Hand hygiene in children: is washing still enough?

Does your child know already a rhyme about washing hands and knows how to do it? The concern for clean hands - both for our own and our children - has become particularly relevant recently. In conditions of an epidemiological threat, it becomes necessary to follow a more stringent sanitary regime.  Below we suggest how to best care for the hygiene of children's hands - not only in the era of the coronavirus pandemic. The basis is frequent and accurate Hand washing - dzieci it is worth teaching from an early age.

Hygiene, don't overdo it

As the research results so far show - in adults with hygiene, not only of hands, it can be differentwhich results in the lack of appropriate habits in the younger generation, which is most easily learned by observing by imitating their parents or guardians. However, when a small child appears in the house (especially the first in the family), it happens that concern for his health drives the household to the other extreme. Knowing about the need to keep a toddler clean and wanting to provide him with the best conditions, it is easy to overdo it - bathing too often and wiping with wet wipes, every now and then scalding the nipple, not allowing the thumb to be put in the mouth, disinfecting everything around, etc. This is not the way to go, although taking care of the hygiene of the hands with which we touch practically everything is certainly not an exaggeration. Let's make sure that for children washing hands it became a hygienic habit as soon as possible.

Excessive sterility is harmful

Excessive cleanliness is not good for children's health - quite the contrary. By such action because we deprive our children of contact with bacteria, other microorganisms and allergens, which negatively affects the immunity of the young organismwho has no chance to learn to fight them. Hygienic over-zealousness (especially when using disinfectants) promotes the development of allergies, which are becoming an increasingly serious problem in children. On the other hand, dirty hands are home to many microbes that can easily enter the body, causing health-threatening diseases - some of which are often referred to as "dirty hands diseases" (eg hepatitis A, food jaundice). 

The best soapy water

Washing hands - for children and adults - this is the best way to keep them clean. Even taking into account the current situation with the entire world struggling with COVID-19, With children in mind, it is worth promoting thorough hand washing, using soap and warm water intended for them. Parents sometimes ask if there is anything special hand washing instructions for children. The same rules apply as for adults, i.e. warm water and thorough washing of the entire surface of the hands and wrists, lasting at least 30 seconds. The truth is that if we were to remember a few simple rules regarding hand hygiene and instill them in our children, additional disinfection of them - apart from such situations as, for example, a wound or abrasion of the skin - would not be actually needed or it would be necessary at most sporadically, primarily outside the home.

Disinfect your hands or not?

The question of the use of disinfectants in children has always been controversial - experts do not recommend using them on a daily basis, especially at home. The problem is that little ones tend to touch different surfaces and often touch their face and put their fingers and objects in their mouths. There is no however, on this a better and safer method than washing your hands frequently - for children of all ages. When outside the house, it is also worth making sure that our children do not touch, for example, door handles, intercom buttons, bollards, etc. To older children, try to calmly explain why they should not do this. In the case of children over 6 years of age, taking into account the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, it is permissible to use agents (e.g. in the form of a gel) for hygienic disinfection by rubbing, as long as they have a simple and safe composition - without fragrances that may be irritating or allergenic to the skin and mucous membranes.    

Let's teach healthy habits

Instructions for washing hands for children is the same as in the case of adults - especially at the beginning, it is worth doing this activity together with the toddler to show him how to do it. Before we set an example for our children, however, we should make sure we wash our hands properly. Learning in the form of play will certainly work here - an example may be the one mentioned at the beginning a rhyme about washing hands. 

In conclusion, it is our parental responsibility to keep our children's hands clean and to instill good hygiene habits in them. It's worth your time and attention, aby washing children's hands take it for granted as soon as possible. Let us teach them to do this activity not only frequently, but also as accurately as possible. In the case of toddlers, it is better not to use disinfectants. In children over 6 years of age, it is acceptable, as long as we choose a safe and proven product for them, and then we make sure that they use it only when necessary. By overusing disinfectants, we can achieve the opposite of the intended effect.

Author: Ewa Kamińska, head of the Department of Pharmacology at the Institute of Mother and Child

You can find out more about disinfection at home here.