What Factors can Improve the Health and Hygiene of Children?
Children are easily infected due to contamination and unsanitary conditions. According to reports from Swachh’s presentation, poor sanitation and hygiene led to the death of 100,000 children yearly in Pakistan. It has become a serious concern now for the Government and other entities.
Especially in rural areas where proper sanitation is not practiced, children become more prone to infectious diseases. Water-related diseases, such as diarrhea, are causing the death of many children. It has become one of the leading causes of death in children, affecting 1.1 lakh lives in Pakistan every year. Therefore, the health and hygiene of children have become a matter of concern.
Children should learn to practice hygiene at home and outdoors. In addition, the support of government and projects will also lead to important solutions. Below are the factors to improve the health and hygiene of children.
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Teaching Hygiene Practices
The most important step is to teach children about hygiene practices. It must be taught in their houses. It will help them follow these practices at home and even when they are away. Each house should be made aware of keeping the environment clean in rural areas.
Children become infected when the environment in which they live is contaminated. Parents need to be educated in these practices to guide their children. Even in schools, teachers must organize hygiene programs to teach hygiene practices.
Safe Disposal of Stool
Feces from all households must undergo safe disposal. Some houses do not have a proper disposal facility, leading to deadly infections. Children should be taught to use the toilet rather than defecate in the open. Many life-threatening illnesses, such as diarrhea, come from germs in human feces. When the germs come into contact with water, food, utensils, hands, or other surfaces, they infect the child.
Children will inadvertently swallow food and water and suffer from diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to dispose of feces safely. The toilet should be cleaned regularly, and the septic tank should undergo sanitation maintenance. Animal feces should be kept away from areas where children play. Open defecation should be stopped completely.
Even Baby Feces are Dangerous to Their Health
Timely cleaning and diaper changing will prevent them from becoming infected. The baby’s feces should be cleaned up immediately. Toilets must be covered and flushed properly. The use of disinfectants and cleaners is necessary to clean the restrooms. NGOs develop water and sanitation projects to help communities with facilities.
Prioritize the Importance of Hand Washing
Children must learn to prioritize frequent hand washing. They must learn to wash their hands well with hand wash. Mothers are even advised to wash their hands thoroughly before feeding the child. Frequent hand washing and sanitizing will kill germs.
This Healthy Habit Will Help Prevent Infections
Parents should teach their children to wash their hands after defecating. It is important to wash after playing with pets and handling raw food. Children should be taught to wash before eating so that germs do not enter their bodies and cause illness. Children often put their hands in their mouths, so it’s important to ensure your hands are clean.
Provide a Safe Environment to Play
Children play anywhere; therefore, the parent’s responsibility is to provide them with a hygienic environment. Also, they should be taught not to play in unsanitary places. The unsanitary practices of children infect them with worms. It depletes the body of nutrients and affects immunity.
The worms are found in human feces and urine, on the surface of the soil, and undercooked foods. Advise children not to play in such unhygienic places or defecation areas. They must wear shoes to prevent the worms from entering the body. Treatment of the areas with anthelmintic drugs will improve the health and hygiene of children.
Importance of Fresh and Clean Drinking Water
Water is the main medium of contamination. As discussed above, children in Pakistan suffer greatly from waterborne diseases. Therefore, drinking clean water should be practiced. It is recommended to use water that comes from safe sources. Purified water is better to drink. If you do not have a cleaner, you can boil the water. the
