Our pediatric offices are getting busier as the winter germs start to circulate! We have a great way to demonstrate to your children good hand washing techniques during this cold and flu season. Lightly cover your children’s hands with petroleum jelly and sprinkle “germs” in the form of glitter over their hands. Use different colors for each child. Then have them high-five each other. Observe how the “germs” spread from hand to hand. Then wash under water for a few seconds and observe how much comes off. Share with your kids that 10-15 seconds (the time it takes to sing the “ABC song”) of hand washing is most effective at decreasing germs. Another fun way is to use a substance called Glo Germ . The pretend invisible germ is rubbed on the hands. Only a black light reveals the Glo Germ. Have your children wash their hands, then use a black light again to see if they successfully washed off the Glo Germs.
Enjoy the glitter but not the germs of the winter holiday season.
Naline Lai, MD with Julie Kardos, MD
©2010 Two Peds in a Pod℠