Dumbing down of hygiene

[Holymolymackerel]

Since my children have started school, I have noticed a few habits that may increase the amount of illnesses around.

I have noticed kids unsupervised in toilets not washing their hands, having snacks when just out of school without washing hands, not washing hands before meals, not having a daily bath/shower, rewearing clothes for days on end, not changing out of school clothes.

I have noticed that some or all of these things happen amongst friends, family and observations.

Surely if every one made more of an effort, the amount of illnesses could be reduced. Helping the NHS, saving wages and not least the upset and feeling unwell for the poorly person.

Do you agree?

I think it's much more complex. Yes, washing hands properly does avoid food poisoning etc. However many people don't have daily baths and clothes often don't need washing everyday. You don't get that in hospital when infections risks need to be kept low.

Hand washing is probably one of the most important things everyone should do. Phones and keyboards are the dirtiest things we touch yet people sit and eat at their computer.
Public transport is filthy.
I wash my hands before I eat or prepare food and as soon as I come in the house. It isn't difficult.

The major strain on the NHS is the ageing population and obesity related diseases. I agree with you re handwashing being vital but it's not going to help the NHS.

Good practices such as hand washing should be learnt early on in life. Saving illness may benefit the NHS, but also lower absence from school and work.

Things such as wearing clothes for a long time may be the result of poverty, or clothes not lasting as long as they used to, so some cannot be handed down to younger children. If you are living from hand to mouth financially the opportunity to avoid this may not be so easy.

You could have a point with not hand washing after using the toilet, although it's unrealistic to expect the school to have anyone supervising the toilets to enforce this. A lot of your points I think are a bit OTT, my DD doesn't always have a bath or shower every day if it's not needed and I can't be arsed with washing and drying her hair, she will also re-wear clothes that are not dirty. She's generally very healthy and rarely ill, a stomach bug about once a year on average since starting school, hasn't needed to visit the doctor for a long time.

I thought that over-cleanliness was suggested as one of the main reasons allergies have increased

They don’t have the resource to supervise 30 children going to the toilet/handwashing multiple times a day. This is the parents job to teach their children.
I don’t see how children not getting changed out of their school uniform, for example, increase illness?

Surely if every one made more of an effort, the amount of illnesses could be reduced

No.

Op are you for real? You think the strain on the nhs is caused by children re-wearing clothes and not having a bath every day?!

It is a fact that our obsession with antibacterial everything is the cause of people having weaker immune systems and getting sick more often. Children need to be exposed to bugs so they can build up immunities, otherwise you get kids who are at the Dr every five minutes, thereby increasing the strain on the nhs.

You sound like one of "those" parents

Nah, some people are just unlucky and seem to pick up illness more than others, perhaps poor gut bacteria in the case of tummy bugs.

Obviously, it's not the only strain or the biggest but I think people do need the NHS more because of other people's poor hygiene.

Not sticking to the 48 hour rule, ignoring isolation with impetigo, hfm, cp, flu etc. All dangerous for the young, elderly and unwell people.

With regards to changing school clothes and having a bath/shower a day, I meant that some children and adults seem to struggle with leaving toilets in a proper state, wiping bottoms, not washing hands and then touching handles etc then children/adults come home and lounge around on beds and sofas and eating tea surely bacteria/ viruses will transfer around the home.

How do you know all this about other people’s children? For example how do you know which DC don’t wipe properly, or don’t leave a toilet in a proper state?

I think the only important things are washing hands after the toilet and washing hands after eating. Baths every day and clean clothes aren't so crucial.

Sorry! washing hands BEFORE eating.

The only people I know who get loads of stomach bugs are dog owners. Therefore it's dogs that are bringing the NHS to its knees.

You say dumbing down, suggesting that lax hygiene is a new phenomenon. I see plenty of women of all ages walking straight out of the loos without going near a sink.

I’m a dog owner and have only ever had one tummy bug, when I caught norovirus from a hospital! So it’s the NHS bringing the NHS to its knees

(I wasn’t in hospital, I was visiting a relative)

I'm torn on this subject because I do believe that children need to be exposed to viruses and an overly sterile environment is unhealthy but I am also the type of person that was quite disgusted when I saw a woman who thought placing your finger tips under the running tap for a fraction of a second and then using the hand drying for far longer than necessary, I wanted to lecture her on how all she had accomplished was to spread the germs from her improperly washed hands with the hand dryer, it would of been more hygienic to not wash them at all!

People who cough as they are walking passed you without covering their mouth make me want to write 'unclean' on their forehead with a sharpie. Germs and viruses will spread well enough for people to develop immunities without inconsiderate twats helping the process!

It's like everything, moderation is key, wash your hands properly when necessary but if you are bleaching your entire world then you are going too far!

Elderly use the NHS the most.

The strain on the NHS is caused by

antibiotic resistant bacteria
people living longer
underfunding
type 2 diabetes
alcoholism and drug addiction

not from lax personal hygiene.

Bullshit. We'd all be living to 250 if only those fucking kids changed out of school uniform when they got home.

Well when I was a child in the 60s we didn't bathe every day - we did wash but didn't bathe.We went for picnics and didn't wash our hands then.I didn't wash my hands a lot anyway as I had bad eczema.We did wash hands after the toilet and before meals though.
School uniform was worn for - well,a long time.
And for church and some events.
I don't think we changed out of uniform when we got home,though I'm not sure!
We weren't ill much,we didn't get regular stomach bugs etc.And we didn't have threadworms or headlice in spite of this appalling lack of hygiene......