Preschool: the importance of effective hand hygiene highlighted in new study
Chris Whieldon
Designer and manufacturer of portable handwash units for medical facilities, catering, motor vehicles, care homes and home care, the beauty industry and schools and nurseries.
Teaching kids to wash their hands can help protect everyone from illnesses says report
A recent study revealed large numbers and many different types of unpleasant bacteria “including some commonly found in poo” on surfaces in a wide variety of situations where children can be found, according to a recent report on the Knowsley News website.?
Outdoor play areas, soft play centres and a wide variety of children’s toys were found to be contaminated during the scientific investigation, according to the article.
The study was initiated by the Champs Public Health Collaborative which is led by the nine Directors of Public Health in Cheshire and Merseyside. 300 parents and carers participated in the project, which was undertaken as a response to an earlier report that 74% of respondents had to care for sick youngsters, necessitating taking time off work, says the article.
Two significant findings were revealed by the research:-
How successful were hand washing lessons?
Not nearly as good as they should have been it seems – though not surprisingly. The study noted that a significant minority of parents – listed as 41% – admitted that “they often struggled to get their little ones to wash their hands regularly.”
A worthwhile initiative called Simple Things – Little Ones Can Help Keep Us All Well has been launched as a result, which “asks parents and carers to remind children to wash their hands after going to the toilet, before eating, and after coughing or sneezing.”
The report quotes the lead Director of Public Health for Health Protection in Cheshire and Merseyside. Helen Bromley said that “Our findings show that it’s impossible to avoid coming into contact with various germs in our daily lives.”
“Our latest campaign simply reminds parents to make sure their children wash their hands before eating and after the toilet to reduce the spread of colds and other bugs.”