Utah Valley Pediatrics strives to keep parents up to date on the latest health topics and advisories. Our newsletter covers medicine changes and news, pediatric news, seasonal and age specific topics and what’s new at Utah Valley Pediatrics.
Archives
November 2007
Vol. 1 Issue 1
Medicine Changes
and News
Cough and Cold Medication Targeted to Children Under Two Years of Age Pulled From Shelves
Pacifiers Help Reduce Risk of SIDS
Pediatric News
Seasonal and Age Specific
The Importance of Hand Washing
What's New
at UVP
Utah Valley Pediatrics Builds Upon Commitment to Quality Care Through Involvement With UPIQ
Utah Valley Pediatrics Opens an Office in Payson
Contacts
Kevin Moffitt
Administrator
801-373-8930
Allison Arnold
Manager
801-373-8930
Quick Links
The Importance of Hand Washing
A little soap, water and 15 seconds can make a huge difference in your and your child’s health. By teaching your children to wash their hands, you will be protecting them from the common cold, meningitis, bronchiolitis, influenza, hepatitis A, most types of infectious diarrhea and other serious illnesses. It can also prevent food-related illnesses, such as salmonella and E. coli.
The best way to teach your children to wash their hands is by example. Wash your hands with your children and observe their hand washing.
Why should we wash our hands?
Throughout the day, germs build up on our hands by touching others’ dirty hands; changing diapers; direct contact with contaminated surfaces, water and foods; contact with a sick person’s body fluids; or touching animals and animal waste. We can then infect ourselves by simply touching our eyes, nose or mouth. Once we are infected, we can then spread these germs by touching other people or by touching surfaces that they also touch. It is not hard for an entire family to quickly become infected if not washing their hands properly.
How to wash your hands
- Run warm, running water over hands and apply soap.
- Lather well and rub your hands vigorously together for at least 15 seconds. Tell little children to wash their hands for as long as it takes them to sing “Happy Birthday” to help keep them from hurrying through it.
- Wash all surfaces, including wrists, the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your fingernails.
- Rinse hands well.
- Use a clean or disposable towel to dry hands.
- Turn off the faucet with a towel.
When you should wash your hands
You should wash your hands after using the bathroom or changing a diaper, handling garbage, touching animals or animal waste, blowing your nose or coughing/sneezing into your hands, cleaning around the house or being outside. You should wash your hands before and after preparing food (especially before and immediately after handling raw meat, poultry or fish); treating wounds or cuts; or touching a sick or injured person. You should also wash your hands before eating, or inserting or removing contact lenses.
Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used if you don’t have soap and water available, and they have the added advantage of not drying out your hands. Hand sanitizers should contain at least 60 percent alcohol to be effective. Use care when using hand sanitizers with younger children. Make sure the sanitizer has completely dried to avoid ingestion from hand-to-mouth contact. Be sure the container is stored in a safe place.
For More Information:
Why is handwashing important? (CDC) - http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r2k0306c.htm
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