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sharlan 10:07 AM 11-10-2014
Back in the dark ages when I first started daycare I wasn't too concerned about germs and sharing.

If I took the kids to McDonald's or the movies, I would buy 1 soda and all the kids would drink out of the same straw. I rarely sprayed down my house with Lysol. Wash hands before meals, nah. Share the same bowl of popcorn or chips, sure, why not. If I bought a bottle of soda, I let the kids drink out of it, no big deal. I let kids come sick. Why not, everyone was already exposed to the germs. I never sent a sick child home. Toys were rarely washed. I wasn't a slob housekeeper, but I just never worried about germs or illnesses because the kids rarely got sic.

My kids and daycare kids rarely got sick. Only 3 out of 6 kids got the chicken pox. HFM would be limited to 1 or 2 kids. Tummy bugs or colds, maybe one or two but never the whole group.

Now, I never let kids share cups. If somebody accidently grabs the wrong water cup or one of the littles grabs somebody's cup, I immediately throw it in the sink and get a new one. I frequently bleach the toys. I use antibacterial soaps and paper towels in the bathroom. Hands are always washed. I don't let the kids share any food, everyone gets their own bowl or cup. No putting your hand in the chip bag, etc

Now, if someone gets a cold, it might not go through all of the kids, but a majority will get it. We just had a tummy bug go through 16 people in 5 households. Two weeks ago, I had 3 kids on antibiotics for ear/sinus infections.

I'm half tempted to go back to the dark ages and let everyone share again. (Just kidding)

I personally think all these antibacterial products and over sanitizing are destroying our immune systems.

What do you think?
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Annalee 10:13 AM 11-10-2014
Originally Posted by sharlan:
Back in the dark ages when I first started daycare I wasn't too concerned about germs and sharing.

If I took the kids to McDonald's or the movies, I would buy 1 soda and all the kids would drink out of the same straw. I rarely sprayed down my house with Lysol. Wash hands before meals, nah. Share the same bowl of popcorn or chips, sure, why not. If I bought a bottle of soda, I let the kids drink out of it, no big deal. I let kids come sick. Why not, everyone was already exposed to the germs. I never sent a sick child home. Toys were rarely washed. I wasn't a slob housekeeper, but I just never worried about germs or illnesses because the kids rarely got sic.

My kids and daycare kids rarely got sick. Only 3 out of 6 kids got the chicken pox. HFM would be limited to 1 or 2 kids. Tummy bugs or colds, maybe one or two but never the whole group.

Now, I never let kids share cups. If somebody accidently grabs the wrong water cup or one of the littles grabs somebody's cup, I immediately throw it in the sink and get a new one. I frequently bleach the toys. I use antibacterial soaps and paper towels in the bathroom. Hands are always washed. I don't let the kids share any food, everyone gets their own bowl or cup. No putting your hand in the chip bag, etc

Now, if someone gets a cold, it might not go through all of the kids, but a majority will get it. We just had a tummy bug go through 16 people in 5 households. Two weeks ago, I had 3 kids on antibiotics for ear/sinus infections.

I'm half tempted to go back to the dark ages and let everyone share again. (Just kidding)

I personally think all these antibacterial products and over sanitizing are destroying our immune systems.

What do you think?
I feel there is some validity in what you are saying....I grew up in a time where we worked in the pepper field only stopping for a bologna or potted meat sandwich for lunch and NO, we did not have germ x or wipes.....we just ate with dirty hands and went back to picking pepper.
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Country Kids 10:26 AM 11-10-2014
""I personally think all these antibacterial products and over sanitizing are destroying our immune systems

It is a proven fact they are! Doctors will tell you not to use them and also not to wash your hands so much.

I rarely see a doctor/nurse wash their hands anymore. They seem to all use the foam soap stuff that you squirt on when entering a room.

I clean, do the regular stuff but not over the top. My house is not dirty by any means but I don't bleach from top to bottom. Quess who's kiddo's are rarely sick, including family. We need germs to fight germs.
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Blackcat31 10:38 AM 11-10-2014
Originally Posted by sharlan:
I personally think all these antibacterial products and over sanitizing are destroying our immune systems.

What do you think?
MN became the first state that no longer allows the sale of anti-bacterial soaps or anything containing triclosan (main ingredient/chemical in antibacterial products)

http://abc13.com/health/minnesota-ba...al-soap/69627/
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Play Care 11:06 AM 11-10-2014
I do think over-sanitizing can be an issue. And we do not have any anti-bac soaps in the house.

That said, basic handwashing (with liquid, non-antibac soap) is the best way to stop the spread of germs. My dc kids already try to get out of hand washing (going too quickly or even lying about it ) And the ones who are the worst offenders are also often my sickest dck's...
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NeedaVaca 11:18 AM 11-10-2014
I have also started to seriously follow and learn about toxic chemicals in everyday items. Cosmetics, shampoo, conditioner, lotions, toothpaste, fragrances, laundry detergent...the list goes on and on and these items have awful ingredients that weaken the immune system! Not only bad for our immune system but change our hormones (endocrine disruptors), cancer causing...these types of products are highly unregulated and it's so sad/scary!

I am currently in the process of buying new products to replace my toxic ones. I always put so much thought about what I was putting into my body and only recently realized how bad the products I was putting ON my body were!

What bothered me so much with October being cancer awareness month was seeing all the "pink ribbons" on products that contain the toxic ingredients that CAUSE cancer!
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EntropyControlSpecialist 11:22 AM 11-10-2014
Originally Posted by Play Care:
I do think over-sanitizing can be an issue. And we do not have any anti-bac soaps in the house.

That said, basic handwashing (with liquid, non-antibac soap) is the best way to stop the spread of germs. My dc kids already try to get out of hand washing (going too quickly or even lying about it ) And the ones who are the worst offenders are also often my sickest dck's...
Interesting. My constant hand lickers seem to get sick the LEAST here. I am convinced they are constantly building up their immune system since I cannot possibly catch them every single time.

My kiddos eating poorly get sick OFTEN. Since the immune system is 70% gut health, this doesn't surprise me. But, I do think the oversterilization of everything is effecting the children's health as are the antibacterial everythings. I hope they completely eliminate "antibacterial ___" soon. All of it. It needs to go.
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SignMeUp 11:22 AM 11-10-2014
Personally I dislike it that doctors don't wash. They use the hand sanitizer, but eww, I don't know where their hands have been Wash first, and then use the sanitizer.

One of the theories on why allergy/asthma diagnosis is on the rise is that people in general are keeping our internal environments too clean. Our immune systems need something to fight against, and they used to fight against house dust and some innocuous germs. And, the theory goes, they have to fight something, so they fight peanuts or something else. Well, that's probably the least medical explanation you'll ever read on this, but hopefully you get the idea.
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daycarediva 11:35 AM 11-10-2014
Originally Posted by Play Care:
I do think over-sanitizing can be an issue. And we do not have any anti-bac soaps in the house.

That said, basic handwashing (with liquid, non-antibac soap) is the best way to stop the spread of germs. My dc kids already try to get out of hand washing (going too quickly or even lying about it ) And the ones who are the worst offenders are also often my sickest dck's...
I see the opposite. My licker/toy sucker is RARELY sick. I wish I could say that to his mother "Jr wouldn't be sick so often if he didn't put EVERYTHING in his mouth...." (he's 4!)

Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
Interesting. My constant hand lickers seem to get sick the LEAST here. I am convinced they are constantly building up their immune system since I cannot possibly catch them every single time.

My kiddos eating poorly get sick OFTEN. Since the immune system is 70% gut health, this doesn't surprise me. But, I do think the oversterilization of everything is effecting the children's health as are the antibacterial everythings. I hope they completely eliminate "antibacterial ___" soon. All of it. It needs to go.
I agree with the eating thing, the more processed the kids overall diet, the more often they are ill. I have a dcg who catches EVERYTHING but she also lives on refined grains/processed food ONLY.
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Blackcat31 11:37 AM 11-10-2014
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
I see the opposite. My licker/toy sucker is RARELY sick. I wish I could say that to his mother "Jr wouldn't be sick so often if he didn't put EVERYTHING in his mouth...." (he's 4!)
Did you mean this differently?

He can't be RARELY sick if he is sick so often.
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Country Kids 11:40 AM 11-10-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Did you mean this differently?

He can't be RARELY sick if he is sick so often.

I think she means he puts everything in his mouth at four years old yet is rarely sick.

Wishes she could tell mom that he wouldn't be sick so often if he left things out of his mouth (due to age) but he is never sick.
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sharlan 12:04 PM 11-10-2014
I'm just tired of sick kids. Maybe I'm just 30 years older and more crotchety.

I had a period a couple of years ago where I was so ready to pull out my hair. We had a cold that went from child A to B to C down the line and right back to A. It was one child at a time, over and over and over again. I bleached, I sprayed, I washed, but couldn't break the cycle. Child A left and the colds stopped the next week.
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Angelsj 12:36 PM 11-10-2014
Originally Posted by Country Kids:
""I personally think all these antibacterial products and over sanitizing are destroying our immune systems

It is a proven fact they are! Doctors will tell you not to use them and also not to wash your hands so much.

I rarely see a doctor/nurse wash their hands anymore. They seem to all use the foam soap stuff that you squirt on when entering a room.

I clean, do the regular stuff but not over the top. My house is not dirty by any means but I don't bleach from top to bottom. Quess who's kiddo's are rarely sick, including family. We need germs to fight germs.
Agreed. I keep things clean, but I don't over sanitize things. Hot water and soap if it is dirty. We wash hands before meals and after potty, but just with regular (not antibacterial) soap. We do pretty well. Very minimal illnesses.
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Play Care 01:06 PM 11-10-2014
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
I see the opposite. My licker/toy sucker is RARELY sick. I wish I could say that to his mother "Jr wouldn't be sick so often if he didn't put EVERYTHING in his mouth...." (he's 4!)
.
I'm really referring to basic hand washing only - after toileting, before eating, etc.
I'm not as "anti-mouthing" as many providers seem to be I'm not hyper viligent about sanitizing door knobs and light switches, etc.

The one 4yo DCG I have who is always sick gives me the hardest time about washing her hands and tries to sneak from the bathroom before washing.
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Bookworm 01:19 PM 11-10-2014
I never thought about this but it makes sense. The Infant and Toddler rooms go through lots of mini epidemics through out the year. The last one was HFM and everybody got it, not all at the same time though. The teachers sanitize their rooms twice a day. I'm talking about full blown decontamination. But if you come down on my end, there is rarely a sick child and we just wipe down toys at nap.
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Cradle2crayons 04:15 PM 11-10-2014
I agree completely. I don't use bleach at all. I'm also not overly paranoid about hand lickers...Door knobs... Etc...

My own kids and daycare kids are veryyyyyyyy rarely sick. If one does get sick, generally nobody else gets it.

I don't generally let hem lick floors or eat dirt... But I don't think I'm overly crazy about sanitizing although my house is pretty clean. I do sweep and mop at least two times a day though.
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jenboo 04:21 PM 11-10-2014
I'll be honest. I'm horrible at sanitizing. I rarely wash the toys. I usually wipe hands with wet rags before meals. We do wash with soap and water after going potty.
We are rarely sick. Runny noses usually stay with the child who has it. Most is did get a stomach bug a little while ago. I sanitized after that...

I also use doTERRA OnGuard as my multi purpose cleaner.

I totally agree that over sanitizing/cleaning is causing weaker immune systems.
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AuntTami 04:34 PM 11-10-2014
As a previous poster mentioned, it's been proven that over cleaning IS making us sicker. The anti-bacterials are not only killing the bad bacteria, but they kill the good bacteria. We need the good bacteria that is in our bodies to fight off the bad bacteria that we come into contact with on a daily basis.

I don't go overboard with sanitizing either and we rarely get sick around here.

Honestly, I attribute most of my immune system to the fact that I STILL bite my nails. Constantly. I've heard "ew you don't know whats under your nails" more times than I can count. However, there isn't anything under my nails because I never HAVE nails. I chew them down so short that nothing can get under them. All those nasty, gross germs that I know I ingest on a daily basis from chewing my nails.

But, I don't use anti-bacterial anything, so I still have my good bacteria.

I also don't use hand sanitizer. In part because I'm allergic to it, but also in part because I don't think it's as good as washing your hands with soap and water.

It doesn't actually CLEAN your hands, it just sanitizes them...

I clean my house with soap and water. I use "tang"(the orange drink mix) for cleaning my toilets. My shower gets 7th generation cleaning spray because we have hard water and I need the extra power to get through the hard water stains, but other than that, that's about the only "chemicals" I use......I do however use lots and lots of vinegar! I clean lots of things with vinegar!
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AmyKidsCo 08:29 PM 11-10-2014
Not to go OT, but Tang cleans toilets?

I'm totally into vinegar, baking soda, and other "natural" cleaners instead of chemical too. On the other hand... can TANG be considered "natural" or doesn't it matter since it's going into the toilet instead of our bodies?
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AuntTami 09:07 PM 11-10-2014
Originally Posted by AmyKidsCo:
Not to go OT, but Tang cleans toilets?

I'm totally into vinegar, baking soda, and other "natural" cleaners instead of chemical too. On the other hand... can TANG be considered "natural" or doesn't it matter since it's going into the toilet instead of our bodies?
YES! It actually works very very well! I don't know if its the acidity in it or what, but it works! I just dump a couple tablespoons in, let it sit for 10-15 minutes, and then use my brush a little bit and it cleans it right up! Granted, I don't let my toilet get gross haha..........Coca-Cola works for a lot of cleaning projects too, because of the acidity in it. It breaks up stains AND it's good for de-rusting anything that's rusted shut/rusted on...

I don't think it's "natural" but I'd rather be breathing fumes from tang than breathing fumes from toilet bowl cleaner or even have that stuff in my house!

Plus, a container of tang is much cheaper than a bottle of good toilet bowl cleaner and you get more uses. You can use it for a drink mix for your DH if you don't tell him you also use it to clean the toilets (mine doesn't know and drinks tang almost daily LOL oops!)
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daycarediva 02:47 AM 11-11-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Did you mean this differently?

He can't be RARELY sick if he is sick so often.
Originally Posted by Country Kids:
I think she means he puts everything in his mouth at four years old yet is rarely sick.

Wishes she could tell mom that he wouldn't be sick so often if he left things out of his mouth (due to age) but he is never sick.
That's what I meant. I wish I could use 'being sick' as a reason for Mom to encourage him to stop the licking at home. Only because it's GROSS. He licks EVERYTHING he touches, he licks his clothes, his hands, so much that he smells like saliva (and that makes me gag).
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