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The 7 Habits of Healthy Students Someone coughs or sneezes in the classroom. Millions of germs become airborne. You may breathe them or they may settle on the objects around you. When you touch those objects and then touch your nose with your infected hands, you may have started the process of becoming sick.
This is a daily threat to students, teachers and the families they go home to. It's no secret to parents that their children can bring home colds and flu from school. A cough or a sneeze can spread many feet in the confined space of a classroom. It seems like once one child gets sick many others follow.
This is no illusion. Infections spread due to the proximity of classmates in crowded environments and the subsequent prevalence of objects on which germs are deposited. Most colds and flu are acquired by getting germs on your hands and then touching your nose. Hot spots for germ deposits are bathrooms, desks, doors, the computer keyboard, the mouse and the like. Even the pencil one student shares with another.
According to research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, among students in kindergarten through 12th grade at public schools, the transmission of communicable diseases such as viral and bacterial infections is responsible for more than 164 million lost school days per school year.
The 7 Habits of Healthy Students listed below contains key proactive steps with the school and home environment in mind. The list includes advice from infectious disease specialists, the Centers of Disease Control (www.cdc.gov) the World Health Organization (www.who.int) and other insights that could help reduce the risk of infection
Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, with plenty of soap and running water for at least 20 seconds. • Use hand sanitizers. It’s not always convenient to wash your hands, so alcohol based sanitizers can help fill the gaps when you are away from the sink. You can use sanitizers or alcohol wipes in the classroom at your seat. • Refrain from touching your eyes, mouth and especially your nose. The nose is the chief site of infection by germs that cause colds, flu, strep and other disease. • Be careful of re-infection. Washing and using hand sanitizers can get rid of most the germs that already exist on your hands, but these methods are only effective for a period of seconds. Your hands can easily be re-infected as soon as they come in contact with new germs. Then, if you touch your nose, the germs can enter your body. • Stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of water. • Maintain your general health through exercise, plenty of rest and good nutrition. • Spread the word to help stop the spread of germs. Share this list with friends, family and classmates. You want as many people to know about this advice as possible. If you’re lucky, the whole class will learn and practice these healthy habits.
Other points to Remember • Do not use others: towels, combs, razors, toothbrushes, and underclothing. • Dry your feet thoroughly after washing • Cover all cuts, burns and sores and change dressings regularly – pay extra attention to any open wounds on hands and arms. • Replace the sponge frequently. Sponges and scrubbers provide the warm, moist conditions and trapped food particles on which bacteria thrive. The bacteria can multiply, increasing from a few to millions in a matter of hours. Use a different implement for each cleaning task in the kitchen and bathroom.
Don't Drink Soda or Sports DrinksSoda and Sports Drinks eat away at tooth enamel and coats your teeth with enamel-destroying plaque, two dental hygiene no-no's. Switch out soda for tea, water, milk or juice • Swish with MouthwashIf you have problems with halitosis, swish with mouthwash throughout the day to fight bad breath. Avoid drinking coffee or eating garlic, onions or stinky cheese; brush vigorously and often in addition to using mouthwash. Check with your dentist to make sure there is not any underlying medical issues contributing to your problem; an infection is a common cause of halitosis. Once you have eliminated the possibility of a medical problem, continue using good hygiene practices.
