The importance of washing your hands, especially during a time like this, is at the forefront of preventive care for kids. Teaching good hygiene to children is one of the most important life skills you can give them.
While it might seem like a basic skill, and too basic of a means of fighting a potentially deadly virus like COVID-19, it remains our best defense in the spread of the disease. The act of hand washing must be done correctly for it to be effective, so these are the basics of hand washing to share with children.
Understanding the Need for Handwashing
Our office stresses handwashing as the most effective preventive care for children Lubbock when it comes to COVID-19 prevention. Soap is one of the most effective methods of killing and removing the virus from hands, and reduces the rate of transfer to individuals and surfaces.
When Hand Washing is Necessary
As a family pediatrician in Lubbock, our office recommends consistent handwashing throughout the day as surfaces are constantly touched. When there is an outbreak of this type, our hands are one of the main carriers of the disease and spread it around or cause us to become infected when we touch our faces. Encourage children to wash their hands immediately after they have been in public or handled things that others have been in contact with.
Teaching Proper Handwashing
There is a right and a wrong way to wash your hands, and it is important to teach children the correct way from a young age. Before adding soap to your hands, first completely wet your hands with running water. Once your hands are completely wet, add soap and lather into the palms.
Once you have built up a lather, begin applying soap lather to all areas of your hand, including the fingertips and under and around the nail beds. Count to twenty while applying the lather to hands.
Scrub hands together and use general friction to remove both the soap lather and any remnants of the virus that are on your hands. Once you have scrubbed all areas of your hands with soap for twenty seconds, rinse completely. A cloth or brush is not needed to achieve proper washing, nor is vigorous scrubbing.
Use a clean cloth or paper towel to dry your hands completely. Disposable towels are best for COVID-19 prevention because it minimizes the risk of re-contamination when the virus is left behind on materials.
Other Hand Washing Options
There are times handwashing with soap is not possible. In these instances, avoid contact with your face, mouth, and nose. When possible, use hand sanitizer to kill any viruses that are on your hands.
Child preventive care Lubbock is our priority.
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