Problems With a Child's Hygiene

Many children are more concerned about playing and just being a kid than with having good hygiene. Children may also not understand the complications that come along with having poor hygiene. As your child grows, you will likely take notice of many common hygiene problems that a lot of kids have, including spreading germs on the playground and inadequate dental care. You can help your child to practice better hygiene habits with active teaching and leading by example.

Germs

• Germs are everywhere in places with high kid populations such as parks and classrooms. A lot of kids will sneeze without using a tissue or cough without covering their mouths, leaving the surrounding area contaminated with germs that can infect the other children. Give your child a packet of travel-sized tissues for school. Encourage your child to always use a tissues if he has to blow his nose. Practice good hygiene at home. Wash your hands before every meal and make your child do the same. Invest in a cartoon-shaped soap dispenser to make hand-washing time more fun for your child.

Braces and Clean Teeth

• Many children do not enjoy brushing their teeth and do not do as adequate a job as an adult when it comes to brushing and flossing properly. This issue can be even worse in children who wear braces. Braces make it easy for food to get trapped between your child's teeth and the wires, which can cause cavities to form. If your child is having trouble flossing due to braces, purchase a Water Pik to help your child remove stubborn food bits. Water Pik attachments usually come in multiple colors, allow your child to pick her favorite to encourage use. Make sure your child is brushing her teeth after each meal.

Make Bath Time Fun

• If your child fears the bathtub and shower, attempt to make bath time as enjoyable as possible. If you have a young child, buy bath toys, bubbles and other accessories that will make the bathroom seem like a fun place. Help your child bathe. Joke and talk during the bath so she begins to think of tub time as a pleasant part of the day. Getting older children to shower as needed can be a little bit more of a challenge. Sit your child down and discuss sweat and body odor. Your child will likely not want to smell in front of her peers and may begin to shower more often.

Wiping

• Some children can get anxiety about wiping themselves, especially after going number two. It is important to teach your child this skill at a young age so that she will feel comfortable doing it by the time she starts school. It is very important to teach your child to wipe from front to back especially if you have a daughter. The female anatomy makes it very easy for E. coli bacteria to make its way into the urethra if wiping is done the opposite way. You would not want your daughter to have to experience a urinary tract infection at such a young age. Buy moist wipes that your child can use to wipe her behind. Wipes are less abrasive than toilet paper and may help to ease your child's fear. Make sure that your child always washes her hands with soap and water after wiping.