Do you hate colds?  I know I do. 

          Here's a few facts that will help you avoid them:

• How Germs Spread.  Health authorities believe that by washing your hands you can help prevent a variety of ailments including the common cold and other infections.  Germs accumulate on your hands as you perform daily activities and can be transmitted through contact with door knobs, telephones, computer keyboards, shared toys and other public surfaces that are touched frequently by others.  These surfaces contain germs which are transmitted from one person's hands to another.
• Experts believe that cold viruses are probably spread by hand contact.  For example, children rub their noses when they have a cold, picking up cold germs; then they touch another person's hand, who rubs their eyes or nose.   The common cold is the leading cause of visits to school health nurses and physicians, as well as school and job absenteeisms.

• DON'T GAMBLE WITH YOUR HEALTH--WASH YOUR HANDS!

• Washing your hands is often your first line of defense in preventing the transmission of germs that can cause illness.  Here are ways to help keep you and your family healthy.
• ****Don't wait for hands to be dirty.  Hands that look clean may, in fact, be covered with germs.  Therefore, it is important to always wash your hands before preparing food, serving food, eating, feeding your child, and between caring for more than one sick child.
• ****You can't wash your hands too often and should wash frequently throughout the day including after changing your child's diaper, using the restroom, playing outside, playing with animals or shared toys, blowing your nose/sneezing, commuting via public transportation or using a public pay phone.
• ****Wash your whole hand--not just the palm!   Germs are found on the entire surface of your hand, including the cuticles, beneath your fingernails and in the creases of your hands. So be sure to include the backs of your hands, between your fingers, fingernails and wrists every time you wash.
• ****Wash your hands for at least 10 seconds; it takes a good handwashing to remove bacteria from your hands.
• ****Use warm, running water to lift the germs off the skin and rinse them away.  The exact temperature is not important.  The water only needs to be warm enough to cut through grease (110 degrees Fahrenheit).  Water hot enough to kill germs would hurt your hands.
• ****Always use soap; rinsing is not enough.  And don't worry, germs are not transmitted by soap bars.  For children, liquid soap is often a good choice.  It is easier for children to use since their small hands may not be able to easily handle a bar of soap.
• ****When possible, dry your hands with a paper towel; also turn off the water faucet using a paper towel instead of clean hands.

**This information taken with permission from the Council on Family Health's "Don't Let Germs Hitch A Ride. Wash Your Hands"

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01/07/08 mc