There's no escaping from germs and
bacteria—some of which can get your child sick. Follow these guidelines
to protect your little one in germ-infested hotspots.
The Playground
Your
local jungle gym is more germ-infested than a public bathroom,
according to one study. Why? "Restrooms tend to get disinfected often,"
says researcher Kelly Reynolds, PhD, associate professor at the
University of Arizona College of Public Health, in Tucson. "But
playground equipment
almost never gets cleaned." Harmful germs—such as those in the mucus
that kids wipe from their noses—can linger for days. Sandboxes are gross
too: Squirrels and birds can leave behind fecal matter, which may cause
stomach illnesses and skin infections in young kids.
Staying Safe at the Playground
Tempted
to clean ladders and handles with a disinfecting wipe? Don't bother.
It's practically impossible to get rid of all the germs. Instead, teach
your child not to touch her mouth, nose, or eyes when she's at the
playground, and clean her hands with an
alcohol-based hand gel before you leave the park. And if you have a backyard sandbox, keep it covered when you're not using it.
Ball Pits
Enclosed play areas containing plastic balls, which are popular at kids' gyms and
fast-food restaurants,
are among the dirtiest places to let your child roam. In fact,
researchers at the University of North Georgia found 31 types of
bacteria in the ball pits of six physical-therapy clinics. "Kids with
leaky diapers play in them, and the pits rarely get cleaned," says Dr.
Reynolds. A child's feces can contain
E. coli,
rotavirus,
and salmonella, all of which can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea.
Young children can also pass germs onto the balls with their hands and
feet.
Staying Safe in Ball Pits
Although
ball pits may have a high risk factor, they’re low risk for kids, says
Adam Ratner, M.D., director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious
Diseases in Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone. “Your child
can come into contact with these bacteria anywhere,” says Dr. Ratner.
Those like Streptococcus oralis and Staphylococcus hominis may sound
scary, but they’re not just crawling in ball pits; they also live on
virtually every kid’s skin and tongue. Unless your child has skin
lesions or a compromised
immune system,
playing in a germy ball pit shouldn’t put him at any higher risk for
infections. However, do keep in mind that cleaning standards and
schedules vary widely from one pit to another. Ask when the balls were
last sanitized. If the attendant doesn’t know (or you smell something
funky), it’s best to stay out. As always, common-sense precautions
apply: Your kid should wash his hands before and after he jumps in, and
you should make sure he’s
up to date on his vaccinations
Petting Zoos
Petting zoos have been linked to major
E. coli
outbreaks in recent years. It's not hard to see why: Farm animals
aren't choosy about where they lie down, and traces of feces from an
animal's fur or saliva could easily get onto your child's hands—and
(yuck!) into her mouth.
Staying Safe at Petting Zoo
Don't take a child younger than
age 3
to a petting zoo (or, if you do, let her look but not touch). "No
matter how much you warn her not to, a young child is likely to
put her fingers in her mouth,"
says Andrew Nowalk, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics at the
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Even older kids need
reminders not to touch their mouths after petting—and to use an
alcohol-based hand gel when they're done.
Water Fountains
A typical
drinking fountain
contains more harmful germs than a public toilet seat, according to a
recent study at elementary schools by NSF International, a nonprofit
health and safety organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Kids tend
to touch the spigot with their fingers or their mouth, passing on germs
to the next person who drinks.
Cold and flu viruses can live on the metal for up to five hours.
Staying Safe with Drinking Fountains
Teach
your child to keep his lips (and fingers) off the spigot and let the
water run for a few seconds before sipping. "That helps wash away
harmful organisms," says Robert Donofrio, director of the microbiology
lab at NSF International. Or take along a separate
water bottle—just make sure he's the only one who drinks from it.
Shopping-Cart Handles
Supermarket workers and shoppers
are constantly touching cart handles and spreading germs. If the blood
from raw meat reaches a handle, your child could ingest harmful
bacteria, including
E. coli,
salmonella, and campylobacter
Staying Safe while Grocery Shopping
Clean
the handle with a disinfecting wipe before putting your child in the
cart. If you buy a shopping-cart cover, keep in mind that these can also
carry germs (which survive longer in fabric than on a plastic handle),
so you should wash them regularly.
Children's Museums
Those
buttons your child presses to activate electronic exhibits have been
pushed by dozens of other little hands, making them major bug
conductors. And elevator and vending-machine buttons are just as germy.
Staying Safe at Children’s Museums
Tell your child not to touch his eyes, nose, or mouth at
a children's museum.
You don't have to spoil his fun by keeping him away from the
interactive exhibits, but make sure he washes his hands or uses a hand
cleanser afterward.
Public High Chairs
A restaurant may be kid-friendly,
but that doesn't mean it's germ-proof. Chances are the chair you plop
your toddler into hasn't been cleaned since the last child used it. Your
home
high chair may not be so clean either: Germs commonly fester in corners and crannies you can't reach.
Staying Safe at Restaurants
Bring a disposable high-chair cover to restaurants, or use a disinfecting wipe to
clean the high chair. Wipe down your child's home high chair after every meal with disinfecting spray and a paper towel (
the sponge
you use to clean dishes or wipe counters could contain harmful germs).
Also consider getting a model made with antimicrobial plastic, which
does some of the germ-killing for you.
Computer Keyboards
There are more germs on
school computer
keyboards than on doorknobs, according to the NSF study. That's because
door handles are polished daily; keyboards are rarely (if ever)
cleaned.
Staying Safe While Using Computers
Teach
your child to sneeze into the crook of her arm and to blow her nose
with a tissue, so she's less likely to spread germs to keyboards and
computer mice. At home, have her
wash her hands
before and after using the computer. Wipe the keyboard with a
disinfectant cloth once a week—and whenever someone with a cold uses it.
Your Pediatrician's Waiting Room
Don't be fooled by the antiseptic smell. With all the sick little patients (especially during
cold and flu season),
the doctor’s waiting room is a virtual petri dish. Then there's your
busy doctor: If he forgets to wash his hands after seeing each patient,
he could transmit viruses to your child.
Staying Safe at the Doctor’s Office
Have
your child wash her hands before going to the doctor so she'll be less
likely to pass along a bug to other kids. If she's just
getting a checkup,
ask whether there's a well-child waiting area (where the germ load is
probably a lot lower). Take along your own toys and books so she isn't
tempted to play with communal ones. "The last thing you want is for your
healthy child to contract an illness at the doctor's office," Dr.
Nowalk. It's also perfectly acceptable to ask the doctor and the nurse
whether they've washed their hands before they touch your child. "It's
smart, not rude," says Dr. Nowalk. "I wish parents asked me more often."
