World Health Day: How Parents Can Use Handwashing To Improve Hygiene For Children

Children, by nature, are the most carefree beings in the world. But they are arguably the most susceptible to knowledge and guidance.

It’s why parents usually tread on the side of caution in exposing them to various things and carrying out specific acts in their presence while trying to set the best examples.

Children are also known to be prone to diseases, illness or injuries, hence the need to protect them from being victims of one disease such as Diarrhoea, which can be fatal.

Diarrhoea is mostly contacted through bacteria after engaging in unhygienic practices.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the 2nd leading cause of death of children in Nigeria is diarrhoea with over 150,000 children dying every year due to unhygienic practices. But it is preventable. Washing hands with antibacterial soap, e.g. Dettol soap is estimated to reduce diarrheal diseases to almost 48 percent, along with the use of clean drinking water.

A simple but dedicated approach to ensuring that children cultivate the habit of washing their hands regularly will do the trick. Children are fast learners, so parents can demonstrate the safest practices to guide them right.

Major occasions to inculcate handwashing habits with Dettol are; before food preparation, after visiting the toilet, as soon as you return home from work or school, and after coming in contact with a sick person.

Parents can also urge their children to politely teach their mates in school by telling them the importance of hand washing when necessary.