“Have you washed your hands, sweetie? Your hands are so dirty!”. Mom’s familiar words are like a reminder, a shield protecting her beloved child from hidden dangers from bacteria. Washing hands thoroughly not only helps children stay healthy but also establishes an essential hygiene habit, contributing to disease prevention, especially for preschoolers.
Why is Handwashing Important for Preschoolers?
Preschoolers are naturally playful and love exploring the world around them by putting everything in their mouths. These seemingly harmless actions carry a high risk of infection. Bacteria can live on their hands after playing, touching objects, animals, or interacting with others. When they put their hands in their mouths, bacteria can easily enter their bodies, causing illnesses such as colds, diarrhea, and respiratory infections.
6-Step Handwashing Procedure for Preschoolers – Detailed Guide
To ensure children wash their hands properly, parents and teachers need to guide them through the 6-step handwashing procedure, as recommended by the Ministry of Health and experts like Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Hai, Head of Pediatrics Department, Bach Mai Hospital:
1. Wet Hands with Clean Water
The first step is to wet hands with clean water. Note that the water should be lukewarm, neither too hot nor too cold, to avoid discomfort for the child.
2. Apply Soap
After wetting hands, the child needs to apply soap. Use a sufficient amount of soap, not too much or too little. The child should rub soap evenly over the palms, backs of hands, between fingers, under fingernails, and wrists.
3. Rub Palms Together
The child needs to rub palms together for at least 20 seconds. This action helps remove bacteria from the surface of the hands.
4. Rub Backs of Hands
Next, the child rubs the back of each hand with the palm of the other hand, interlocking fingers, and also rubs each thumb in the palm of the opposite hand.
5. Rub Between Fingers
In this step, the child rubs between the fingers, from the thumb to the pinky finger. Rub gently, avoiding scratching the skin.
6. Rinse Hands Thoroughly with Clean Water
Finally, the child rinses hands thoroughly with clean water, ensuring all soap is removed.
Important Notes When Washing Hands for Preschoolers
- Choose suitable soap: Choose mild soap that is free of harsh detergents and suitable for children’s sensitive skin.
- Guide children: Be patient in guiding children on how to wash their hands correctly. They can learn by imitating adults or watching instructional videos.
- Regular reminders: Remind children to wash their hands frequently before meals, after using the restroom, after playing, and after contact with animals, etc.
Story of a Preschool Girl
“Have you washed your hands, Mai?” – Teacher Lan asked little Mai. Mai shook her head: “Not yet, but I was just playing with toys!”. “Honey, even if you were just playing with toys, bacteria can still stick to your hands. Bacteria can make you sick, and you won’t be able to go to school and play with your friends anymore!”.
Hearing her teacher’s words, Mai understood. From then on, Mai always remembered to wash her hands thoroughly before eating, after playing, and after using the restroom. Mai became a shining example for her classmates to follow, together maintaining hygiene and protecting their health.
Conclusion
Washing hands thoroughly is an essential hygiene habit for preschoolers. Guiding children to wash their hands correctly following the 6-step procedure is an effective way to protect their health, contributing to disease prevention and helping them grow up healthy.
Let’s join hands in teaching preschoolers this good habit, so that the future generation is healthy, cheerful, and radiant!
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Do you want to learn more about other self-care skills for preschoolers? Visit https://tuoitho.edu.vn/cac-ky-nang-tu-phuc-vu-cho-tre-mam-non/ to discover more useful information!