Trimming Nails
Children should be asked to regularly trim nails. Nails can store germs that can be transferred into the children’s body when they are eating or touching their face. Trim your children’s nails on a weekly basis.

Clothing & Toiletries
Make your child wear clean clothes. Your children’s shoes may often get very smelly put them outside in the sun to dry this will not only get rid of the smell but will also completely kill the bacteria in them. Ask your child to dry his/her feet carefully, especially between the toes where more bacteria collect than anywhere else on the skin. This can in turn cause fungal infections or other problems such as warts on the feet.

Children should not share personal toiletries such as toothbrush, nail cutters, hairbrush etc. and beddings should be changed once a week.

Personal Hygiene Practices for Care Givers

The health, cleanliness and hygienic habits of caregivers are important because their interaction with children can spread germs if left unchecked and unattended. These germs are present on their hands, face, hair, and nose and in the mouth.

Caregivers should practice the following hygienic habits to ensure a healthy environment for themselves and their children:

Food Hygiene Practices

A contaminated food item is one which has germs or a toxin (poison) in it. When a child consumes contaminated food s/he is liable to feel sick, vomit, and have abdominal pains and/or diarrhea. You cannot tell if a food item is contaminated as the germs don’t necessarily make the food smell or taste different. Parents should exercise care when handling food for children.

Foods that are most likely to cause food-borne illnesses include eggs, meats, poultry, fish, baked or boiled potatoes, milk or milk products and garlic and oil mixtures. Bacteria need food to grow on, particularly protein and carbohydrates. If parents and care givers practice the following steps they can ensure prevention of food borne illnesses in children: