Thursday 1 November 2012

WASH YOUR HANDS! Stop colds & flu from spreading

I read this article recently on the BBC website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19834975

It's about how as a nation we have become really bad at washing our hands. Apologies that this is a lunchtime blog but really, as parents we need to be teaching our children how to wash their hands. Especially if your child is being weaned via the baby led weaning method.

Basic hand hygeine is essential for anyone who is eating finger food. Not just for babies.
Finger Food - healthy snacks if you wash your hands!

I remember washing and 'antibacterial gel'-ing my hands A LOT when we bought the baby home. She seemed so fragile, and while I have... now how did my lovely neighbour describe it... oh yes 'a healthy attitude to dirt', I didn't want to increase the risk of her being ill through careless hand washing.

In this flu season, most colds and flu will be spread via touch rather than through being sneezed on. So that handshake could be transferring more than a friendly greeting.

Mummies, the cold weather at least brings us the opportunity to dress our children with gloves, mittens, and hats (which we have some lovely examples here). This should protect them a little from the 68% of men who did not wash their hands after using the loo at a motorway service station!! Just think they then push a trolly around the supermarket... and your kid for some reason always wants to lick / touch the trolley!

Although colds & flu are viral, dressing up warm can't hurt!

And people sneeze into their hands, and wipe on a tissue... and then want to touch your baby 'ahh it's such a wee bain'.

Now I'm not putting my kid in a bubble but I'll be taking precautions this winter, especially now I know that we're no longer a nation of hand washers.

Parents of the next generation teach your children how important it is to have clean hands!

No comments:

Post a Comment