Spend more time at the sink
Washing your hands regularly reduces your chances of catching a viral or bacterial infection. About 80% of infectious diseases are spread by touch. Make sure you and your children adopt a good hand washing technique. See the picture below. When you have a sick child at home you can also use a hand sanitizer to kill any germs that soap left behind. Stock up on mini bottles of hand sanitizer to keep in your bag to keep your hands clean when you are not near a sink.
Step up your disinfecting
Use disinfectant to clean the areas that everyone touches – doorknobs, phones, kitchen surfaces and remote controls. If you or your child has diarrhea and vomiting then take extra care to clean the bathroom.
Stop sharing
Sharing is caring but not when it comes to germs. Avoid sharing food and drinks as well as towels. Germs can survive anywhere from one hour to a few days on a moist surface.
Consider quarantine
It is often very difficult to separate siblings but try and keep them in different rooms. If they share a bedroom and you are able to then consider having them sleep separately as well. Toys are a breeding ground for germs, try to keep the toys your sick child is playing with separate to the other toys. Most toys can also be popped into the dishwasher or washing machine to be cleaned. Once your child or children are better give all the toys a good wash.
Practice good sneezing and coughing hygiene
Teach your children to sneeze into a tissue and then immediately throw the tissue away, often children will just throw dirty tissues on the floor. Also get them into the habit of covering their mouth when coughing. After coughing and sneezing, don’t forget to wash hands!
Preventing Germs: The Odds Are Against You
While trying to prevent germs from infecting the rest of the family is a noble goal, remember that the odds are against you. Even if you’re careful, once a virus is in the house, it’s very hard to contain.
Even if you take every possible precaution the moment you notice that your child is feverish, it may already be too late. Don’t beat yourself up if you’re unable to prevent germs from spreading in your home.
Dr Ruhil Badiani is a British family GP at Cornerstone Clinic in Dubai, based at the Grosvenor House Hotel. To make an appointment, please email us at info@cornerstoneclinic.ae or what’s app +971 50 4946377.
3 May 2023
