Remember this name: My Pikin Baby Teething Mixture. Avoid it! And if you see one, report it to concerned officials right away.

Danger Alert: The wet cloth or sponge you use to wipe off the kitchen counter does not kill off the bacteria present in raw food. In the bathroom, intestinal pathogens can contaminate the toilet seat, flush handle, towels, doorknobs, sink, and other surfaces you might touch after using the toilet. Pets, if not cared for properly, can lead to the spread of germs.

Germ-buster:

• Clean kitchens and bathrooms regularly with bleach or a color-safe disinfectant spray.
• After handling raw food, immediately wash cutting boards and knives with soap and hot water.
• Microwave wet sponges for one minute to kill germs, or sterilize them in boiling water.
• Change hand-drying towels regularly. Replace your dish sponge often.
• Do not let your furry pet sleep in your kid’s bed. Animal fur attracts germs and allergens.

And there you go! I hope we all learned a thing or two from my germ-busting series.

• An animal or human bite
• Difficulty breathing
• A cough lasting longer than a week
• A fever of 30 degrees Celsius or more
• Period of rapid heartbeat
• A rash, especially if it’s accompanied by a fever
• Swelling
• Blurred vision or any difficulty in seeing
• Persistent vomiting
• An unusual or severe headache

Some moms out there turn to antibiotics but remember that it is only effective against bacterial infections (e.g. strep throat). Think carefully before you turn to antibiotics. And always be reminded that the above conditions warrants a medical check-up by your pediatrician or family doctor.

Danger Alert: The risk of infection doesn’t only come from sitting on the toilet. The bigger risk is more subconscious; touching the seat, stall door, or sink with bare hands, and then touching the eyes, nose, or mouth.

Germ-buster:

• Wash hands thoroughly for about 15 to 20 seconds. Avoid touching contaminated surfaces afterward.
• If the faucet is not motion-activated, take a paper towel to turn it off to avoid contaminating your hands.
• Close the lid before flushing the toilet to keep germs from contaminating nearby surfaces.

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: 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: 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: 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.

This is very exciting! My little Anika is a bundle of excitement as well. She is making plans with her cousins about their own little party and how they will not be made to sleep early. I was laughing the other day when she was telling her uncle over the phone about her plans. The little girl is quite the party goer. My brother will be bringing his girlfriend with him as well as his future in-laws. It will clearly be a fun Thanksgiving for all of us this year.

• 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.