Hand Washing and Young Children

Important handwashing information for young children and childcare providers.

Gloves and diaper changes

• Hand Washing (for both the staff member’s hands and the child’s hands)
  is an important last step in a diaper change even when using gloves.
  

“Hand Washing is key. Diarrheal outbreaks could be cut in half by requiring staff to wash their hands and the child’s hands after changing diapers.”
FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

Why young children are at increased risk

• Young children are at increased risk for contracting infectious
  diseases because they:
  • are grouped together, are exposed to many new germs
    
  • have immune systems that are not fully developed to fight germs
    
  • do not have complete control of body fluids that contain germs
    
  • have personal habits that spread germs
    
  • thumb sucking
    
  • rubbing eyes
    
  • putting things in their mouths