It’s officially back-to-school season. Your child’s backpack is full of sharpened pencils, their calendar is filling up with extracurriculars, and you’re already planning their lunchbox for the week. However, along with the excitement of back-to-school season comes something less welcome: germs. In this blog, we’ll share how to protect your child from back-to-school sickness through effective hand-washing.
Back-to-School Sickness: Why Handwashing is Important
Proper handwashing is your child’s first line of defense against the common cold, the flu, pink eye, the stomach bug, and other common childhood illnesses that spread easily in groups. As kids spend more time in the confined spaces of a classroom and share school supplies with their peers, the chance of spreading germs increases. Fortunately, your family can take a proactive approach against sickness this school season.
Effective Hand-Washing Technique
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), regularly washing your hands is the best way to prevent the spread of germs. They recommend the following steps:
- Start by wetting your hands with warm running water.
- Lather your palms, backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails with soap.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. This is roughly the same amount of time it takes to hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
- Rinse the soap off your hands using clean, running water.
- Thoroughly dry your hands.
Make effective handwashing a fun activity with your child by incorporating songs to time themselves and by making it a part of your regular routine. You can use your time at home with them to set a good example of healthy handwashing to create a habit they can bring with them to the school setting.
When Should Kids Wash Their Hands?
Germs spread more easily during the back-to-school season as kids are exposed to shared surfaces such as work tables and classroom supplies. It’s important to encourage hand washing throughout the day, but especially before eating, after using the restroom, and after coughing or sneezing.
What to Do If Washing Your Hands Isn’t an Option
There may be occasions where hand washing is not readily available to your child, such as on a school field trip. Washing your hands with warm water and soap is your child’s number one defense against germ-born illnesses, but using hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is a viable backup option if needed.
What to Do If Your Child Is Sick
If your child feels under the weather, talk to a medical provider to determine whether or not their illness is contagious. If there is a risk that the germs can easily spread, it is typically recommended to keep your child home from school to prevent the spread of sickness to others until they are no longer contagious.
How to Promote a Healthy School Year
Establish your child’s health care team before you need it. Integrity Urgent Care offers sports physicals and sick visit support.
Clean Hands for Healthier Schools
Regular handwashing creates cleaner schools. When children are healthy, they are less likely to miss valuable education time. Effective handwashing is a quick but powerful way to keep your family healthy.
Keep Your Child Healthy This School Season
Keep your child feeling well this back-to-school season with the help of Integrity Urgent Care. We offer diagnosis and treatment plans for viruses, infections, and all non-emergency care needs. Find a convenient location near you to learn more.
