Dear Mom,
Before school, do you teach your child how to wash their hands?
Our children spend most of the day at school, and we don't know if our child is maintaining personal hygiene. How can I train my children on the best prevention methods? We at Al-Bayrouni Pharmacy are committed to providing all useful advice for every family member. In this article, we offer you a simple and comprehensive guide to hand hygiene for you, your child, and the whole family.
Why Hand Hygiene is the First Line of Defense
Hand hygiene is the first line of defense against the spread of infection. Schools are an ideal environment for the transmission of pathogens due to the physical proximity between students, the sharing of tools, and the nature of children who tend to touch various surfaces and then their faces. Although precise published epidemiological data on the prevalence rates of infectious diseases related to hand hygiene in Kuwaiti schools specifically is scarce, global and local patterns of common childhood diseases give us a clear picture of the scale of the problem.
The most prominent pathogens transmitted by hands in the school environment:
- Respiratory viruses: These include influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus, and seasonal coronaviruses, which are responsible for the majority of school absences due to illnesses such as the common cold and upper respiratory infections.
- Enteric viruses: Such as rotavirus and norovirus, which are major causes of viral gastroenteritis, manifesting as diarrhea and vomiting.
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Bacteria:
- Streptococcus pyogenes: The cause of bacterial sore throat and scarlet fever.
- Staphylococcus aureus: Including methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA), which can cause skin infections.
- Shigella and Salmonella: Causes of bacterial diarrheal diseases.
- Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease: Caused by the Coxsackievirus and spreads easily in schools and daycare centers.
What Happens if We Neglect to Train Our Children on Hand Hygiene?
Failure to effectively implement hand hygiene not only leads to an increase in disease rates among students but its impact extends to:
- Increased school absenteeism: Which negatively affects the child's academic achievement.
- Transmission of infection to family members: The child becomes a "carrier" of infection to their siblings and parents, which may lead to parents being absent from work.
- Increased burden on the healthcare system: Through an increase in clinic and emergency department visits, and a rise in antibiotic consumption, which contributes to the worsening problem of antimicrobial resistance.
How Do Hand Cleansers and Sanitizers Work?
Which is better, soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizers? To answer, we must understand the importance of handwashing and explain the mechanism by which germs are eliminated. Human hands are covered with a layer of natural oils (lipids) that harbor microorganisms.
Washing with soap and water: Soap is an amphiphilic agent, meaning its molecules have a water-loving (hydrophilic) end and a water-hating, fat-loving (lipophilic) end. The lipophilic end binds to the oils, dirt, and germs on the hand, while the hydrophilic end binds to running water molecules. The mechanical process of rubbing for at least 20 seconds ensures the breakdown of this dirt and germs, and then rinsing with running water effectively removes them.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers: Sanitizers containing at least 60% alcohol (ethanol or isopropanol) work by breaking down the proteins and lipid membranes of pathogens, which kills them. They are very effective against most bacteria and enveloped viruses (like influenza and coronavirus), but are less effective against some non-enveloped viruses (like norovirus) and Clostridium spores.
Therefore, soap and water remain the optimal choice when hands are visibly dirty.
Al-Bayrouni Pharmacy provides you with all personal hygiene tools for all family members. Contact us.
How Do I Train My Kids to Wash Their Hands?
Training is a simple matter involving a few steps at a specific time. The biggest challenge is how to convince my young child of the importance of washing his hands? And how do I get him to care about the proper method and duration? Here are simple exercises that, if done in front of the child, will make him realize the importance of what we are talking about.
Interactive Education:
Instead of giving a direct order, use illustrative models or short videos to explain how germs are transmitted. The simple "pepper, water, and soap experiment" can be used to show how pepper (germs) "flees" from soap.
Identify Critical Times:
Emphasize the importance of washing hands at "critical times":
- Before eating.
- After using the toilet.
- After playing outside.
- After coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
- After touching pets.
Make it a Fun Habit:
Suggest to parents to make handwashing time fun by singing a short song (like "Happy Birthday" twice) to ensure washing for 20 seconds, or using soap with colors and scents that children like.
Be a Good Role Model:
Remind parents that they are their children's first role models. When children see their parents washing their hands regularly, this behavior becomes the norm.
Initiatives at the School Community Level
Communicating with school administrations:
Parents can visit the school and recommend the following:
- Recommend the continuous provision of hand hygiene supplies (soap, paper towels, alcohol-based sanitizers at the entrances of classrooms).
- Suggest integrating "hand hygiene segments" into the educational curricula in innovative ways.
Holding awareness lectures:
Organize interactive workshops in schools for students and teachers on the importance of hand hygiene. Medical students or nursing staff can be enlisted to help in these campaigns.
Conclusion: A Lifelong Habit for a Healthier Generation
Promoting hand hygiene among school students is not just a simple preventive measure, but a long-term investment in the health of an entire generation. We can transform handwashing from a routine task into an ingrained habit and a lifelong healthy behavior, contributing to building a healthier and safer community for our children.