Watertown— For working parents with small children, day care is a necessity and a part of everyday life. The dilemma that often comes with placing children in day care is the spread of germs or viruses that could make kids sick.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a very common virus that is airborne, so congregant settings such as a day care makes the disease easier to pass around. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “RSV is a respiratory virus that infects the lungs and breathing passages. Most otherwise healthy people recover from RSV infection in 1 to 2 weeks.”
In infants, young children, or older adults the infection can be much more severe. Executive Director of Benchmark Family Services, Peggy Feistel said, “You want to protect your child from getting sick, but RSV is airborne, so there is not a lot that can be done about it.” Mrs. Feistel explained that parents should not be deterred from sending their child to day care. However, according to Feistel it is vital to pick a day care that practices good hygiene.
Benchmark Family Services explained some basic hygiene practices, that can help prevent the spread of germs and viruses:
· It’s always good to keep hand sanitizer nearby.
· Staff and kids should wash their hands frequently.
· If a child sneezes, they should wash their hands immediately.
· Counters, desks, chairs, and all surfaces that come in contact with children and staff should be disinfected and kept clean.
· Children who are sick should be taken to their family physician and returned only after Doctor’s orders.
