Im confused

[ann32]

I don't understand the stomach virus, just when I think it is hard to get, everyone I know has come down with it. But I really dont understand how it is spread in schools. I understand if i kid gets sick in class, but how does a kid who has been out spread it to the class. It seems like there is at least 1 kid a day at my sons class with the stomach virus. I am jsut waiting for our turn. It is really stressing me out

[jamie77]

Man, those schools are a breeding ground. Say one kid gets it. Even after they are feeling better, the virus is still in their system. They poo at school, don't wash their hands and sharpen their pencil. Those germs are then on the handle of the sharpener, where they move onto the hands of the next kid to use it. That kid absentmindedly puts that pencil in their mouth or eats lunch without washing up first and boom. So it goes.

It's terrifying...I feel you. You've just got to stress the importance of hand washing before meals and you should be good to go. My daughter is in the 6th grade, and has only had 1 honest-to-goodness stomach virus, and that was three years ago. Some kid even got sick right next to her on the bus a few weeks ago and she didn't catch it, even though the rest of the school were dropping like flies.

[ann32]

ok thanks...It honestly just grosses me out! The teacher doesnt let the children wash their hands before lunch or snack, so I give him sani-wipes to use before snack and lunch (can you believe that?) She also made them drink out of the water fountain for snack...I freaked with that and I threw a fit, so now kids can have water bottles. A girl threw up on the carpet 2 weeks ago when they were all sitting in circle...UGH I was so stressed.

thanks a bunch!

[bamf23]

Ann, I'm sorry if this sucks to hear but sani-wipes don't kill the virus. Hand-washing is the only thing that gets rid of it and only because its washing the virus down the drain. What kind of teacher doesn't let kids wash their hands before they eat?!

[paulinek]

I'd report the school to the local health authority, not letting kids wash their hands before eating? that's just downright disgusting! Or maybe a quiet word with the head teacher pointing out that if the kids washed their hands properly (i.e with soap for 20 seconds) before eating it would dramatically reduce the amount of kids off sick every winter, not just with stomach viruses but colds and flu too.

Bamf23 is right though, most wipes and hand sanitisers don't kill noro and sv's, as alcohol alone isn't enough to destroy those types of viruses, you need ones with Benzalkonium Chloride in to kill sv's and they are about, you just need to check the ingredients list on the packaging.

You'd need to double check but I'm sure i've heard people on here before in the U.S.A say that pink wet ones have got that ingredient in?? (the English ones definitely don't but i think they're different there)

[Lexi]

Ann...I know! I was appalled when my son started preschool and they didn't have the kids wash before snack. I had to speak to the teacher on my own and have her allow him to wash before. It's hard, you don't want your kid to feel "singled out" but it's so much safer, my gosh! Then in elementary school they do the same thing--no washing before snack or lunch. I have him take wipes in his pockets and lunch box. I know wipes don't kill everything, but I feel better having him do SOMETHING in the matter of cleaning his hands before he eats! It's so scary, I know...I freak out constantly 'til summer break

[ann32]

THanks guys, it drives me nuts. When he first started school I was packing him water bottles and they would never be opened, I asked th teacher why he was bringing his water bottles back and she said bc they are not allowed to have them. So I asked them what they drink during the day and she told me the water fountain. I almost DROPPED DEAD! My son does not drink out of water fountains!!!! I spoke with the head teacher several times and that did nothing, so I had to meet with the principle, finally they allowed him to drink out of his water bottles. I couldnt believe that they actually told me that they clean the fountain twice daily...I mean that doesnt stop the germs unless they clean it after every child with bleach...UGH that teacher just frustrates me...

ANyway, the kiddos have been dropping like flies with the tummy bug, so I am just waiting for our turn...I just keep praying and hoping it skips us this year....