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Handwashing for children
Teach children to wash their hands thoroughly and often so hand washing becomes a life-long healthy practice.
These instructions are geared for child care centres and schools but include good tips for home too.
- There should be liquid soap, water and disposable paper towels available for hand washing.
- Use plain liquid soap to wash hands. Do not use antibacterial soaps or cleaners. These can lead to antibiotic resistance.
- When washing their hands with soap and water, children should wash for 20 seconds. Sing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” Then rinse well.
- Use disposable paper towels to dry hands and throw the towel into the garbage. “No Touch” garbage cans help reduce the spread of infection.
- When soap and water are not available, children should use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are safe for children to use.
- When cleaning their hands with alcohol-based hand sanitizer, children should use enough sanitizer to keep their hands wet for 15 – 30 seconds. Follow the directions on the bottle.
When should children wash their hands?
- Before and after eating
- After using the toilet
- After sneezing or coughing or wiping their noses
- When their hands are dirty
- After playing with commonly used toys
- Before and after playing at a water table
- After playing outdoors or in a sandbox
- After handling animals or animal waste.
When hands are visibly dirty or if there is diarrhea, warm water and soap should be used instead of a hand sanitizer.
News Source: https://sneezesanddiseases.com/wash-hands
Image source: BBC.com
