HAND WASHING  REALLY  WORKS!!!

First, we would like to take the opportunity to thank Children’s Academy for being proactive in fighting against germs and bacteria in their daycare facility.

Children’s Academy has made a major investment in the health of the children at their facility by using a registered EPA, FDA and OSHA approved disinfectant by the name of Sporicidin® to clean and sanitize their entire facility and outside play equipment.

Children’s Academy has also invested in U/V lights for their HVAC system which irradiates germs and bacteria from the airflow system within their building. This commitment should be recognized as a step that is a personal commitment to your children’s health and a commitment to you, their parents.

Why hand washing is still #1

In this age of technology, there is still no substitute for hand washing. Research shows that children who wash their hands frequently throughout the day have fewer sick days due to    colds and stomach illnesses. This translates into healthier children in your program, lower staff absences because the adults have less exposure to illnesses, and parents with fewer absences

from work to care for their sick children. Why does hand washing work? People, not objects, are the number one carriers in the spread of "germs" (i.e., bacteria, virus, or fungi). Both adults and children collect germs on their hands each time a contaminated surface is touched, and all surfaces in a childcare environment should be considered contaminated. Scrubbing the hands with soap and warm running water can remove up to 90 percent of germs on the hands.

Most children are exposed to and transfer more germs than adults because they have not established hygiene routines, and they put their hands and many objects into their mouths. Children have an immature immune system and have not developed resistance for many common illnesses, so germs can easily lead to disease.

WHEN TO WASH HANDS

Children should wash hands thoroughly and frequently throughout the day, and especially at the following times:

• When they first come to your home or center; you do not know what their hands touched before they arrived!
• Before meals, snacks, or food activities. Children eat many finger foods such as sandwiches, and even "fork foods" may become "finger foods" in childcare! 

A GOOD ROUTINE IS JUST 4 STEPS TO GOOD HEALTH

• Wet your hands under warm running water.

•  Apply soap, and scrub hands for 15 seconds.

•  Rinse your hands under the warm water till all the foam is gone, about 5 seconds.

•  Dry hands on a “hand towel only” or individual paper towelettes.

• After toileting or diapering.

• After sneezing or blowing the nose, even if a tissue is used.

• After playing with pets or animals or pet supplies.

Adults also should wash their hands at these times and others, such as:

·        Before giving medications;

·        Before performing any medical procedures, such as changing dressing, blood glucose testing, etc.

·        Before diapering or assisting with toileting.

·        After wiping noses.

·        Before and after giving first aid.

·        After cleaning spills.

·        I realize that too many parents think this may seem like an awful waste of time, but teaching your child how to properly wash their hands will help to keep the spreading of germs to a minimum. This is especially important when your childis at school and home.