Handwashing

Page 14

​Hand washing is the most important infection control measure to prevent illness in yourself and the children you care for. Many studies have shown that unwashed or improperly washed hands are the primary carriers of infection. When someone coughs or sneezes, tiny particles are released into the air. These particles can contain germs. When we breathe in these particles or touch a surface that has been contaminated, we increase our risk of getting sick. The risk increases if we touch our eyes, nose, or mouth. Proper handwashing after sneezing, coughing into your hand, blowing your nose, or after helping a child who has sneezed is important to maintain a healthy environment and to avoid the spread of disease.

1. Wet your hands under running water no less than 60 degrees F and no more than 120 degrees F, and then apply liquid soap.   
2. Rub all the surfaces of your hands vigorously until a soapy lather appears; continue rubbing for at least 10-20 seconds. 
3. Rub areas between fingers, around nailbeds, under fingernails, jewelry, and the back of your hands. 
4. Rinse your hands under running water. 
5. If the sink you are using doesn’t have a hands-free faucet, leave the water running while you dry your hands with a clean disposable paper towel.  ​

Hands-free faucets (taps) are best because they do not require that you turn off the water with your clean bare hands.  If you must turn off the taps, do so with the paper towel after you have dried your hands.  A disposable paper towel can be a barrier between your clean hand and the soiled tap.  ​ 

The use of hand lotion on your freshly washed skin may prevent chapped hands.  Chapped hands are not only uncomfortable; they hold germs in the cracks of the dry skin.   Wash your hands anytime you may have come in contact with surfaces that have germs that can cause disease and before you handle anything that will enter the body, such as food or medicine.  Be especially careful about washing your hands after removing gloves used in handling contaminated surfaces and whenever your hands have touched a body fluid. ​ 

Help children learn the proper way to wash their hands too.     

Tips to Make Hand Washing in Child Care More Effective

Use liquid soap.
Bars of soap may collect germs from the previous user, which can spread when others use the soap. Most children seem to like liquid soap, which makes them more likely to use it every time they wash their hands.

Use warm running water.
Cold water is less effective at removing germs than warm water. But remember that young children can be burned by water that is too hot. To prevent burns, be sure your hot water supply does not get hotter than 120° Fahrenheit.

Scrub hands for at least 20 seconds. 
The process of scrubbing hands together helps remove grime and germs. Teach children to sing a hand washing song while they wash their hands to help them remember to scrub thoroughly. Singing a song like "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" or "Happy Birthday" through twice should take about 20 seconds.

Use disposable single-use towels. 
A shared hand towel in the bathroom is a prime spot for germs to grow and spread. Disposable paper towels and tissues go a long way toward preventing illness by reducing the opportunity to share germs.

Use hand sanitizers sparingly. 
Routine hand washing should happen with liquid soap and warm running water. Hand sanitizers may be better when soap and water is not available (such as on field trips) but should never be used to replace hand washing with soap and water. Hand sanitizers contain ethanol, which is toxic if ingested, and are not a safe option for children under 2 who may put their hands in their mouths. Baby wipes can be used to wipe infants' and toddlers' hands when there is no soap and water. Keep all hand sanitizers out of the reach of children.

Wash infants' and toddlers' hands too. 
Some child care providers forget to wash infants' and toddlers' hands with running water because it is difficult to get them in the right position at a sink. Proper hand washing begins in infancy, and washing infants' and toddlers' hands is an important way to teach them proper hand washing and prevent the spread of germs. As infants and toddlers grow, encourage them to begin washing their hands independently.  A step stool may come in handy to help raise children to sink level, but make sure you never leave young children unattended around water. 

Resources for Teaching Hand Washing to Kids

• Hand washing posters, CDC
• Hand Washing Tips
• ​Video: Glitter Germ Activity Teaching Children about Germs
• ​Video: Hand Washing Songs: A 20 Second Scrub-A-Dub
• ​Sheet Music for "A 20-Second Scrub-a-Dub" by Kim Lytton (Lyrics for the Song in the Video)

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1. Course Agenda
2. Health Policies
3.  Ill Child (1/5)
4. Keeping Children Healthy
5. Daily Health Check
6. Responding to the Child (2/5)
7. Health Policies (3/5)
8. Medication Management

9. Key Points to Medication 
10. Medication (4/5)
11. Spread of Disease
12. Transmission of Germs
13. Standard Precautions
14. Handwashing
15. PPE
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17. Immunizations
18. Cleaning
19. Sanitizing vs Disinfecting
20. Healthy Classroom
21. Children with Special Needs
22. ADA
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