to wonder why people let their DC play with the toys at GP/hospital?

[thewintercene]

Today we spent 3 hours in a paediatric waiting room in our local hospital.

Unless someone disinfects those windy wires and beads several times a day, the logic of having one or two toys in a doctor's or hospital's reception or paediatric rooms completely defies me.

Tens of (high probability ill or carrying something from a sibling who is doctor-worthy) children passing through every day, fingering everything.

Obviously soft play is like this too, but it's not a doctor's or hospital where people go when they're ill.

Also, why, when you have a child who is ill already, would you want to risk compounding the problem by having them potentially catch something else?

I'm thinking mainly vomiting bugs here, which are of course highly contagious, you can't ever have immunity for long, and are at a 5 year high this year. There were warnings about it all over our local hospital, and reminders about hand washing, yet nobody seemed to bloody disinfect the toys the whole 3 hours we were there, and when about 20 different children there for different reasons played with them - including one who pooed on the floor then played with the toy. Obviously the poo was cleared up, but the toy was never cleaned.

[Motherofhowmany]

Because they are children and they are bored

[allowlsthinkalot]

Because we're not neurotic?

[AndNowItsSeven]

Because they are disenfranchised.

[MrsJayy]

Children if they mix with other children and toys will pick up germs and bugs you cant keep children away from germs if a child is imunesupressed i guess it is up to the parents.

[Fireandflames666]

I agree, I never let my kids play with toys at hospitals or doctors. I DO NOT want norovirus or other yucky things in my house.

[Kyyria]

I work in a GP surgery. Infection control is strict. All toys are on a cleaning schedule and are wipeable only - nothing fabric.

[Rainer]

Yes yabu.

HTH.

[sleepyhead]

The outpatient clinics we sit in at the hospital are paediatric orthopaedics. I'm fairly confident the dcs aren't going to catch a broken leg.

[Squeegle]

Oh my god how did we all manage to survive the sixties and seventies when germphobia hadn't even been invented

[user1484317265]

You were there three hours and no-one came to disinfect the toys? Oh my god, the horror! Have you practiced your sad face for the local paper?

Jaysus.

[user1484317265]

You were there three hours and no-one came to disinfect the toys? Oh my god, the horror! Have you practiced your sad face for the local paper?

Jaysus.

[TathitiPete]

We were at the hospital today. Hemotology/Oncology. Doubt anyone is going to catch a blood disorder or cancer from a dollhouse or an abacus.

[glitterazi]

Oh, good grief, I've two children and it's never even entered my head to even think about not letting them play with the toys in the doctors/at hospital!
Why would it? They'll get cleaned regularly. They're children. They'd get bored easily if there was a long waiting time. If there's toys to play with, I'm not going to say "no, you can't play with them."
Kids pick up germs all the time. You can't bubble wrap them.

[GentlyGentlyOhDear]

Yanbu op. I hate sitting in the surgery and the thought of my kids playing with the toys makes me break out in a cold sweat!

I do have health anxiety though...

[Doolallylally]

There are germs everywhere. You are being completely silly OP.

[mathsy]

Germs are everywhere. There's probably more in the seats in the waiting room as opposed to the toys! And how on earth can you stop a 2 year old playing with the toys?! Ridiculous.

[SpeakNoWords]

People are unlikely to be there with children who have norovirus or similar though. It'll be routine appointments for non-urgent and probably non-contagious things. They really will have to wipe the toys clean to a schedule as well. I usually have Milton wipes in my bag which I sometimes give a toy a once over with if it looks a bit sticky.

[CeCeBloomer]

Isn't it good for their immune systems - that's what I tell myself particularly as my toddler has developed a fondness for licking windows and tables!

[fusspot66]

My pet hate is the Abacus /bead things

[helensburgh]

I've got emmetophobia so I just don't let my kids touch them.but realistically I know the risk ls.mist be low

[LunaLoveg00d]

I would let my kids play with the toys. I am not a germophobe.

[DramaAlpaca]

I can honestly say when my DC were small I never wasted a second worrying about them playing with toys in waiting rooms. Didn't bother me in the slightest.

[WanderingTrolley1]

Yabu.

[Doublemint]

Hahaha really? YABR (you are being ridiculous)