s/o hand washing, sanitizer?

LynsiBHM · January 2012

Is hand sanitizer a must with kids? I am pretty much anti-sanitizer for myself unless it's somewhere you absolutely cannot wash hands (i.e. camping, tailgating, etc.) I know a ton of people that use it at home and other places instead of -or in addition to- washing their hands. My office (when I was working) even had the automatic dipsensers installed in the bathrooms (next to the soap at the sink.) I just find it odd. I just wash my hands well in warm water and soap. No need for anything more, IMO (when you're at the sink!)

I have a small bottle in my car and in my diaper bag (a no-alcohol, kid friendly one) but can count the number of times i've used them on one hand. Does it become more of a need with older kids? Do you use it a lot at the playground or out and about with your LO?

Is there anyone who doesn't use it?

CountryMile · January 2012

If we can wash our hands that is the route we go. I keep a kid-friendly hand sanitizer in my bag at all times. We don't use it just to use it or if there is a sink with soap and water, hand sanitizer does not replace a good warm water wash.

eaglesfan700 · January 2012

I never use it on the kids. I use it on occasion at the gym

MamatoJackson · January 2012

I use it after being in the store but I don't use it on the kids. I haven't found any alcohol-free ones and I'm worried they'll somehow get it into their eyes.

My kids aren't sick anymore often than anyone else's kids seem to be so I don't think it's a big deal.

susanmosley · January 2012

Sanitizer was one of DD's first words. Really though, I can't handle watching DD holding a hand rail in a mall (for example) and then putting her hands in her mouth. I just can't deal. And before I get lectured about germs and immunity and the superbugs I am creating by doing this, I get it. I really do.

bim38106 · January 2012

I use the kid-friendly all natural stuff on the girls. But only when we're leaving a play area or somewhere where I can't wash their hands yet. Really, I only use it because DD2 sucks her thumb all the time. If she didn't, then we probably wouldn't use it much.

supermom83 · January 2012

I use hand sanitizer when soap and water are unavailable like after pumping gas! I rarely ever use sanitizer on my son. If he gets his hands dirty I usually just use wipes to clean them unless he touched something really really gross, only then would I actually sanatize his hands.

I have some on hand at all time though, one in my purse, one in the diaper bag and one in the car.

nekorayne · January 2012

I don't use it on DS unless we encounter someone VERY sick and I rarely use it myself. I have it in the diaper bag and sometimes use it then if I could not wash my hands but needed to. Honestly I want DS to get some germs and develop an immunity. I really don't think germs are all that bad as long as we wash our hands often and use common sense about what/who we touch. But it is nice to have on hand just in case we encounter someone really sick/questionable or have to use a port a potty for some reason. I just think some people use it way to much IMO!

NJLH · January 2012

I use sanitizing hand wipes all the time. My girls still put fingers in the mouth and we're always surrounded by sick kids this time of year.

HarrietNJMommy · January 2012

I don't use it. I own a few tiny bottles, but they are pretty much in a drawer. I don't like hand sanitizer.

pinksweetpea2 · January 2012

We do not use it. We wash our hands frequently and if that is not available, we use wipes. Lily sucks her thumb and I don't want her ingesting that crap...also I hate the way the stuff dries out our hands.

I personally think that this obsessive trend with killing germs is one of the reasons kids seem to get sick more often now than ever. Lily literally spent the first 2.5 years of her life putting everything in her mouth and she hardly ever gets sick (and she goes to daycare 3 days a week). ::shrugs::

laurakaz13 · January 2012

I use a lot of hand sanitizer while out and about. I work in healthcare and it's kind of a habit for me.

But we prefer to wash our hands with soap and water, so I try to do that whenever possible.

lilone_06 · January 2012

susanmosley:
Sanitizer was one of DD's first words. Really though, I can't handle watching DD holding a hand rail in a mall (for example) and then putting her hands in her mouth. I just can't deal. And before I get lectured about germs and immunity and the superbugs I am creating by doing this, I get it. I really do.

Ditto all of this here. I don't get how people who don't use it get past the whole handrail/doorknob/elevator button issue....anyone care to enlighten me? I know the stuff is bad, but I just feel like the alternative is worse.

eaglesfan700 · January 2012

lilone_06:
susanmosley:
Sanitizer was one of DD's first words. Really though, I can't handle watching DD holding a hand rail in a mall (for example) and then putting her hands in her mouth. I just can't deal. And before I get lectured about germs and immunity and the superbugs I am creating by doing this, I get it. I really do.
Ditto all of this here. I don't get how people who don't use it get past the whole handrail/doorknob/elevator button issue....anyone care to enlighten me? I know the stuff is bad, but I just feel like the alternative is worse.

For me, there is nothing to "get past". We wash hands when needed and that's it. My kids are very healthy - they have never had an ear infection and in fact have never needed to go to the doctor for anything other than wellcheck visits. They get minor colds and sniffles here and there but get over it quickly.

I just can't see a reason to add hand sanitizer to the mix - what we are doing is working

HarrietNJMommy · January 2012

eaglesfan700:
lilone_06:
susanmosley:
Sanitizer was one of DD's first words. Really though, I can't handle watching DD holding a hand rail in a mall (for example) and then putting her hands in her mouth. I just can't deal. And before I get lectured about germs and immunity and the superbugs I am creating by doing this, I get it. I really do.
Ditto all of this here. I don't get how people who don't use it get past the whole handrail/doorknob/elevator button issue....anyone care to enlighten me? I know the stuff is bad, but I just feel like the alternative is worse.

For me, there is nothing to "get past". We wash hands when needed and that's it. My kids are very healthy - they have never had an ear infection and in fact have never needed to go to the doctor for anything other than wellcheck visits. They get minor colds and sniffles here and there but get over it quickly.

I just can't see a reason to add hand sanitizer to the mix - what we are doing is working

This is pretty much us too. My kids will press every button on an elevator and touch every knob, etc. Especially my son.

That being said, B had her first ever (and only) ear infection at 4.5. E has never really been sick other than a stomach bug and L JUST got his first ear infection a few months before his 3rd birthday.

And, we've had head lice, strep throat, pink eye, you name it - notices from the preschool. My kids have gotten past all of it without catching it........

sophie206 · January 2012

I have one in my car that I don't use very often. I've found that in my neighborhood, hand sanitizer pumps are pretty much everywhere - many grocery stores, target, etc., have them as well as the disinfecting wipes as you enter the store. Our gym has one outside of the kids club as well as the gym entrance, indoor play areas have them outside of the gate, the zoos have them or a cleaning station around the play farm. I usually pump some on DD's hands before and after playing and then we just use soap and water at home.

penguingrrl · January 2012

I reserve it for when we have no choice but to use a particularly nasty bathroom (which has gotten rarer as my daughter gets older, although now we're PTing again so I'm sure it'll be an issue again for a bit). I try to avoid it since the chemicals that make it effective aren't things I really want my kids using, putting on their hands, etc. But there are definitely times that's better than the alternatives.

The other times we'll use it is after going on the subway because eww.

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