under the fingernails and in between the fingers were the “germs” that we did not scrub off.
Of course that was teaching us about sterile technique in the OR and how important the extended scrub is to get things really clean. Later, when I was an RN, I saw what devastating effects germs (bacteria) could have on patients. I won’t go into detail because it will gross many people out. Let’s just say that all of a sudden that microbiology class made sense!
As a parent, I have made it fun and easy for my toddler son to wash his hands. It is routine when we return from the store to use the antibacterial foam soap or “store soap” and when he is just playing around the house, we use just regular foam soap.
Teaching toddlers (and kids of all ages) to wash their hands is so key in keeping them healthy. I read yesterday that the average child has 7 colds/year. My son is 3 and he has only had 3 colds in his life- and we fly every month!
Of course we boost his immune system and he eats nutritious meals, but I believe that hand washing is the main factor.
When we are in the airport and on the plane, I cannot help but think that thousands of people have been there before us and you know that not everyone washes their hands after coughing, sneezing, and using the bathroom. I love this video about coughing and sneezing. Take a moment to watch! http://www.coughsafe.com/media.html
Germs can live hours (and some, weeks) on surfaces.
Anyway, back to washing hands.
Here are some tips to help teach kids about handwashing:
1. Use foam soap - this is so much easier to use than bar soap or even plain liquid soap. It is more fun for them too!
2. Make bubbles with a bit of water and lots of soap and then teach them to cover both sides of their hands with those bubbles.
3. Shut the sink off with the back of the hand or a paper towel. Otherwise, clean hands are touching the dirty faucet (dirty hands turned it on.)
4. Sing “Happy Birthday” twice for an effective wash time. Or if you don’t want to hear the birthday chorus multiple times per day, make up a little song that is about 15-20 seconds or sing the ABC’s.
5. Buy a fun colored or good smelling soap, allowing them to help pick it out in the store.
I found this soap today called Squid Soap. It is a special soap designed to teach kids proper handwashing. On the top of the cover is a small ink pad. You apply a small ink mark on your child’s hand before washing and then encourage them to wash it off. It takes the 15-20 seconds to get it clean. I just noticed that it states only for kids 3 and above due to chokable parts.
My son loved this soap – almost too much. I found him marking his hand up when I left the room and washing all over again! But it is a good concept and gives kids something visual to focus on achieving proper handwashing. I am a very visual person (if you haven’t noticed) and that hand washing lesson 16 years ago in nursing school really had an effect on me!
You don’t have to be a germ freak to make a difference in your child’s hand washing skills. However, kids are the biggest carrier of germs because they touch many surfaces (even parts of the public toilet when they are trying to hang on) and then don’t think before they stick that hand in their mouth or rub their eyes.
I found this chart for kids to fill out if your child is into the chart thing. There is also a step by step guide for proper handwashing you can print out if you want.
Cold and flu season is starting, and traveling with toddlers through airports and on planes means exposure to international bugs. Use hand sanitizer and wipes carefully with kids, but do not neglect the good ole soap and water technique.
By the way, many adults are negligent about washing their hands as well… Keep that in mind when you are in public areas or shaking hands!
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