Good hygiene practices in and out of school keep children healthy

As students and their parents prepare for a new school year, school supplies are not the only things to consider.

In schools, where kids have frequent contact with each other, disease prevention should be part of the preparation. Good hygiene practices begin at home, although schools reinforce good health practices, too.

Simply telling youngsters to cover their mouths when sneezing or coughing or to wash their hands after restroom visits, while important, is better reinforced by demonstrating good health practices and providing a consistent routine. More and more, schools are suggesting that students sneeze or cough into the crook of their elbows or into their shirts so as not to spread disease to their hands.

Julie Willinger, a Yuma working mother of third-grade twin girls, offers some home training tips that she uses to teach good health practices. She says she walks them through the practices she wants to reinforce and has a consistent schedule to do them, adding, “They argue less when it is something that they do regularly and at a set time.”

“Hand washing seems to be the main thing,” says Willinger. She says that the trend that is coming from school and Girl Scout sources is to sing “Happy Birthday” while scrubbing to make sure they wash hands long enough. (Some other sources suggest using the alphabet song.)

Willinger has used lists and charts to motivate her girls, Davelyn and Danielle. She says that if a certain behavior were troublesome, she would use a star chart or an incentive game to work on that behavior for four to six weeks, because it takes a few weeks to make something a habit.

“I used a picture chart on the girls' doors when they were little that showed a photo of a bath and teeth and a little girl prayer, and they reviewed. They knew each night that they bathed, brushed their teeth and said their prayers and went to bed. Young children like knowing what is coming next — and they will even tell you, ‘You forgot! I brush my teeth next.”

A timer and/or flashing toothbrushes from the dollar stores help her girls brush their teeth the proper length of time, Willinger says. She also buys dental flossers that kids find easier to use than regular dental floss.

“I notice that kids that sleep over will even ask to use the flossers.”

An often-overlooked school preparation is that of kids' getting enough sleep.

“When it comes to children and sleep, the bottom line is that healthy and regular sleeping habits ensure not only peak alertness, memory and performance, but also help prevent a number of behavioral problems and psychiatric issues including moodiness and depression,” states information at www.sleep.com, a source that also offers tips to help children get the sleep they need.

“I am always amazed at the number of young children still up and about if I run out after 10 p.m. to the store,” says Willinger, “some complaining that they are hungry and want dinner.”

Because schoolchildren have frequent contact with each other, teachers can also help reinforce good health habits. Some elementary school teachers ask their classes to provide one box of tissues as a part of their school supplies to be used throughout the year.

Willinger mentioned that their school encourages kids to use the towel on which they have wiped their clean hands to open the restroom door upon leaving. Her kids' Girl Scout manual recommends using the towel on which they have dried clean hands to shut off the water.

Additional tips available online for parents and teachers to train kids in good health habits include www.hygiene-educ.com and www.songsforteaching.com.