Keep Your Student (and Teacher!) Healthy This Year

Welcome back to another school year! Already there is homework to do, sports to enjoy, field trips to look forward to, friends to play with and…. Germs! That's right. With hundreds of children and adults mingling together every day, schools are notorious for passing around all sorts of viral and bacterial goodies with the daily dose of learning all children receive. It is rare that an entire school year passes without some illness being passed around to students and teachers, alike! However, there are some basic hygiene techniques that can really limit your child's exposure to harmful illnesses in school.

Hand washing, that old tried-and-true method preached by moms everywhere, is a major line of defense against infection. By teaching your child to wash their hands after going to the bathroom, before eating, after blowing their nose or sneezing, and after recess, you will limit the number of bacteria they carry on their hands. This will help to reduce the risk of illness, as it minimizes the germs on the skin and on other surfaces. If your student doesn't have access to a sink before meals, consider encouraging them to use a waterless cleaning product for disinfecting.

A huge culprit of passing on germs in schools is putting fingers and other objects in the mouth. Most of us can easily recall using our pencil eraser as a de-stressing object during a particularly hard test. However, pencils, pens, rulers, and other supplies are often on floors, desks, and other places where germs accumulate; fingers also do a great job of transferring germs from tables and supplies into little bodies. Teach your child to be aware of what they're putting near their ears, eyes, nose, and mouth, so that they minimize their exposure to germy build-up. It will also stop them from transferring their germs to others!

Likewise, as the cooler weather comes, it is important to remind kids not to share jackets, hats, or other garments. These outer layers can be hosts of some most unwelcome pests, from cold viruses to head lice. By keeping kids' items separate, you can help prevent the spread of commonly-passed illnesses all through the colder months.

There is certainly no perfect way to prevent illness in children. Try as you might, kids find ways to bring home "something extra" from school every year. But, by making your child aware of some basic personal hygiene issues, you can help your child have a happier and healthier school year.

Teacher Helpers

Want to help your child's teacher have a germ-free room? Here are some items he or she may appreciate to help keep the germs to a minimum:

• antibacterial hand soaps
• antibacterial cleaning wipes
• paper towels for cleaning
• extra boxes of tissues
• waterless hand sanitizer
• spray cleaners for desks, water fountains, or other community areas

You may also want to ask the teacher if they would consider opening the windows in the classroom for a short while each day. Germs tend to build up in rooms that are sealed, as most classrooms are during fall and winter months. If the teacher is able to open the windows each day, it allows fresh air in and germy air out. (Please remember, your child's school may have a policy regarding window use, so please allow the teacher to use their professional opinion in this matter.) By teaming up with your child's teacher, you will help everyone have a healthier year!