Info 101: H1N1 prevention and hygiene habits for children

November 8, 9:10 PMNY Children's Issues ExaminerMaria R. Burgio

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H1N1 Virus
Department of Disease Control

Teaching your child good hygiene is especially important if we want to stop the threat of H1N1.  Because most children are good visual learners, use paper and pencil illustrations of how a virus can float in the air after a sneeze and land on another child's body. 

Using the visual method described above, even preschoolers and school age children can be given a quick lesson in microbiology. The understanding of microbes and how they are transmitted can be taught simply with animated creatures (even if you can't draw well).

Tell them how serious getting sick could be.  Discuss the symptoms that they'll most likely experience, like coughing, sore throat, and fever.  Then show how they can stop the virus from coming into their bodies.  Stress to your children that they should never touch their mouths or eyes without washing their hands.

Now tell your children that H1N1 can be prevented if they obey the following simple safety rules:
         1) When to wash hands - Tell your children to wash their hands as often as possible. Wash after each time they use the toilet, and after recess. 

         2) How to wash hands - Demonstrate proper handwashing - Lather hands with soap with good amount of soap and rinse thoroughly

         2) Sneezing and coughing into the elbow - When sneezing and coughing, don't do it in the air.  Sneeze and cough into the elbow. Explain that this will keep germs from being airborne so other children don't get sick

         3) Do not borrow sick child's belongings - as some children are likely to put pencils in their mouths, tell your children not to borrow belongings from children that are coughing and sneezing.

Teaching children about bathing and keeping their bodies clean began in infancy, but the spread of infectious diseases is a reality that can be taught too. Having good hygiene has never been more important.

When relaying the information, be serious, but remember that the goal is not to make children scared. It should be an empowering idea. Say something like, "Everybody can help to stop this bug before it makes us sick." 

It's not a bad idea to make public health a personal responsibility for each of your children.

For More Info:
Click here to see images of the virus via video and getting other information about doses of vaccine, etc.