Archive for the ‘Information for Moms’ Category
Danger Alert #4: Restaurants
Number 4 in my series, The Places Germs Go: Restaurants. Even those fancy ones are not immune to germs, you know. So read on…
Danger Alert: Improperly washed hands can easily taint food with fecal matter. Raw or undercooked dishes are also a source of wide range of bacteria. Furthermore, a careless kitchen worker can contaminate your cooked food if he handles raw ingredients and then touches your dinner plate or freshly baked rolls.
Germ-buster: Avoid raw or undercooked food when ordering for kids, and always order their meat well done. Fried chicken may be a kiddie favorite, but send it back if it’s pink at the center.
Danger Alert #3: Movie Theaters
In the series, The Places Germs Go, one of the common place where germs reside is the: movie theaters! Moms like me sometimes want to goof off from work and watch a movie with her kid(s) in tow. But do you know that movie theaters house germs as well?
Danger Alert: A movie keeps people in an enclosed place for a couple of hours, making it a prime place for viral infections. The person seated next to you at the cinema may have the colds or flu and not know they are sick because the symptoms may not have appeared yet.
Germ-buster:
- Don’t touch eyes or nose during the movie. Wash hands after leaving the theater.
- Be mindful of others: watch movies at home when ill.
Danger Alert #2: Airplanes
The second common place where The Places Germs Go: airplanes! For a family who travels a lot like us, this is a very important reminder for us to be wary of the germs the kids can get from airplanes.
Danger Alert: Upper respiratory viruses and intestinal bacterial can spread easily when airborne. Being with so many people in closed quarters for hours invites germs to thrive on the surfaces throughout the cabin and particularly in the lavatory. There’s also the risk of sitting next to a passenger with a bad cough.
Germ-buster:
- Wipe the arms, tray, and window with alcohol-based antiseptic wipes to disinfect lavatory seats in airplanes.
- After using the lavatory, use a hand sanitizer. If you need to change your child’s diaper, disinfect the changing tray first.
- Don’t forget to drink up; staying hydrated helps protect against respiratory illnesses.
Danger Alert #1: Daycare Centers and Schools
I am starting a 6-part series about The Places Germs Go. And I will start this series with daycare centers and schools. This place is where our kids go to daily. But like any other place out there, the daycare center and school can be a place where your kid(s) can get germs. Read on…
Danger Alert: Shared toys may be contaminated by saliva. During a diaper change, children may get fecal matter on their hands and then touch a toy. When another child plays with the same toy and then sucks his or her thumb, infection can occur. School-aged children may have outgrown these threats, but they may still be less than diligent about washing their hands when they should.
Germ-buster:
- Ensure proper immunization for your kids.
- Avoid sending kids to daycare when they are sick.
- Instruct the daycare provider to wash children’s hands after a diaper change or a toilet stint.
- Teach kids why and how it’s important to wash hands properly after using the bathroom or before eating meals.
Germ busters
The number one enemy of our kids when they are of the age when they feel like running around the house all the time is germs. So here are a few germ-busters for your kids:
- Wash hands properly. Soap and water is still best.
- Wipe down high-touch areas like walls, drawer handles, toy chests and cupboards, light switches, night stands, clock radios, reading glasses, computer keyboards, and desk surfaces. Wipe these with disinfectant wipes to kill germs on contact.
- Limit play dates during cold and flu season. Remember that they can get colds and flu from other kids.
- Make sure toys are clean.
- Change bedsheets weekly. Immediately if something sticky spilled on it.
- Keep pets off the bed. More so if your kid has asthma. Your pet’s hair can trigger an attack.
- Mop the floor.
Information for Moms: Diaper Changing
I know that our little tots can be quite demanding especially when their diapers become full. They feel uneasiness and will have to be changed as soon as possible. So here are some dos and don’ts when it comes to diaper changing…
Do – Make sure supplies are ready and within reach. The essentials are: fresh diaper, baby wipes and any doctor-recommended creams or ointments in case of rash. For my baby, I always bring some baby powder with me.
Do – Make sure to wash your hands first with soap and water. You don’t want to touch your kids with dirty and possibly bacteria-laden hands.
Don’t – Leave your baby unattended, even turning your back for a moment. Remember that kids move around, rolling is more like it. And turning your back even for a moment can get them hurt or they might fall.
Do – Use safety straps when you use a changing table. Or use a changing pad on the floor which is safer but make sure the floor is clean.
Don’t – Put the dirty diaper within the baby’s reach. We all know that the baby could grab it and that would be a disaster! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Do – Cleanse the baby’s entire diaper-covered area. Wipe from front to back to prevent infection. Kids are also susceptible to urinary infections and you don’t want that to happen. You can use wipes and pat the skin dry with a soft towel afterwards.
Don’t – Fasten the diaper too tightly. It could cause needless pressure to the baby’s tummy causing the baby to spit more often.
Do you adhere to these practices? I do. And I make sure that my baby is always safe and is given the best possible care. I also use diapers that are hypoallergenic to prevent rashes.
