My son has been confined two times now, and it seems to happen every year. The first culprit was E.coli which according to my research can invade the body in several ways. From your child’s soiled diaper, comfort rooms, and even food. Just thinking about it makes me cringe and mind you, our house is the cleanest one you’ll ever see. Everyone wears house slippers, table tops and furniture are dusted daily, marble floor swept, kitchen kept tidy and cleaned during evenings, and comfort rooms are always sparkling white. My son takes a bath daily and his carer makes sure he is clean & neat when I am busy. We barely even have visitors.
Bacteria is something that can invade your family unsuspiciously, albeit it is almost impossible to avoid!
I now make sure that all the food we eat are safe, and that includes medicines. Anything at all we put in our mouth to enter our systems. Especially after Ashton’s second confinement – just weeks ago. The culprit was streptococcus bacteria which is really hard to tell if it’s there. Me and my son had fever for three days and then it was gone. We thought we were fine until the blood test result showed up. I was vigilant enough to have tests undertaken and seek professional help from the doctors. Both types of bacteria could have led to serious complications including kidney damage.
Although we can’t live in a bacteria-free environment, it’s always better to be protective of our kids and families. Gone are the days we should believe in hearsay, old and unproven medicine, and products that mask themselves as safe and effective. I am willing to pay for quality and prevent more expensive trips to the doctor.
I was recently talking to fellow moms (thanks to social networks) and we agreed, we’d rather be mistaken as snobby by not letting our kids be touched by relatives, strangers, and other kids who might pose bacterial infection. Same goes with not frequenting places that are crowded and practice poor hygiene. Even more importantly, being meticulous when it comes to food products, toys, etc. we all have to make sure everything that has to do with our children is free from contamination.
Some more tips to protect your kids from bacteria:
- Frequently change diapers and wash every time kids pee or poop
- Be careful in food preparation and avoid cross contamination by using proper and safe containers
- Practice proper hand washing
- Be mindful of food & medicine sources – look for quality and ensure manufacturers conform to standards especially when buying common cough medicines
- Use a face mask when you feel you are sick to prevent being contagious
- Always seek doctor’s advice if you suspect something is wrong. Fever of up to 3 days usually mean you’ll have to take your child to the pediatrician.
How do you protect your kids from harmful bacteria?
Mommy Lace is a blogger from the Philippines. She started this blog to share information on pregnancy, breastfeeding, childcare, family, and health.