HYGIENE HABITS FOR KIDS
Written by Caroline Meyer
When we think of hygiene, we mainly consider washing hands and brushing teeth, but there are quite a few hygiene habits that we can teach our kids to improve their health and safety.
Home Hygiene consists of having your child develop an etiquette of cleanliness. Teach them to clean up after themselves if they mess (if they are small, you can help them with this). They can help take dirty dishes to the kitchen and when they are older, stack the dishwasher or hand wash the dishes. They need to learn to put on clean clothes every day and even if they have favourites, they should only wear them when they are clean. While you do not need to go overboard and have every surface spotless at all times, children can learn to be clean and hygienic in the home while still having room for exploration and creativity.
Food hygiene is quite important as bad habits can lead to illness. Explain to your children about the germs that can get into food and subsequently into their bodies if they do not practice food hygiene. Hands should always be washed before cooking or eating. If they help with the cooking, have them wear an apron and tie back hair (you can do the same as an example to them). Roll up sleeves to prevent food particles or grease getting on clothing. While working with food always turn away and cough or sneeze into your elbow should you need to. Show your kids which foods have to stay in the refrigerator between uses and where and how foodstuffs are stored to avoid contamination. Food should be covered with clean lids to prevent bacterial growth. Make sure the refrigerator is cleaned regularly and all expired products are discarded. Teach little ones to wash fruit before munching away or to ask for help with cleaning and peeling.
Hand hygiene is one of the top hygiene focusses to prevent the spread of disease. Use a song if needed to make sure hands are washed thoroughly. Wet hands, apply soap and build up a lather. Hands, fingers, palms and wrists should be well lathered and the underneath of the nails cleaned well. Wash for around 20 seconds. Rinse well before drying on a clean towel or use paper towels. Make this a habit so that your child learns to wash their hands often and especially before and after meals and snack times. Teach them to also wash after coughing or sneezing, playing with an animal and after using the bathroom. Other hand washing times should include after playing outside or handling dirt, coming into contact with a sick person, after shopping and coming home from school or extra mural activities.
Sleep hygiene may sound strange, but sleep is essential for children and creating a good sleep environment includes having good sleep hygiene. Avoid allowing eating or snacking in the bed to prevent crumbs and dirty bedding. Keep sleeping hours to a routine unless the child is unwell. The bed should be a place to sleep, not for working, playing or anything else. The bedroom should offer a clean, relaxed environment which can include lullabies, dim lights or night lights. Avoid having TVs, tablets, computers and other gadgets in the space. Make sure they are not hungry and that meal times are at least 2 or more hours before sleep. You can offer a snack such as a cookie and a glass of milk before sleep if they complain they are hungry or thirsty before bed but don’t allow them to eat or drink in bed. The bedroom should be an area of peace and tranquillity and should not be used for time outs.
Oral Hygiene is a very important habit that needs to be started from when your child is small and will help them develop healthy habits. Oral health is essential to reduce bad breath, cavities and oral diseases. Even though the baby teeth are eventually replaced by adult teeth, the habits need to be in force before this point. Buy your child a child’s toothbrush so it fits comfortably in their mouths and is generally softer. Teeth should be brushed twice a day from the age of 12 months on. Don’t use toothpaste unless it is formulated specifically for children for the first year, water is fine. After the age of 2 they can use toothpaste. Try and clean teeth after they have eaten anything sweet to avoid the sugar that causes cavities from staying in the mouth for too long. You can also teach them how to use dental floss as soon as they are able to. Show them the correct way to brush and floss to set them up for a lifetime of clean teeth and fresh breath.
Nails can accumulate germs and dirt from playtime. Nails can also get damaged during play. Try and discourage nail biting to prevent them ingesting anything from under the nails. Trim nails weekly to keep them short and manageable. Show them how to scrub under their nails and ensure they are clean when washing hands. Make sure toenails are not neglected and are also kept neat and clean.
Your child can also pick up issues related to their head and hair. This can include scalp infections, dandruff and lice. Hair should be washed at least twice a week to keep it clean and remove excess oils. Head lice should be treated immediately to avoid the spread and reinfection. Make sure bedding, hair brushes and so forth are thoroughly cleaned to remove any possible contamination from the lice and that your child knows not to let anyone else use her brush or comb. Keep your child away from other children that have lice. Encourage children with long hair to keep it tied up to reduce dirt accumulation. Don’t allow sharing of caps, combs, hats or pillows with other children.
Bathing is one of the most important hygiene factors and they should be bathing a minimum of once and preferably twice a day. Once in the morning and once in the evening. Teach them to wash important areas such as groin, armpits, face, feet and legs thoroughly. They need to know how to apply soap or body wash/shower gels and to rinse well. Show them how to wash their faces more gently as the skin in this area is more delicate.
Besides washing their feet, kids need to learn foot hygiene when it comes to shoes. Avoid wearing the same shoes for multiple hours daily especially without socks. Try and ensure that feet are clean before putting on shoes to prevent dirt and bacteria accumulating inside the shoes. Show them how to wash their feet thoroughly including between the toes and under the toe nails. For rough feet, you can use foot scourers to slough off dead skin, but this is not likely to be needed when kids are small. Help them smooth and moisturize their feet and if needed, use creams to prevent build-up of fungus and bacteria. When they are older, they should wear slip-ons when using public showers to avoid bacterial contamination.
In the bathroom, there is likely to be all sorts of germs, no matter how diligent you are with cleaning. To reduce contact with bacteria from hands to face, teach them to wipe well or wash after using the toilet. Show them how to flush so that the toilet is left clean. You can also include a hand sanitizer in the bathroom for extra cleanliness. Start teaching bathroom hygiene from small and you will avoid a lot of issues as they get older.
Teach your little ones how to reduce the spread of illness when they have colds and flus by covering their nose and mouth with a tissue or piece of toilet paper when sneezing or coughing and to discard the used paper immediately. Alternatively, they can cough into the crook of their arm. This reduces the build-up of germs on to their hands, which can then be spread easily. If possible, they should wash their hands after a cough or sneeze if they were unable to get a tissue in time and had to sneeze into their hands. Start building the habit early to help prevent the spread of common illnesses such as these.
Don’t expect your child to learn all of the hygiene habits instantly. Keep practicing good hygiene and set an example yourself and your little one will start following suit. Expect accidents to happen and don’t get too upset if the habits don’t form immediately. Be patient, keep explaining and showing your little one and they will eventually pick up the healthy habits that are important for their health and welfare.