Seven Rules for Good Children's Hygiene (page 2)

Even if your child leaves home spic and span, he's not likely to stay that way for long. Still, simply arriving clean to a destination helps keep everyone around much healthier. Make sure your child know these seven rules for good hygiene.

What You Need to Know

It's much more than simply appearing well-groomed, neat and clean – good hygiene also affects the health and well-being of children and the people they're around all day by reducing the spread of disease. 

How You Can Help

• Encourage good, frequent hand washing before eating, after pottying, and upon return inside from outdoors. Unwashed or improperly washed hands are the primary carriers of infections.
• Teach your child to blow his nose with his mouth open, then dispose of the tissue and wash his hands. Also teach him to sneeze or cough into tissue or into his elbow. Discourage nose-picking.
• Encourage hair washing no less then once or twice weekly. Clean, brushed hair makes it easier to detect head lice and scalp rashes. Early detection allows early treatment and reduces spread of disease or parasites.
• Keep your child's nails clipped and clean to reduce the spread of germs, which hide in the dirt underneath fingernails. Try to make your child aware of the unhealthiness of habits like scratching genitals or picking noses, then later inadvertently sticking his hands in his mouth.
• Make sure clothes are clean, comfortable and weather-appropriate.
• Encourage regular bathing to allow your child's entire body to be kept clean as well as be examined for signs of injury, rash or sores.
• Make sure your child brushes his teeth at least once daily with fluoride toothpaste and flosses regularly to prevent gum diseases and tooth decay by reducing plaque build-up.

For more on this topic, please see the full article:

http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Good_Hygiene_Your/