hand washing

[sethiira]

a quick question !!
do your kids wash their hands with soap and water everytime they eat anything ??i mean everytime ...even when out ??
This question i am asking because it seems that i am being a paranoid mom to my kid ...i force my child to wash his hands frequently , everytime he eats ...
sometimes because of this he doesnot like eating ...and feels out of place when he goes out with other kids ...as other kids eat without washing hands
i feel because of this my child does not eat frequently and is develpoing negative assocations with food .

my only worry is that if my child eat anything with dirty hands then he would get sick ..and he has weak immunity ...Please help me friends..

worried mom ..

[cath~]

When we're at home L always washes her hands before meals and snacks (she has 2 snacks/day).

She also washes her hands every time after she goes to the toilet (of course!) so they get washed several times/day.

I have to admit though that we do sometimes forget to wash before food if we're out (esp at a cafe/restaurant as opposed to some one's house).  Having said that, we usually go to the toilet before eating when we're out so she washes her hands then anyway (although it is because of going to the toilet, rather than eating that we wash iyswim..).  Is your LO PTd?

L still puts her fingers in her mouth quite a bit though at any time during the day so from a hygiene point of view not washing before the odd meal prob isn't going to be a huge problem.  But generally, I do agree (esp if your LO has weak immunity) it's important to teach hand-washing before eating.

Err.. Not sure if that helps or not..

L loves to wash her hands BTW (some times it is hard to get her to stop).  If he is starting to see it as a chore and/or it is putting him off his food, then could you try changing it so it's more fun for him?  Eg get him a fun soap to use?  How old is he?  Does he have a step so he can wash his hands himself?  Would that help? 

When out and about, if going to a sink is a pain, then you could always use wipes?

[Lolly]

Honestly - no not every time. I get them to wash their hands before main meals (but we don't always remember if we are in a rush) and if they have come in from playing outside and after using the toilet but certainly not before everything that goes into their mouths like snacks.

Does he have a medical condition that has lowered his immunity? If not a bit of dirt is good for his immune system, my two are not often ill despite our not especially efficient hygeine.

Instead of washing all the time could you use some of the anti-bac gels for him to rub in?

Laura

[Katet]

The Mum in me says you need to do what you think is best for your child.

my only worry is that if my child eat anything with dirty hands then he would get sick ..and he has weak immunity ...Please help me friends..

The former Immunology researcher  him me (5 years in Immunology research working with someone on the Hygiene Hypothesis) says that maybe the weak Immunity is going to stay that way because lack of exposure to germs doesn't give the Immunity a chance to thrive, although depends on what the causes of the weak Immunity are.

I've always been the school of thought that if not washing before meals made you sick then millions around the world should die because they eat food scavenged from bins etc, yet those same children, don't have the autoimmune diseases that are rife & growing in western society... I always made my children wash their hands after using the toilet & if they'd been playing in dirt outside... but in terms of before eating NEVER.  DS1 does suffer from Asthma, but apart from that my children have rarely been sick since they were little (DS1 got every cold going around daycare) ... certainly the last 2 occasions gastro went around the school they didn't come down with it.  I also certainly find it amusing that there are 3 of us Mums at school who (all work/worked in Medical/para medical areas & needed to have very clean hands) all are rather 'lax' with our children in hand washing compared to a few others we know who carry the hand sanitiser around with them & get their children to sanitise if they can't wash etc & their children are the ones off sick with a cold or gastro, while ours aren't.

When my children were toddlers & we were out & about, I'd wipe their hands with a baby wipe before eating, but now they are school age (& been exposed to more germs), I know they don't get sent off to wash hands before recess & lunch & it certainly hasn't harmed them. Maybe when you are out & about just a wipe over of the hands would be sufficient.

[PaulsMom]

DS will wash his hands after using the toilet (of course) and also when he comes in from outside (eg. After getting home from school, I ask him to wash his hands).  Other than that, if they seem dirty but not specifically before each meal. 

If we are out and I know he's been touching a lot of stuff, I'll try to get him to go to the bathroom or else we will use wipes or hand sanitizer.

[sethiira]

Thanks everyone who took out their precious time to reply ….:-)

I say my child has weak immunity because he is around 5 years old..and roughly 5 times he has caught gastro infection ..in spite of so much of hygiene and my friends children not even once….they are healthy and eat each and everything ..

I feel my hand washing activity …is coming in the way of my child development …I know my child does not wash his hands before lunch in School…but at home if he does not wash hands every time then I feel that he might get sick …..(Would get Gastroenteritis, typhoid and what not ….)

When he is out in a birthday party then his friends start eating the moment the food is served …but I make him wash hands …he feels out of place many times …

Actually I am masters in Microbiology...And try to implement my study in day to day that I feel is suffocating my child …

I want my child to happy, confident...

I have to learn to relax …any ideas how to do so ….what to do of my mind ….

[Katet]

The difference between Micro & Immuno LOL... I did 2 years of Micro & while aware of all the bugs out there, working for years in Immunology, kind of makes me go totally the opposite. The basic concept is if a child isn't exposed to something they can't gain immunity, no germs = no antibodies produced or worse the body starts to produce auto antibodies (autoimmune disease), so my thought is if there isn't a medical reason for the low immunity, it is possible that lack of exposure has meant the primary Immune response hasn't kicked... kind of a catch 22, but honestly with 5 attacks of gastro despite your efforts, it can't get worse if you don't.

[*Kara*]

I am just like Katet - I was fairly good about using a baby wipe when DD was small but in general, I don't worry about it now (just over 2 years old) unless we are out in the muck outside... even then, I am the queen of using a baby wipe (not antibacterial) or a quick wash in the sink with regular soap (not antibacterial) and warm water.  For us, the majority of handwashing is done to get paint/crafty stuff off, not germs.  My home is clean so I don't make her wash before meals/snacks unless she was in something messy... she isn't potty trained so no need there yet (granted I wash my hands more because I change her bum!).

I also have a kid who has never had a gastro bug in her life.  She has had 3 colds since birth, the first at 10 months of age.  The other two were likely caught from kids in her playgroup. 

A bit of dirt/germs is good for the soul

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

I've always been the school of thought that if not washing before meals made you sick then millions around the world should die because they eat food scavenged from bins etc, yet those same children, don't have the autoimmune diseases that are rife & growing in western society... I always made my children wash their hands after using the toilet & if they'd been playing in dirt outside... but in terms of before eating NEVER.

I am of this mind as well.  We wash after the bathroom and upon coming in from playing outside (as they rarely don't get muddy/sandy). If I made Spencer wash before every time she ate her hands would fall off, that kid is in the fridge every 5 minutes for carrot or piece of lettuce to munch on (yes, she is part rabbit  ) 

[ZacsMumme]

I am just like Katet - I was fairly good about using a baby wipe when DD was small but in general, I don't worry about it now (just over 2 years old) unless we are out in the muck outside... even then, I am the queen of using a baby wipe (not antibacterial) or a quick wash in the sink with regular soap (not antibacterial) and warm water.  For us, the majority of handwashing is done to get paint/crafty stuff off, not germs.  My home is clean so I don't make her wash before meals/snacks unless she was in something messy... she isn't potty trained so no need there yet (granted I wash my hands more because I change her bum!).

^^ same here

[Canwi]

We pretty much never make a point of washing specifically before eating, especially at home, unless there is actual dirt on their hands.  I also work in healthcare, and I look at my perspective as the chance give my boys' immunity the workout it needs to be robust and functional.
There is good research around to say that kids who live on farms and in rural areas are less likely to have "weak" immune systems, as well as any of the allergic type illness (Asthma, eczema etc), than those in the city as rural folks are exposed to more dirt and bacteria that help "toughen" the immune systems.  Rural folks are less likely to use any of the antibacterial soaps/detergents that are around also - not sure why. 

In our house after toileting, hand washing is a MUST.  I've even been know to do the sniff test to see if the boys actually put soap on their hands while washing .

When we are out in public places this is how it goes for us too

we usually go to the toilet before eating when we're out so she washes her hands then anyway (although it is because of going to the toilet, rather than eating that we wash iyswim..). 

I insist on a "Check pee" so I don't have to try to figure out how to get one child to the bathroom while having the other not go and deal with 3 meals!

[sethiira]

thanks everyone for writing your views ....they mean a lot to me ....
i think i have to change myself ...i should stop nagging my child 5 year old to wash his hands every time ....

easier said then done ....but what to do of my mind ...