Why is hand washing so important?

Hand wash is important, not only for children but for parents as well. Good hand washing protects against the spread of many ailments, right from a common cold to serious illnesses like meningitis or Hepatitis A. Common cold is responsible for almost twenty two million lost school days each year. Most people will be affected by infectious diarrhoea even if they do not wash their hands properly. Kids love to play around in dirt and filth. They can bring in millions of germs with them into the house. They won’t bother about washing their hands before eating or after using the bathroom. Hand washing is the best way to prevent germs from spreading and to keep your kids from getting ill. Germs can be transmitted through touching of dirty hands, contaminated food or water or through contact with a sick person’s body fluids or through cough and sneezes. When the children come into contact with these germs, they can unconsciously become infected by touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Once they are infected, it is a matter of time before the whole family comes down with the same illness. Wash your hands in warm water. Use soap and lather for about ten seconds and wash your fingers and nails properly as germs nestle in these places. You can make frequent hand washing a rule in the family for everyone before cooking and eating and after using the bathroom. You cannot underestimate the power of hand washing. The few seconds that you will spend at the wash basin may save you trips to the physician.