Summer Woes: Protect Your Children From Germs With Hand Hygiene

Parents should be role models and be influential in educating about this simple fantastic trick to keep their children disease free.

World Hand Hygiene Day 2023: We now know the importance of hand hygiene taught us by the dreaded COVID pandemic. Hand hygiene is like a boon to humanity and has saved innumerable lives not only due to COVID but also by preventing severe health care related infections and other illnesses. For example, diarrhoea and pneumonia are the two most typical diseases leading to ill health and deaths in children. Consultant Neonatologist and Paediatrician Dr Abhishek Chopra, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, New Delhi (Punjabi Bagh), explains the importance of hand hygiene in children.

Why Should We Wash Our Hands?

Dirty hands can also transfer germs to food items, clothes, toys and furniture. By washing hands, infections are prevented. It is estimated by CDC (Centre for Disease Control ) that hand washing can prevent 1 in 3 cases of diarrhoea and 1 in 5 cases of pneumonia.

When Should We Wash Our Hands?

Germs can spread from surface to person when kids do the following things:

1. Eat food and drinks with dirty hands
2. Touch surfaces or objects which have germs on them
3. Blow nose, cough or sneeze into hands and then touch other people s hands or everyday objects
4. Touch garbage
5. Touch pets, pet food
6. After using toilets

In all of the above situations, handwashing must be done.

What Steps Should Be Followed To Wash The Hands Correctly?

1. Hands should be wet with clean, running water (hot or cold), the tap should be turned off, and then soap should be applied.
2. Lather should be formed by rubbing hands together with soap. The back of the hands, the area between fingers and under the nails should be gathered.
3. To keep it easy “Happy Birthday” song can be hummed from beginning to end twice.
4. Hands should be dried using a clean towel or an air dryer.

What Is The Role Of Parents And Caregivers?

Handwashing becomes a lifelong healthy habit if it is taught to kids at an early age. First, kids should be taught the five easy steps discussed above. Then, as discussed above, knowledge should be given regarding the critical moments of hand washing. We all know that kids learn by example, and the same holds for hand hygiene. When parents make handwashing part of their routine, it sets a standard for kids.