Hand Washing Facts
- Inadequate hand washing has contributed to many outbreaks of diarrhea among children and adults in early care and educational programs.
- In settings that implemented a hand washing training program, the incident of diarrhea illnesses has decreased by 50%.
- One study found that hand washing helped reduce colds when frequent and proper hand washing practices were incorporated into a childcare center’s curriculum.
When?
- Children and adults should wash their hands upon arrival and when moving from one classroom to another.
- Hands should also be washed BEFORE and AFTER:
- Eating, handling food, and/or feeding a child.
- Giving medication.
- Playing in water that is used by more than one person.
- Children and adults should always wash hands AFTER:
- Diapering (or having a diaper changed).
- Using the toilet or helping a child use a toilet.
- Wiping a nose or mouth (own or child’s).
- Handling any body fluids (vomit, blood, mucus).
- Sneezing or coughing.
- Handling pets and other animals.
- Cleaning or handling the garbage.
- Clearing away dirty dishes and utensils.
- Handling uncooked food, especially raw meat and poultry.
- Playing outdoors.
- Playing in sandboxes or with play dough.
- Handling money.
Perform a Daily Health Check
If you can minimize the number of sick children coming to your program, you can decrease the number of germs that are available to be spread. As children arrive:
- Check for symptoms of illness.
- Exclude/isolate sick children.
Check for Symptoms of Illness
Perform a health check when a child first arrives at your home or center and observe children throughout the day.
Look, listen, feel and smell for the following possible signs of illness:
- Child complains of pain or not feeling well
- Fever
- Drainage from nose, eyes or ears
- Severe coughing or sneezing
- Abnormal stool (white or gray bowel movement, diarrhea, etc.)
- Activity level, behavior or appearance
- Unusual odor
- Sores, swelling or bruises
- Vomiting
- Failure to urinate
- Breathing difficulties
- Skin rashes, discoloration of the skin, itchy skin or scalp
If the child has any of the symptoms above, then determine the following:
- Does the child need immediate medical attention (e.g. if having an asthma attack or sever allergic reaction)?
- Should the child be isolated from the group and sent home based on your program’s exclusion criteria?
- Do additional measures need to be taken such as monitoring the child closely during the day, taking extra care when washing hands, etc.?