Hand-washing should be everyone's New Year's resolution

It is common to think about New Year’s resolutions this time of year, and so often these are linked to our health and lifestyle.

Whether you promise yourself to lose weight, exercise more or quit smoking, these are all noble resolutions that can seriously benefit your health. They may not be easy, but it’s worth a try and the rewards are plentiful.

Here’s one resolution that is easier than losing 10 pounds and is guaranteed to keep you and your family much healthier this winter. It is quick and easy and everyone can get into the habit of doing it, from toddlers to seniors.

It costs nothing, yet the benefits are enormous. Hand-washing. It’s the best-proven prevention for colds and flu.

Washing your hands and your children's hands is the most effective way to stop the spread of germs. Think about it. Your hands open doors, wipe noses, handle food, change diapers, dial phone numbers, put away toys, tie shoelaces, wipe tears and shake other hands, collecting germs along the way.

You can’t avoid germs and that’s okay, but you can reduce your chances of passing them along to others by washing your hands.

To wash your hands, use a plain, mild soap. Teach your children how to wash their hands so they too will get into the habit. Demonstrate the four steps to proper hand-washing:

• Wet your hands under warm running water.

• Scrub your hands, front and back, with soap (sing the entire Alphabet Song here)

• Rinse your hands under warm running water.

• Dry your hands on a clean towel.

When should you wash your hands?

• Before cooking, handling food, feeding (including breastfeeding) or eating.

• Before giving medication to a child.

• After changing a diaper, using the toilet or helping a child use the toilet.

• After caring for a sick child, blowing your nose or a child’s nose, sneezing or coughing.

• After handling pets or animals or pet cages or litter boxes.

• After preparing food.

• After playing outside or in the sandbox.

At nursery school, I frequently have children cough or sneeze on me. Here I am, down on my knees tying a child’s shoelaces and they sneeze or cough right in my face. I immediately go and wash my hands and rinse my face, then dry with a paper towel. I can honestly say I’m rarely sick with colds and flu, thanks to hand-washing (and the occasional face-washing).

You can even wash your baby’s hands by using soap on a warm, wet, clean cloth then rinsing with a fresh, warm, wet cloth and dry well. Older kids love using the liquid soap dispensers by themselves, although you may have to monitor the quantity they pump!

There are many antibacterial soaps and antimicrobial products on the market, but plain soap and water is still your best defense.

When water and soap are not available, you can use pre-moistened hand-wipes or alcohol-based hand rinses, but keep these out of reach of children as they may be dangerous if swallowed.

Buying antimicrobial toys and products is not necessary, but it is important to wash hand toys with water and soap and rinse them well, especially if your children are putting them in their mouths, which most babies and toddlers will do. A diluted bleach solution can also be used.

Some plastic toys can be washed in the dishwasher and machine washable cloth toys may be cleaned in the washing machine.

So don’t give up on losing a few extra pounds or heading to the gym, but make hand-washing a regular lifelong habit for yourself and your children for a healthier New Year for your entire family.

Lila Hope-Simpson is the Director of the Home and Heart Child Development Centre and Family Home Day Care Agency.

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