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September 24, 2014

The Fight Against Illness…One Germ at a Time

This isn’t Gotham City, but there is a villain lurking about. That villain is germs!

Not only is it cold and flu season, but a fast-spreading virus related to hand-foot-and-mouth disease called enterovirus D68 is hospitalizing kids across the country, including in Buffalo. With children back in school, the spread of germs becomes more prevalent.

Doodle Bugs! takes great pride in the cleanliness of our centers and classrooms—all year round. Toys, equipment, and classrooms are cleaned and sanitized on a routine basis, including tables, door handles, and bathrooms. Proper handwashing is required by regulation and company policy and recommended by the CDC as the single most effective way to reduce the spread of illness. Child-friendly signs are posted by every sink; directors model good behavior by washing hands upon entering a room; and hands are washed prior to eating, after changing diapers, and following sneezing or wiping of a nose.

You can hear more from our East Amherst Director, Kate Bordonaro, here on how Doodle Bugs! is taking a stand against evil germs. superheros

Doodle Bugs! Director of Education and Training, Christina Fecio, offers parents tips how to fight the good fight against illness at home:

  • Follow good handwashing habits at home. It not only prevents the spread of germs, but reinforces what children learn at school.
  • Help teach children to cover their mouth with a tissue when they cough. If no tissue is handy, teach them to cough into the crook of their elbow or upper sleeve instead of their hand.
  • Common disinfectants kill germs, including those of the enterovirus. Take extra steps to wipe down toys at home, door handles, and other frequently touched surfaces.
  • Keep children home if there is suspicion of illness. It’s probably inconvenient for working parents, but prevents others from coming in contact with germs and allows children a time to rest.
  • Healthy habits such as getting enough sleep, drinking enough water and eating nutritious foods help keep the immune system strong.

For more tips on helping to teach children good handwashing habits, read our blog post!